20/11/25 So far, the oven has hardly developed any cracks in the plaster, apart from a few tiny hairline cracks that disappear again after cooling down. Embedding the glass fiber fabric in the plaster was a good decision.
I always applied thin layers and waited a long time between coats, which is absolutely necessary when working with lime plaster.
Next time, however, I would start all the work in spring. :)
This is definitely advisable for bricklaying and plastering work in order to remove all residual moisture from the bricks, mortar, and plaster.
Insufficiently dried materials can lead to high tension and cracks (due to rapid evaporation) when making the first fires.

#oven #traditional #handcrafted #woodwork #solid #wood #handbuilt #diy #natural #lime #plaster

20/11/25 Back to making fire for a week now. I'm very satisfied with the overall work and the new plaster. The heat is now distributed more evenly throughout the entire oven and it retains the heat even longer (for almost 20 hours). The natural lime plaster feels pleasant, breathes, and has no odors whatsoever. Top-notch products.

#oven #traditional #handcrafted #woodwork #solid #wood #handbuilt #diy #natural #lime #plaster

99% of the work is done. It’s a good decision to postpone the remaining part until the beginning of next year. I don’t work very well under stress. The new material would take over a week to arrive, and I don’t want to open any more new bags at the moment. Besides, it’s not getting any warmer. The lime plaster that’s already been applied can now dry out for a few more days.

#oven #plaster #lime #calce #plastering #work #building #diy #handcraft #craftsmanship

11.11.2025: This week, I’ll let the lime dry out slowly, and then next week I’ll heat the oven up again. Tip for lime plaster:
Make sure to get plenty of oxygen by fully opening the windows briefly, 3–5 times a day (avoid continuous drafts). Lightly moisten the surface repeatedly in a dry environment or when a heater is running (make sure it’s not directed toward the oven).

#oven #plaster #lime #calce #plastering #work #building #diy #handcraft #craftsmanship

11.11.2025: Oven with beige baselayer “without makeup”.
Over the last 50 days, I have spent over 150 hours on the plastering work. There were around 50 individual steps involved. The finishing touches with natural colored fine plaster are still pending.

#oven #plaster #lime #calce #plastering #work #building #diy #handcraft #craftsmanship

11.11.2025: Finished the last "rasante" bag yesterday. The fine plaster (10 kg) with color pigments would not be sufficient to level out the unevenness on the upper part. This amount is only sufficient for a maximum of 1,5 - 2 square meters, and I need to plaster over 3 square meters. I'll continue next year in April/May 2026 with additional fineplaster material.

#oven #plaster #lime #calce #plastering #work #building #diy #handcraft #craftsmanship

Today, I crawled into the lion’s den once again. ;)
Most of the work I did lying on my stomach, and my thin spatula proved very useful. Since I’m not particularly flexible, I had to switch to my left hand to reach some tricky spots at the top. I almost dipped my nose into the “tiramisù” mortar mix.
Not the prettiest result but functional!

#oven #plaster #lime #calce #cocciopesto #romancement #plastering #work #diy #handcraft #renovation #repairwork #craftsmanship

11.11.2025: Base coat plaster completed with "rasante" lime plaster. No more plastering work this year (due to material shortages and cold snap).
2 bags of “rasante di livellamento” finished, 1 bag of “cocciopesto 0-3mm” finished.

#oven #plaster #lime #calce #plastering #work #building #diy #handcraft #craftsmanship

Some of my working tools for today. Two jointing trowels, a thin spatula, and a small round-tipped masonry trowel. Good tools for difficult jointing.
The thickness/width of the jointing trowels (approx. 2.5 mm/8mm) in two different lenghts makes it easier to insert the mortar deep into different type of holes.

#oven #plaster #lime #plastering #renovation #work #building #diy #handcraft #workingtool #craftsmanship

The old base (semicircular vault) of the oven (35 years old) was built with red bricks. The joints were not laid very neatly and have broken away somewhat over time. Today I refilled and repaired most of the joints.
The bottom row of bricks at the left side in particular was not completely resting on the wooden boards, which leads to uneven load distribution. The stove is not lightweight.
I filled the joints with mortar, hoping that the load will now be better distributed across the entire bricks, the woodfloor and the wooden beams underneath.
Well dedusted and pre-moistened.

#oven #plaster #lime #calce #cocciopesto #romancement #plastering #renovation #work #building #diy #handcraft #craftsmanship

Today, I continued working on a difficult section below the oven. I repaired the joints of the old semicircular vault at the base.
I ran out of rasante (again), so I switched to Prompt and continued in a different spot. Progress remains slow but steady. :)
Cocciopesto Prompt with a pinch of citric acid
Tiramisù – 2.5 please – excellent consistency, but not suitable for consumption. :)
I’m glad I added the citric acid (a setting retarder for Prompt Vicat Romancement); otherwise, the mortar mixture with Cocciopesto 1:1 would have set in just 10 minutes instead of 50. This gave me time to focus fully on grouting in difficult and varied positions. The space was a bit cramped, and I had to take a few breaks to relax in between. Had my yoga-working session today.

#oven #plaster #lime #calce #cocciopesto #romancement #plastering #renovation #work #building #diy #handcraft #craftsmanship

Side view of the oven. Things are moving forward.

#oven #plaster #lime #calce #plastering #work #building #diy #handcraft #craftsmanship