Last August I had a pad poured for a kiln chamber I had ordered. After more thought and the kiln not arriving yet we decided to relocate the pad to another part of the farm. The first pad will still be used though for air drying which is something you can never have enough of I have learned over the years.
Pad specifics: 10x20 with a 3x20 apron/ramp on the front. Slick finish on the main pad with a broom finish on the ramp. The pour is 6inches thick. The pad was layered as follows: gravel base, vapor barrier, 2in rigid foam rated for slabs and rebar. We also went overkill on this pad and had fiber mixed into the concrete. It took 7 yards of concrete for the pour.
The kiln that will be going on this pad is a new chamber that Nyle is offering for the L200. If I remember right the chamber is a 16 1/2 wide and 9ft deep. It has two doors and is a front loading kiln. This will be the second one of this design that they have built and I will post pics on here soon as I get it assembled. It should be here in a few weeks and Nyle states takes 2 days to fully assemble.
Once the chamber is assembled I will add aluminum roofing paint to the inside floor. Also after the forms are removed I will add rigid foam to the sides then back fill with dirt. And as usual I filmed this process and have put the video over on my You Tube channel. Hope this helps anyone in the future who decides to install a kiln with an insulated floor. And also per @YellowHammer (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=11488) do not seal the concrete due to bonding issues with the roofing paint.
You've Probably Never Seen A Concrete Pour Like This Before, Kiln Pad Version 2.0 - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxK4vDAYpB0&feature=youtu.be)
Yep, set some walking pavers on the floor, to the kiln machine, and any other important place, a few where your pallets will sit, and then slather the cool seal silver roofing goop over the floor. I've tried epoxy floor covering, sealers, etc and nothing lasted for more than a couple years before it started popping and flaking up. The only thing that the vapors can't get through is glopped on roofing aluminized sealer. I just took a 5 gallon bucket and mopped it all over the floor like tarring a roof. It's a horrible mess, but after a few cycles it can be walked on. If it ever start to show degrade, glop in some more. Since it's aluminized, it does add an element of heat reflection back into the kiln.
Looks Good. I liked the videos.
Hey Nathan your pad looks great!!!
I do have a question. What is the purpose of leaving a foot or so around the edge of the pad that does not have board insulation under it?
I ask cause I'm ready to pour mine as soon as the weather clears.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51743/63AC2036-38DB-4B68-880E-259C64A031BE.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1612209433)
The space is to separate the the kiln chamber pad from the rest, otherwise the concrete will act as a heat sink and you will have trouble getting the temperature up as well as a big power bill.
Thanks for the reply Stan @K-Guy (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=35658) . I understand separation of the kiln pad from the rest of the pad. You will see on my layout that I already have a piece of vertical board against the outside forms and I have 2 forms on the inside to allow me to put pieces of board insulation between the kiln pad and the rest of the pad after the pour. What I was asking was in Nathan's pad, he has about 2 feet around the outside bottom of the pour that does not have insulation in it (can see it about 6 minutes into the video). Is there a reason for that?
Thanks!!!
@Mossy Chariot (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=41743)
That's going to be a question for Nathan as I would do it up to the forms.
Quote from: Mossy Chariot on February 01, 2021, 05:07:16 PM
Thanks for the reply Stan @K-Guy (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=35658) . I understand separation of the kiln pad from the rest of the pad. You will see on my layout that I already have a piece of vertical board against the outside forms and I have 2 forms on the inside to allow me to put pieces of board insulation between the kiln pad and the rest of the pad after the pour. What I was asking was in Nathan's pad, he has about 2 feet around the outside bottom of the pour that does not have insulation in it (can see it about 6 minutes into the video). Is there a reason for that?
Thanks!!!
This is my 3rd kiln pad actually and all are a bit different, on this one I only put insulation for the footprint or inside of the kiln, the pad is bigger than the actual kiln unit. The actual kiln unit will have insulation under it completely and I will probably add insulation to three of the four side of the concrete and backfill with dirt, looks like you have a good set up going on yours! I have talked to a lot of guys who didn't insulate their pads any and have had no problems in drying.
@123maxbars (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=15380) Got it! Thanks Nathan. You sure do have a lot of irons in the fire up there. I hope to get mine poured soon, as soon as it stops raining and snowing and freezing.
If you leave a gap around the edge, it kind of creates a footing, and also will seal the edges of the foam so mice can't get into the foam board and burrow around and destroy your insulation.
Good job Nathan. When I get ready to pour mine I know who to call. Now that you have all this experience.