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So here’s how I built my oven and bbq, please let me know your thoughts and feel free to ask questions.
I used as many reclaimed, free and lying around materials as I could, I had wanted to build a pizza oven for a while so was always on the lookout for bits and bobs that may be of use, the first thing was to start collecting fire bricks from storage heaters, anyway, when lockdown hit I was ready to go.
day 1
I started by building concrete block pillars the spanned then with 3”x2”x2’ concrete council flags. I put a couple of 1 1/2 angle supports on the flag joint and under where the arch would be (just in case) I then set out an outer ring of fire brick, flooded with 3’ of vermicucrete and bed on my firebrick floor
day 2
i started cutting my bricks using an evolution rage crosscut with the evolution stone blade(can highly recommend both) I sieved the brick dust and spoil for my mortar.(4brick dust/1lime/1cement/1sand)
i set out an inner soldier course and filled the void with vermicucrete and left it for a day, we had two damp nights with a warm day in between so it firmed up pretty nice so I thought I’d crack on
day 4
made a former for the arch the cut and stacked the first 4 or 5 course, I decided to try this freehand just for shits and giggles. it’s pretty easy at first but gets more and more tricky as you progress. I cut the bricks so no mortar was required, I’m not sure how my home brew mortar will hold up to heat and didn’t want my dome falling in, I used the mortar as a sealant by pointing up the outside of the dome as I went.
day 5
continued with dome and pointing
day 6
Found this forum and learnt the importance of insulating the floor and dome, it’s too late for the floor but I promptly ordered some ceramic fibre blanket and mesh from vitcas. Whilst I waited for delivery I set about the bbq floor in the same way as the oven floor using vermicucrete to protect the concrete slabs from the heat, I also found some old flue blocks down the garden which I used to start my outer arch and to carry my bbq grills
day 7
i could now fit my counter tops, these came out of an old slate hearth that I reclaimed from a job I worked on, I also discovered a big cock up, I had not left a lip on my inner arch for the door to sit against, oooops!!
i formed a thin frame from a aluminium tile trim, only time will tell if this is good or bad.
day 8
I finished the outer arch/vent and mounted the chimney (6-5)
the blanket has landed so on it went, it stayed in shape a lot better than I thought it would, the mesh however was a pain in the butt. Put a thick heavy coat of render(5sand/1cement/1lime) on to hold the mesh in place. I then made and formed the slate fascia. By the time I’d done this the first coat of render had formed up so as I still had some mix sat in the mixer I wet it up, added some freeflow and slapped on the second coat, again time will tell if I should have waited,
day 10
removed the former from the slate arch, threw the vitrious tove pipe on ( stripped out with an old boiler) threw in a couple of sheets of news paper and nervously waited to see if the smoke went up and not out the arch, result, like a steam train, but clean, can’t wait to get some wood in her over the next week or so, I’ll build up bit by bit to cure the oven and I’ll probably loose patience and have her glowing white hot in 4or5 days
I pretty much had everything except the vitcas stuff so I reckon it’s only cost me about £100, there’s probably £100 in blocks,sand,cement so pretty cheap project if you can collect free stuff.
just hope it works or it’s an expensive
I used as many reclaimed, free and lying around materials as I could, I had wanted to build a pizza oven for a while so was always on the lookout for bits and bobs that may be of use, the first thing was to start collecting fire bricks from storage heaters, anyway, when lockdown hit I was ready to go.
day 1
I started by building concrete block pillars the spanned then with 3”x2”x2’ concrete council flags. I put a couple of 1 1/2 angle supports on the flag joint and under where the arch would be (just in case) I then set out an outer ring of fire brick, flooded with 3’ of vermicucrete and bed on my firebrick floor
day 2
i started cutting my bricks using an evolution rage crosscut with the evolution stone blade(can highly recommend both) I sieved the brick dust and spoil for my mortar.(4brick dust/1lime/1cement/1sand)
i set out an inner soldier course and filled the void with vermicucrete and left it for a day, we had two damp nights with a warm day in between so it firmed up pretty nice so I thought I’d crack on
day 4
made a former for the arch the cut and stacked the first 4 or 5 course, I decided to try this freehand just for shits and giggles. it’s pretty easy at first but gets more and more tricky as you progress. I cut the bricks so no mortar was required, I’m not sure how my home brew mortar will hold up to heat and didn’t want my dome falling in, I used the mortar as a sealant by pointing up the outside of the dome as I went.
day 5
continued with dome and pointing
day 6
Found this forum and learnt the importance of insulating the floor and dome, it’s too late for the floor but I promptly ordered some ceramic fibre blanket and mesh from vitcas. Whilst I waited for delivery I set about the bbq floor in the same way as the oven floor using vermicucrete to protect the concrete slabs from the heat, I also found some old flue blocks down the garden which I used to start my outer arch and to carry my bbq grills
day 7
i could now fit my counter tops, these came out of an old slate hearth that I reclaimed from a job I worked on, I also discovered a big cock up, I had not left a lip on my inner arch for the door to sit against, oooops!!
i formed a thin frame from a aluminium tile trim, only time will tell if this is good or bad.
day 8
I finished the outer arch/vent and mounted the chimney (6-5)
the blanket has landed so on it went, it stayed in shape a lot better than I thought it would, the mesh however was a pain in the butt. Put a thick heavy coat of render(5sand/1cement/1lime) on to hold the mesh in place. I then made and formed the slate fascia. By the time I’d done this the first coat of render had formed up so as I still had some mix sat in the mixer I wet it up, added some freeflow and slapped on the second coat, again time will tell if I should have waited,
day 10
removed the former from the slate arch, threw the vitrious tove pipe on ( stripped out with an old boiler) threw in a couple of sheets of news paper and nervously waited to see if the smoke went up and not out the arch, result, like a steam train, but clean, can’t wait to get some wood in her over the next week or so, I’ll build up bit by bit to cure the oven and I’ll probably loose patience and have her glowing white hot in 4or5 days
I pretty much had everything except the vitcas stuff so I reckon it’s only cost me about £100, there’s probably £100 in blocks,sand,cement so pretty cheap project if you can collect free stuff.
just hope it works or it’s an expensive
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