Another Aussie Oven

[Alter ego]

After several years of pondering & wishing for a pizza oven I have now started on my own build. Actually, one of the reasons that it has taken me so long is that I didn't like any of the manufactured ovens on the market, They were all too small and too expensive. Once I stumbled on the Forno Bravo site I found a good oven that I could imagine in my back yard.


Above is the corner of the back yard before I took the axe to it. I would have like the oven closer to the house but I had to accept the planning approvals from the BOSS.


Clearing the jungle took a weekend and I am forever amazed as to why palms in Australia always seem to come with long sharp spines and/or thorns. All of the jungle was taken to some friends who have 2 goats. They just love any new vegetation and they don't care and complain about thorns! The WFO will sit in the corner of the yard and I will also install decking around the oven and new edging around the pool (this was a requirement of the planning approval)


This weekend I finished the form for the base slab and I ran a conduit and cable from the house for lighting around the oven and decking.

That's it of the weekend and next weekend I will be pouring the slab.

Paul

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

welcome to the club,,, Nothing like breaking ground.

[Alter ego]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

During the week I dug a trench across the back yard to take power to the WFO (to add lighting around the decking & for the WFO)


Ready to pour.

My 16yr old son, Tim helped mix & pour the concrete. The last concreting job he helped me with we mixed by hand. He is impressed with the technology of a cement mixer!


Tim in action.

Tomorrow morning I will co and get the concrete blocks to start the build.


The completed slab.

Paul

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

My 16yr old son, Tim helped mix & pour the concrete. The last concreting job he helped me with we mixed by hand. He is impressed with the technology of a cement mixer!

Paul

That's great,,, I hope he's still impressed with the low tech of laying bricks.

P.s. I love my cement mixer

Mark

[Alter ego]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

I have to nag him to mow the grass but some how mixing concrete is more fun and he is happy to help... maybe it's the promise of pizza in the near future?

[Rodneyf]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

I am interested in what the size of slab you have there. I only looks to be about 1200 x 1200, what size oven do you plan to build?

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

a promise of a little pizza can go a long way...... It will get your neighbors to help you carry 80lb, bags of cement..... Ahhh The Power Of Pizza

[Alter ego]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

I am interested in what the size of slab you have there. I only looks to be about 1200 x 1200, what size oven do you plan to build?

Rodney, you were very close. The slab is 1300 x 1300 and I am planning to build a 1000mm internal WFO. I didn't want the supporting structure to dominate the oven so the harth slab will be hexagonal and overhang the base. If i can figure how to convert a Google sketch dwg into a jpg file I will post a picture.

Paul

[Rodneyf]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

That makes sense now, keep the pics coming and welcome to the forum.

[Alter ego]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

I figured how to convert a Google Sketch drawing into a jpg file so here are the details of the intended design.

I didn't draw the WFO (it was one of the free 3D models available for download) but it will be similar to the style that I want. I mainly used it to determine how it would look on the base & slab.


I have gone for the hexagonal base to allow the oven to fit easier into the corner of the yard and to have the smallest hearth slab that I could get away with.


The area will be finished with Red Gum timber decking and I will use low palms or non invasive bamboo along the left hand fence to screen it from the neighbours. (We don't want them looking over the fence and begging for pizza!)

Paul

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

if they cant see it,,,, They will smell it... But the fence will keep them out

Good Luck

Mark

[Alter ego]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

I managed to get off work early this afternoon and lay another course of concrete blocks.

Below is a pic from last weekend when the first course was going down.



I have a new respect for brickies! Thay make laying brincks look easy the way they slap the mud quickly on a brick/block, give it a gentle tap with the end of the trowel and it is all straight & level.

But I am getting faster so there is some hope for me yet.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

have you considered just stacking the block and filling the cores with rebar and cement.. much faster and easier IMO... you can stucco with surface bonding cement after for full structural strength..

Mark

[Alter ego]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

I made the decision to lay the blocks instead of dry stack them as I was unsure of the finish that I wanted on the stand. I may just leave it as it is or pain them. I figured that this way I would have all the options open.

...and I also thought "it is only 26 blocks, that won't take long to lay"

Just as well that I don't have a deadline!

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Another Aussie Oven

your working with the right attitude,,, too many of us are in too much of a hurry

Good luck and enjoy your project

Mark