G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

[jislizard]

Hi all, I am looking at building a small pizza oven at the back of my garden, hopefully with a barbeque pit long enough for spit-roasting. Space is tight and it will be up against a wooden fence so I guess insulation is going to be key.

I need it to be compact and fit in with the rest of the garden without being too much of a 'feature' when not in use, fortunatly I have raised beds with 'rustic' style rendering and I should be able to paint it to match.

I will be reading the site from top-to-bottom before I make any plans but when I do, I will be sure to post them up here for comments before I go ahead.

I hope to using the oven for pizza and bread mostly but I don't wat to get too far ahead of myself.

Cheers

Mark

[Lburou]

Welcome!

Dig in, the information is here on fornobravo.com. You may find some usable ideas in the picture gallery.

[brickie in oz]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

long enough for spit-roasting.

Make a spit to go into your oven, I did.
There is a post on this forum somewhere about it.

[jas.]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

g'day mate i am just over in deception bay so a big hello and welcome to the wfo community , i am almost finished my oven, just working on a roof but thats the best part of taking on a project like this you can give it your own finish / design, just follow the plans and your on your way, good luck. there is another couple of locals hanging around this site so if you got any ??? just ask

[jislizard]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I hadn't thought of putting the spit in the oven, I am slowly working my way through the old threads so I will probably come across it soon. I have to say, it does sound like a very good idea.

I remember being on holiday in Greece at Easter, we got the fire lit early in the morning and spent all day turning the spit. I will have to look into roasting in the ovens, it might be a bit quicker with the heat retention inside the oven!

I am trying to find out if there are any restrictions on building free standing brick structures and then setting fire to them, I should probably check first as the garden is visible from the street.

I am sure I will be asking many questions before I get started, good job there is such a friendly atmosphere!

Cheers

Mark

[brickie in oz]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

Here is the spit thread.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/oven-spit-9911.html

[jislizard]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

Thanks for posting the thread, I think I have sold the family on having a spit inside the oven, convincing them was always going to be the hardest part of the construction anyway.

I have heard back from the council, 1 day turnaround time, there's your taxpayer's money at work!

They sent me a fact sheet regarding Building Approval requirements. But apparently if the oven structure is less than 10m2 in plan area and not more than 2.4 metres in height above its natural ground surface and does not have a side longer than 5 metres in length, then it will not require a Building Application to be lodged.

I am also not allowed to burn rubbish in it or cause a smoke nuisance.

There was no mention about having to build it a particular distance from the fence line but I will have another read to confirm. I may have to trim the neighbour's overhanging tree, the lower branches are all dead anyway after the last bbq I built under it.

I have a few more questions on the spit but they will probably be answered when I read the thread anyway.

Cheers for all your help.

Mark

[cobblerdave]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

Dear Mark
Welcome onboard
Pretty sure most councils require a certain fire rated surface if under a mtr from the boundry... sounds like your safe there!!!
Seriously most councils require that you keep a mtr off the boundry with all structure ....sheds chook pens etc. But the size yard can have a bearing too. play it safe just in case of a future boundry dispute and give youself a saftey margin. Also don't block the access around you home as well, the firemen req 1.2 mtr access all around your home lots of people have made that mistake when installing water tanks to thier homes
As for smoke a wood fired oven will smoke on lite up but as it heats up it burns so hot you will not produce any visible smoke. With the spit.. run a seperate one to the oven and run it on charcoal again no smoke and the added advantage is that you can get rid of the waste charcoal from the oven. Yes I've burnt some of mine in a friends webber kettle and it burns well enough.
Regards Dave

[jislizard]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

Space will be the key issue here! 1.2 m sounds reasonable but I already have raised garden beds around the boundry of the garden, pretty much touching the fences along three sides.

I have seen quite a few pictures in the gallery of ovens up against a wooden fence and wondered how they got away with it, I am guessing a well insulated oven doesn't get too hot on the outside.

I am aiming to replace a dry bricked BBQ which is against the fence, if I come out by 1.2metres I will start bumping into other things in the garden, and have 1.2 m behind the oven full of rubbish that gets stored behind it!

I will have a scout around the rest of the garden and see if there is anywhere more suitable.

I will play it safe with the council, they seemed quite helpful so I will ask them directly if it needs to be away from the fence, I had better read the rest of the fact sheet they sent me first though.


Cheers for the info about the smoke nuisance as well! One less thing to worry about.


MArk

[cobblerdave]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

hi
1.2mtr to the HOUSE so you have access all the way around to give yourself fire access for the firefighters. Give youself as much off the boundry as you can.... a properly insulated oven will not give of heat to the fence trust me you can put your hand on one for hours without discomfort....
Sorry if I didn't explain my well
Regards Dave

[jislizard]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

Ah! Well that's alright then, 1.2m from the house I can do.

I would need to be a little off the boundry fence so I can get around and build from all sides, otherwise it is going to be a bit awkward, unless the new neighbour will let me into his garden, he seems nice enough though but it does seem the more people who help you build these things, the more people you have to give pizza to at the end.

I have re-read your post and it makes more sense now I am not in a rush!

[jas.]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

hi mark if you want to have a look at what i have done with my oven so far just pm me for some contact details and if you need some tools and tips i got that too, especially the brick cutting tips , we all got the first timers have a go knowlege to help you out .i'm just over at d'bay.

[jislizard]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

Thanks for the offer, I am new to just about every aspect of the build so any advice will be gratefully received!

As soon as I have finalised the plans I will get in touch to run them by you and should be able to get to see the oven, I have a feeling they are a lot bigger in reality than they look in the pictures.

Cheers

Mark

[jas.]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

gday mark hows the planning going?? have you made any progress? just give me a yell when or if you want to have a look at the oven mate ,
regards jas.

[jislizard]

Re: G'Day from Redcliffe, Qld

I went to clear the area over the weekend, there is a bush that apparently has toxic berries so I have permission to dig that up, this gives me an extra metre to work with, the wife has also insisted in a fire pit alongside the oven for more traditional bbq'ing.

Unfortunatley it got too hot over the weekend so I went to Byron Bay instead, I had a pizza from a stone oven as research while I was down there but it wasn't much good, not sure it was wood fired, it could have been gas fired.

I will have a play with the new design and see what I can come up with for the new space I have.

Cheers

Mark