Brick Oven (Gas fired)

[Aldream]

Hello everyone...

When I bought my new house I decided to add a brick oven in the kitchen. The oven itself was constructed outside the kitchen while the door opens inside. It is fired using gas instead of wood. I have two burners; one one each side fed from a gas tank. I have the gas regulator fully open which gives me good flame. However, I am still not able to get the oven as hot as it should be. Although I never measured the temperature inside, but I am sure it is not near where it supposed to be since baking a pizza takes around 10 minutes. When I open both burners on full blast, I get a lot of heat but the bottom of the oven does not get hot enough which results in pizza that is cooked on top and uncooked on the bottom.
The dimentions of the oven are: 120cm (Deep)X 105cm(Wide). Door hight is 40cm and width is 55cm. Dome height from bottom is 70cm.
I am attaching some pictures of the oven hoping that I will get some help to have this oven work properly. Thanks in advance.

[dmun]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

You need a LOT of heat to get a oven up to pizza temperatures. Safety issues aside, you need a huge industrial sized gas burner to do the job.

This is one of the reasons we discourage the use of gas burners in home ovens. The other is saftey, particularly if the oven is built into the house.

[Aldream]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

I inserted few pictures in my post but I don't know why they're not showing up.

I decided to use gas since it is cheaper than wood where I live. Also, most brick ovens in the local restaurants are either deisel or gas fired.

I was thinking of adding a door to help retain heat and speed heating up the oven. Do you think that will help?

[nissanneill]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

Hi Aldream,
I think that although you have the best intentions, you are going to find that your gas firing will not achieve the desired temperatures for pizza baking.
As Dmun says, you need a fierce fire with gas, even with wood to get your oven up to 500˚C (900-1000˚F) and your dome or barrel will receive most of the heat. Putting a door on will allow any heat to stabilize and heat your heart but the door will also prevent the necessary supply of oxygen need for your gas fame. It also could extinguish your flame creating a potential explosive situation unless you have extensive and expensive safety mechanisms in place.
A wood fire however, has a huge amount of heat in the coals just sitting on your hearth heating it up whilst the flames are heating your dome/barrel.
If it were mine, I would fire initially with wood and then maintain the heat with the gas but that will not necessarily put the required heat into your hearth.

Neill

PS. I think that you need 5 postings before you can add your pictures.

[Aldream]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

Do you think the dimentions are ok though? I was worried that there might be a problem in the sizing of the oven to start with.

I think I will try wood next time to see how it will go.

[Neil2]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

"Do you think the dimentions are ok though?"

Yes, they look like they are in the range and ratios suitable for a WFO.

I also would be surprised if the normal home gas burners will push the temperature much beyond 600 F. (You need to get to 1000 F or so)

[james]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

Aldream,

Photos would be really helpful. Once we see those, we can offer some better advice.
James

[Aldream]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

I included some pictures in the original post but they didn't show. I will try again.

[stormy]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

Buy a gas jet that is sold for a pottery kiln. They add the air and gas together before they enter the oven and will heat your oven to about any temp. you might want.

[RTflorida]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

I have one word to say if this is not done in a professional manner and the proper safety precautions taken.

BOOM!



RT

[Aldream]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

Buy a gas jet that is sold for a pottery kiln. They add the air and gas together before they enter the oven and will heat your oven to about any temp. you might want.

That is basically what I have right now. The air mixes with the gas just outside the oven. The burners are just galvanized pipes with holes drilled in them. Please take a look at the attached pictures. I hope they will show this time.

[stormy]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

A good book on kiln set-up as far as gas: THE KILN BOOK by Frederick L. Olsen. He gives a good breakdown on how to install and test a gas firing system. Gas can kill you in a number of ways so it is best to read up on it before you run a open pipe into your house.

[dmun]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

A good book on kiln set-up as far as gas: THE KILN BOOK by Frederick L. Olsen. He gives a good breakdown on how to install and test a gas firing system. Gas can kill you in a number of ways so it is best to read up on it before you run a open pipe into your house.

I might add that gas kilns are in workshops, run by professionals, not in houses with kids and pets running around. I can't tell you how much your pictures frighten me.

One other note: galvanized pipe is not intended for high heat applications. Zinc + heat is not a good idea.

[cannyfradock]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

Aldream

Can't give you any advice the gas topic, but would like to compliment you on the brickwork in your pizza-oven. Very nice job, but they don't look like fire-bricks to me. What type of brick are they? Also nobody has asked you what type of insulation is under the hearth. If the hearth itself is'nt made from a heat retaining brick and their is no insulating layer between your slab and the hearth then this might cause you problems. There probably is, and I'm just summising.

Interesting thread. Shall keep tuned in and I hope you find a solution to your problem.

Terry (C.F)

[Aldream]

Re: Brick Oven (Gas fired)

Aldream

Can't give you any advice the gas topic, but would like to compliment you on the brickwork in your pizza-oven. Very nice job, but they don't look like fire-bricks to me. What type of brick are they? Also nobody has asked you what type of insulation is under the hearth. If the hearth itself is'nt made from a heat retaining brick and their is no insulating layer between your slab and the hearth then this might cause you problems. There probably is, and I'm just summising.

Interesting thread. Shall keep tuned in and I hope you find a solution to your problem.

Terry (C.F)

Thank you for the compliments. I had a professioanl do this for me. He builds brick ovens for local restaurants; so I am assuming he used the right type of bricks and insulation. I am going to get in touch with him and get more details in that regard then I will post them here.