timber benchtop at front of pizza oven?

[murrki]

Hi, i am about to start building my pizza oven base and had a question. I wondered what sort of heat is put out of the mouth of a wood fired pizza oven and would a timber benchtop at the mouth burn?

The reason i ask is i have some beatiful hardy timber 'celery top pine' that i was hopping to use as the bench top at the front of pizza oven, i dont mind if it singes a little from hot pans and the occassional coal.

i have a small refractory moulded kit WFO i purchased from bunnings in Tasmania.

Thanks

[wotavidone]

Re: timber benchtop at front of pizza oven?

I reckon you will almost certainly drop the odd live coal on it.
Much as it would lovely, I suggest you use your celery top pine as bench tops either side of the oven and something stone or concrete based directly in front.
Thos bunnings ovens seem to end up with the hearth floor almost flush with the bench top. It's possible radiant heat would be an issue.

[nissanneill]

Re: timber benchtop at front of pizza oven?

I have ceramic tiles on my entrance and they get as hot as hell, you can't touch them due to the heat reflected from the white dome 500˚C pizza temps.
As wotavidone suggested id better than being disappointed.

Neill

[murrki]

Re: timber benchtop at front of pizza oven?

Thanks for the prompt advice, i think i will play it safe and come up with another plan for the front bench, maybe 1 row of ceramic or glass tiles recessed into the timber to give it another 6 inches of protection from the radiant heat. I probably need to build the oven first and fire it up a few times to gauge the heat output and then decide on the bench material.

Thanks again

[cobblerdave]

Re: timber benchtop at front of pizza oven?

Gudday
If you haven't built it yet factor in a couple brick commons width at the entrance first to take the initial heat and then finish with ....? Perhaps a border of the celery top below the level of radiant heat?

Regards dave

[brickie in oz]

Re: timber benchtop at front of pizza oven?

Ive got some Celery Top in the shed, its way too soft and will probably burst into flames.