Oven in Canada

[Mr_Steel]

Okay been doing some very early research into building and oven. But have a couple of things that I need to understand first. So hoping I can get some help.

Okay hear are the Newbie potential builder questions:

1. Can one of these ovens withstand the Canadian weather dose it need to be made different for a cold, snowy climet. Most of the websites i have read seem to be nice warm southern climets.

2. Most of the ovens appear to be placed on grade so I'm assuming that forst isn't an issue. An oven in a northern climet like house, deck posts need to be 4 ft in the ground is that the same thing for an oven.

3. Okay smoke and this sounds silly but more a question for potential location. the amount of smoke generated dose it require the oven to be loacated away from the deck or since it has a chimly is the smoke not bad. I have a large 1 acre lot so lots of room but would like it to be close to the house and main outdoor space, but also don't want to hear some potential winning form my other family members.

4. I do intend to purchase Alan book it seems to get metioned everyplace I looked. Dose it have a Bill of material would like to figure out a cost estmate before I invest a ton of time in planning. Or is thier any Bills of material avaliable that you can point me to that i can use before I get Alan book.

Last thing thank you very much for any help, wisbom, warning before I head down this path.

Thank You
Mark.

[Balty Knowles]

Re: Oven in Canada

There's a materials list on the Pompeii oven plans at forno bravo. You can download complete build instructions for free. There's a lot of valuable info, even if your design differs from the Pompeii, the plans are a must.

There's also a bunch of members with ovens in Canada, I'm sure they'll help you with the weather & frost line situation. Brrrr. I was just in Cranbrook BC, one of the most beautiful areas I've been to. In June that is, don't know how you guys survive the cold.

Rgds

Balty

[CanuckJim]

Re: Oven in Canada

Mark,

My AS design bread oven is located to the north and east of Toronto, at the very top of the Oak Ridges Moraine. The major consideration you will have is construction an adequate foundation to deal with frost levels and soil conditions in your area. After that, if you insulate the way you should, you won't have any problems using it most of if not all winter.

Don't know exactly where you are in Ontario, but send me an email through the forum if you want to come by for a look. Alternately, visit my website at :: Mary G's Artisan Breads :: Traditional wood-fired brick-oven breads made to uncompromising gourmet standards to see some pics. There are quite a few from me in the Photo Gallery here.

After the first ten minutes of firing, there is little if any smoke to worry about. You want to orient the oven opening away from the prevailing wind in your location.

By all means purchase The Bread Builders if you want a barrel vault design for bread like mine. If your primary interest is pizza, I'd recommend a round design, such as the Pompeii plans you can get for free here. Cost, of course, depends on size.

Spend some time exploring the threads in this Forum. There's a lot of wisdom and experience here.

Jim

[Mr_Steel]

Re: Oven in Canada

Jim Tried to email you but since i'm new with only one post this will make two. I will send you an email we are in the same general area. I'm just north of Bowmanville. Type of oven okay definatly more reading to do. I'm more looking for a general peropse oven. Make bread, Pizza, and other food items. I will difintly check out the plans of this site.

Thank you
Mark

[Versachi]

Re: Oven in Canada

Whohoo another canuck joining the club. I'm in Thunder Bay and I have very sandy soil below my oven slab. I took off the topsoil and replaced it will 16- 18 inches of good gravel. As long as the water can drain well around your slab there should be no frost issues. We'll be here if you do decide to jump in!

Cheers, John

[jwnorris]

Re: Oven in Canada

<snip> Make bread, Pizza, and other food items. I will definitely check out the plans of this site.

Thank you
Mark

Hello from sunny southern California. For pizza and other cooking, with the occasional foray into the would of bread, I agree that the round oven is the way to go.

J W

[Mr_Steel]

Re: Oven in Canada

Thank you all for your help I did some reading of posts and the plans on this site and definly know more then I did before my orginal post. Also did some price checking I must say a little surprised at the cost to make one of the ovens. are thier any suggestion on how to make a lower cost oven or is it like I read on here thier are places to reduce cost but you also loss something when you make those decisons. Anyways since I'm a tinker and planner at heart going to continue this learning and still forge ahead with it I think but will have to play with design abit to try and reduce costs to a more managable project budget.

Thank you once again for your help and direction

Mark

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Oven in Canada

Most of my costs were for decorating the outside of the oven...so keep the decoration simple to reduce costs.

Drake

[RTflorida]

Re: Oven in Canada

Mark,
Don't get discouraged by what appears to be an expensive project. If you have a strict budget, it can be done. Check out the build of member redbricknick - he is nearing completion of an oven built with 100% donated or bartered items...he has zero $$$ in his project.
That said, you admit to being a planner. Dig deeper, shop harder. Just by making 4 phone calls I saved $320 on my firebrick alone (I wasn't actually shopping - I was simply enquiring into availability and the different brick ratings). The first 2 places wanting $2.25 & $2.40 each. Called another supplier about 45 minutes away and he had the same bricks for 77 cents each.
Don't take any shortcuts on your supporting slab (you want it to hold the weight) and use plenty of insulation.
I found all of my insulation on ebay - paying less than 50% of what local suppliers wanted (and that included shipping). Perlite, vermiculite, and ceramic blankets (I bought all three) are regularly posted on there. I found a 2" Insufrax blanket (unopened) which retails for $150+ for $19 + $30 shipping....the guy didn't know exactly what he had and had listed it in the wrong area, I was the only bidder. I actually stumbled on the deals I found, I usually pay full retail and buy things at the first place that gives good service and has what I need....But a brick pizza oven was entirely new to me, I found my deals by simply researching where and what to buy.

Good luck and keep us posted.....we do have one request - pictures after you build begins

[Mr_Steel]

Re: Oven in Canada

Thank you for that I was starting to think that way but you are correct thier are deals around just takes some digging and time. I'm still learning about this undertaken and have started to think of some of the details which leads me to a question.

One last question before I let this thread go! Have any of you ever made your support out of steel. I own a company that dose a lot of steel fabricating so steel is easy fast and cheap for me. But not sure if the support for the cooking area is good enough. I was think four main post attached to a 10" Sonotube 4 ft in the ground. Then make a pan area to build the insulation and cooking area. Sorry for the lack of correct names. Down side I see is loss of wood storing area but that can be fixed by makeing that area inclosed by wood or cement board and plaster.

Anyways and suggestion would be welcome.

Mark

[dmun]

Re: Oven in Canada

Steel bases are great if you can do it. Forno Bravo sells them:

http://www.fornobravo.com/store/Inst...p-3-c-248.html

A substantial plate can substutite for the support slab, and directly support your under-floor insulation.

[jwnorris]

Re: Oven in Canada

<snip> Have any of you ever made your support out of steel. <snip>

I had my base fabricated by the same company that built the island for my grill and counters. They used square steel tubing, with cross bracing corner to corner, and a single center support. I used a 2" insulating board and set the floor directly on that.

J W

[Mr_Steel]

Re: Oven in Canada

JW

So I understand correctly you have a steel frame and instead of the insulation concrete you used a styrome board, and on top of that placed the fire bricks?. What is the base of the stand attached to is to a concreate slab or on posts?

Mark

[jengineer]

Re: Oven in Canada

NOT styrofoam but insulating board that is 2 inches thick. FornoBravo sells it on this site and there are other suppliers

[jwnorris]

Re: Oven in Canada

Correct, my floor [a FB Casa110] is set directly on the insulating board. The base cabinet [for lack of a better term] is set on a concrete slab [located in SoCal so no need to worry about cold weather].

J W