Can I start a fire now my dome is finished?

[Merula]

How long do I wait before the first fire? I've not put the blanket on yet but have seen some people start fires early.

[andrewe]

I also have a similar question although I have no reached this point. Wondering if we need to wait to completely finish the exterior design (aesthetic part) before curing the oven.

[fox]

Well as there are no pizza oven police, you can do what you want but ... there will be more of a risk of cracking the oven if you don’t have any insulation.
This is because when you lite a fire the heat will rise to the top and exit at the top before it has a chance to heat the rest of the dome.
With insulation in place the heat will take much longer to exit the dome and spend more time heating it evenly.
There are many thoughts on the best way to heat cure the oven and disperse the moister without over doing it and causing cracking, I am a fan of using BBQ briquettes but in any case, it involves patience.

[Merula]

Thanks. Can insulation just be the fiberglass mat?

[fox]

Yes, as a temporary form but not long term.

[Merula]

Thank you. I'm hoping the Pizza oven police don't arrest me if there are any cracks!