Is this design all right?

[sanlucas]

Hi, I want to build my own Wood fired oven, I've reade many of threads trying to get all the info I can before I start. I found this oven plan on the Better Homes and Garden and it seem pretty easy to build. can someone take a look tell me what yoiu think? thanks

here is the link:

http://l.yimg.com/au.yimg.com/i/life/content/bhg/0806woodfiredoven_patternsheet.pdf

[Neil2]

Re: Is this design all right?

No.

The sand under the hearth is not much of an insulating layer. Go with 4 inches of vermacrete.

[egalecki]

Re: Is this design all right?

You'll be better off if you go with the free Pompeii oven plans- better yet, get the ones that benefit Habitat!

[david s]

Re: Is this design all right?

You'll need a hell of a lot longer than "a small fire burning for a few hours" to get the thick clay walls free of moisture.If time is not taken to do this the steam pressure will destroy it pretty quickly when you reach 300 C

[Jed]

Re: Is this design all right?

Hi, I want to build my own Wood fired oven, I've reade many of threads trying to get all the info I can before I start. I found this oven plan on the Better Homes and Garden and it seem pretty easy to build. can someone take a look tell me what yoiu think? thanks

sanlucas,

For the time effort and money involved, my limited experience says you will end up with a better oven if you download the Pompeii Plans from this website and build a Pompeii oven.

The plan from Better Homes and Garden is short on a couple of details that effect performance. They miss the insulation component. They do include some, but more insulation than they specify is better. And the fire brick that you would use in a Pompeii is a proven and long lived product in this application. The products they specify are more inclined to spall and chip with use, over time.

Just another opinion!

JED

[dmun]

Re: Is this design all right?

Yep, that's a doozy.

No insulation under floor? Check!
Fiberboard instead of support slab? Check!
Thin pavers instead of firebrick for hearth floor? Check!
Thin, hand dug clay instead of firebrick? Check!
Half the insulation needed on dome? Check!
Flue in cooking chamber? Check!
Thin, uninsulated single wall stovepipe for chimney? Check!

Well at least the cooking floor is round. They've got one thing right...