Utah Brick Ovens

[csmeutah]

So I got the stand completed and purchased my brick and other supplies. I found MVP in SLC to have the best pricing on the ceramic board and roll insulation, talk to Gregg he will hook you up. As for the firebrick I went to Beuhner block for the best price.

I have the following questions as I now start the actual oven:

How best to position the oven, is it better to have it closer to the front edge or centered on the stand?

If I am building a 42" oven I will need a ceramic board circle with a radius of 21" + 4.5" = 25.5" correct? and the brick oven floor will be a radius of just the 21"? Diagram 5.1 shows the brick all the way out to the edge of the ceramic board which seems to be different than what the drawing on page 26 shows.

I plan to make a metal vent with open sides as per diagram 10.9 in the plans, do I still want/need an oven landing or just enough brick for the opening as it meets the dome? Does the oven landing serve a purpose? if I don't have an oven landing do I want to move the oven closer to the edge?

A square opening fits our craftsman style architecture, any disadvantage over the more traditional arch? does it impact the flow of smoke?

I see a lot of chat on the way to cut the wedge shapes, I've made an IT, what is the easiest way to calculate the wedge angles?

Is there an optimal opening size for a 42" oven?

I see doors with and without vents for fresh air, are the vented doors more useful?

Lastly, do I need underfloor paste where I'm placing the brick directly on the ceramic board or is that instruction only for the insulated concrete method?

TIA

[jmhepworth]

I used Heat Stop 50 for mortar, purchased directly from CMS Industries, Inc.. They gave me a good price since I couldn't find a local distributor. I agreed not to disclose the price, but I've long since forgotten what I paid, so I couldn't disclose it if I wanted to. I used insulation from Forno Bravo, both under and on top of the dome. For the chimney, I bought clay chimney tile from Buehner.

[UtahBeehiver]

Here is where I got some of my stuff in SLC
Fire clay - Interstate Brick
CaSi board ThermoGold 12 - EJ Bartells
FoamGlas - EJ Bartells
Quartz sand - Sutherlands
FB blanket - NPS but this place is a hit and miss, try BJ Bartells
SS double wall chimney - Restore but again hit and miss. Try KSL Classifieds, NPS is also hit and miss although I see 6" quite often so if you are building a 32" or 36" 6" would work.
Used Home Brew mortar
Firebrick - Also try Interstate Brick or KSL

[csmeutah]

Beuhner is what I used. It's fine.

Thanks, Where did you get the other materials, mortar (is buehners good enough? they tell me it's only good for 1/4" gaps), FB Board, FB Blanket?

[jmhepworth]

Beuhner is what I used. It's fine.

[Gulf]

I'm not a local, but you don't really need high temp firebrick to build a great oven. And, you probably don't want them for the floor. Firebrick sold by most local suppliers are residential fireplace grade. That usually means low duty. Most of the ovens on this forum were built with low duty firebrick, simply because of the availability. It might be a good idea to find out all that you can about the $1.70 brick. Size, manufacturer, grade etc.

[csmeutah]

Hey, I'm ready to pour my hearth and am looking for sources for the firebrick/mortar/ceramic insulation etc. Utah refractory has most of this but their high temp brick at $3.65 seems overkill. Am I okay with Beuhner's firebrick at $1.70? Any other local sources would be appreciated.

[roncut]

Re: Utah Brick Ovens

I would go to a masonry store and buy bentonite, it is perfect for what you want to do. I have mixed it with my mortar and had excellent results

[captkingdom]

Re: Utah Brick Ovens

I have been wondering that also. It might be easier to just find a natural source and give it a try. you might try to find a local pottery forum

[gason2]

Re: Utah Brick Ovens

I know the majority of those on this thread are building brick ovens, but I'm looking into building a cob oven with fire bricks as the oven floor. Can any of you recommend where to buy the clay for a cob oven? Thanks.

[UtahDave]

Re: Utah Brick Ovens

I'm up and running now. I'm in Salt Lake with an Artigiano 100. It's lovely, just haven't named it yet.

[gbohnstedt]

Re: Utah Brick Ovens

I'm building a Pompeii 110. Hoping to close the dome before the end of May.

Greg

[dmun]

Re: Utah Brick Ovens

How do you vent something like that?

Joe is right: Code calls for your chimney to be two feet higher than any structure within ten feet. That's a lot of chimney whether you're paying for the expensive stainless units, or building a lined masonry chimney. Also true is that any oven built into a house needs to meet code for masonry fireplaces. This means full footings, and clearance to combustibles. Codes (and code enforcement) vary from place to place, but you don't want to do anything that would endanger your house (or your fire insurance coverage)

[jmhepworth]

Re: Utah Brick Ovens

I'm not the expert on chimneys. There are many on the forum who are. You will have to run a chimney taller than your roof. That's the bad news. But a chimney that tall will draw really well. Attaching the oven to the house will almost certainly require compliance with code, getting the project approved by your local planning office, having it inspected along the way, etc. It's a much more difficult process than building a stand alone oven away from fences and structures. It appears that most municipalities don't require planning approval. But there are members of the forum who have built ovens with access from inside, and they love them. I wish I could use mine during the winter. I suppose I could if I weren't such a pansy when it comes to standing in the snow.

[melarkin]

Re: Utah Brick Ovens

Hi, we live in Cottonwood Heights. We finished out basement last year and my husband wants to build a pizza oven. We have a lot of windows in the basement and also a kitchen. My husband wants to dig out one of the window wells and remove the window and put the pizza oven in the window well with access through the former window. The oven would be buried when completed, but the chimney would be right next to our house. How do you vent something like that? I'm worried about black stains from the smoke going up the outside of my house, or possibly embers catching something on fire. Does the chimney have to go up to the roof of our house? Thanks for your help.