Oven floor height, opinions please

[bobmurphy]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

Thanks to every one who has replied to this thread. I've been on vacation and haven't had time to reply, or to do much of anything except fish! I expect to make some scale drawings, and maybe a cardboard mock up this week to get the hight where I want it.

[Coastman]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

OK- I'm the odd man out here- not the first or last time. I used to be 6'3" and my oven floor is 25" (Oh My!). Build yours whatever height works for you. You are the one that's going to be enjoying it.

First, I have a nice view and I didn't want to intrude on it with a monolith.
Second, I have a covered patio/breezeway around my house and sitting by a fire/heat source when its raining or snowing in winter is a pleasurable thing to do.
The only drawback is I need a stove pipe to get it above roofline. I'd rather not but that's the give and take.

I'm messing around with insulating an old 'castmaster' cast iron mexican pizza oven for the rest of this season while I plan a Pompeii style for next year. (Hadn't used it for several years because of 'knee baking' and the outside being dangerously hot like all metal chimneas.) Found the pizza floor height of 30" Ok. Measured griddle height BBQ last night. 10 to 16 inches. Sat down whole time except for getting salads and bread from nearby table. Mmmh have to work on that! I'm lining the thing with vermiculite cement and heat resist screed. If that's not enough, I'll insulate outside too. (Note to moderator, I can supply photos of my modification process to the castmaster which is one of these Buy the Castmaster - Versace style Cast iron outdoor Pizza oven online from the largest range of chimineas in the UK . which people like. My family found it risky with kids around). Please advise if posing about modified things is acceptable.

[Coastman]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

I think you get used to whatever height you've built to. My own is only 34" (I'm 5'7") I built it a bit low because it is off the end of my deck. It happens to be just the right height to see right into for people sitting at the table, ie their eye level is above the oven floor level. Everyone can see the pizzas cooking, we love that. After cooking and eating, we also sometimes sit around the oven when it's cooler and solve the worlds problems, you can't easily do that if the oven is higher. Can't say the working height bothers me during cooking, although I think if it were higher the radiant heat from the oven plus tropical summer temps might be too much because it would be more at face level.

Thanks Guys! I think I will probably still sit - its how I currently BBQ with a griddle hanging over a firepit from a tripod. Also, used to use a brilliant chiminea, to BBQ at about 18", then load with wood talking late into the night. After 7 years of radical over firing, flames often 2ft out of the chimney, and four site moves - it died.
Great forum, thank you all.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

I don't sit down when I am cooking, but I built the bar rail at leaning height and the oven is still too low at 44". It is easier to work an oven that you do not have to bend down to look into, so for me, just at under 6', 47-48" would be great. Sitting or standing at the bar, myself and guests are looking into the oven, as the floor slopes away from the entry.

[Greenman]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

I am 5'10" and the floor of my oven is 40" or 1.020. Works fine for me and with seated eye height for me being 4' or 1.220 from the patio people get something like a worms eye view of the mesmerising flames. Interesting how it either rouses them into deep conversation or deep silence.

It works for me and if I were to have a choice of higher or lower I would probably leave it where it is.

[lhs]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

I'm 5'6" and the oven is 45" from the floor. It's quite comfortable for me. My husband is 6'5" and it's okay for him too, although he'd probably have made it higher if he were the only cook. Our table is a little way from the oven, but we can see the fire in the oven while sitting at the table.

[Calisdad]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

OK- I'm the odd man out here- not the first or last time. I used to be 6'3" and my oven floor is 25" (Oh My!). Build yours whatever height works for you. You are the one that's going to be enjoying it.

First, I have a nice view and I didn't want to intrude on it with a monolith.
Second, I have a covered patio/breezeway around my house and sitting by a fire/heat source when its raining or snowing in winter is a pleasurable thing to do.
The only drawback is I need a stove pipe to get it above roofline. I'd rather not but that's the give and take.

[david s]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

I'm a newbie! 5'7". I imagine doing most of my cooking sitting down talking with friends who will also be sitting. For that reason having hearth floor at about 30" so we can all see inside. Looks like everybody else cooks standing though! Why is that?

I think you get used to whatever height you've built to. My own is only 34" (I'm 5'7") I built it a bit low because it is off the end of my deck. It happens to be just the right height to see right into for people sitting at the table, ie their eye level is above the oven floor level. Everyone can see the pizzas cooking, we love that. After cooking and eating, we also sometimes sit around the oven when it's cooler and solve the worlds problems, you can't easily do that if the oven is higher. Can't say the working height bothers me during cooking, although I think if it were higher the radiant heat from the oven plus tropical summer temps might be too much because it would be more at face level.

[boerwarrior]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

There is no sitting or waiting while cooking pizza! There is almost constant monitoring and turning and positioning the pizza!

Unless you are doing bread or slow-cooked stews.

You can sit when you eat!

I am only an inch and half taller than you and I still wish my floor height was a bit higher....

[Coastman]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

Well, no turning back now. I poured my foundation slab Saturday. It went quite well, not a pretty as it could be. No one will ever know!

My question is about the height of the oven floor. I have two easy possibilities using either 4 or 4.5 courses of block 38.5? or 42.?. 38.5 seems a little low to me I don't want to have to stoop over a bunch. I am thinking that 42? would be good. Those of you who have been using your oven for some time, can you tell me how high your oven floor is from the ground? Do you wish it was lower, or higher, or is it just right. I am average height 5'9?. Thank you.

I'm a newbie! 5'7". I imagine doing most of my cooking sitting down talking with friends who will also be sitting. For that reason having hearth floor at about 30" so we can all see inside. Looks like everybody else cooks standing though! Why is that?

[bobmurphy]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

Lots to think about with just this one little detail. It's probably a good thing that I have to spend a little time away from my project, as it will give me a little time to ponder, instead of just forging ahead. Looks like some more scale drawings are in my future. It seems to me that it would be ideal when standing up straight that my line of sight would reach almost into the center of the oven, and if I want to look further back I could just lower my head a little. I'm pushing 60 here, and if I am still able to stand up straight after building this oven, I don't want to have to bend over to use it. I know that other people might use the oven, but I am sure that I will be the one using it at least 90% of the time.

[texman]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

Bob
ok, I lied. My floor is 44.5" not 47". I was thinking my base was 36"

My elbow is about 45" from floor for me. I have to bend somewhat to see the back of the oven. But not at at all for most oven work. I also like the higher floor because i have kids around. Here is my setup: a 34" block and concrete base, 5.5" of vcrete, 2.5" of FB board, and 2.5" of firebrick.

Texman

[deejayoh]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

Make yourself a nice window door. http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...oor-18303.html

I cook the paella with a live fire. I've taken to cooking a whole bunch of different chicken and rice dishes in a paella pan. You get this really moist chicken with crispy skin, and super flavorful rice. But, I digress. Guess I should have a "what's cooking" thread!

[mrchipster]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

One more thought - think about the door height relative to your eyes. It's really nice not to have to bend over too much to look into your oven. Now that I think about it, that's probably a more important consideration for me than the height for the peel. Not sure how heavy those pizzas are that Chip is making, but that hasn't bothered me . If I had to bend over for 15 minutes to watch the rice on a paella to make sure it doesn't burn - now that would bother me!

It is not the pizzas I make, I like the less is better method, but my guests- more cheese, more sausage, more onion, more bacon, more, more, more, more....

Make yourself a nice window door. http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...oor-18303.html

[Tscarborough]

Re: Oven floor height, opinions please

I made mine too low, I have to bend over or back up to look in. I based it on where my forearm was level, but it needs to be 3-4 inches higher.