Fireplace base for Pizza oven

[acornscone]

Hello everyone,
This is my first time visiting this forum, thanks in advance to everyone for any advice as I am just researching to build my first pizza oven. I would like the base to actually be a low fireplace to enjoy sitting in front of when we are not using the oven. I cannot find any instructions or information on this idea, is there a problem doing this? My idea is to have a granite hearth at about 6 inches above the ground, and the pizza oven hearth at about 42 inches. So I think there is adequate room for a fireplace, then insulate between the two before pouring the oven floor. I will have the fireplace chimney at the back so that it rises behind and above the pizza oven, and the oven flu at the front as usual. Does anyone know about this, will it work ok? Thanks !!
Marianne

[dmun]

Re: Fireplace base for Pizza oven

Hi Marianne, Welcome.

I built a fireplace under my oven, but it's an entirely separate unit, facing 180 degrees away from the oven entrance. It has a separate flue. No plan venting a fireplace through the oven entry or otherwise sharing a flue has shown to be effective. Another problem with the fireplace directly below the oven is that you can't use them both at once: a raging fire at your feet is inconducive to oven operation. Rumford.com has a page of outdoor fireplaces, some combined with ovens, which may give you some ideas. Good luck with your project: Keep us posted

[Barberque boy]

Re: Fireplace base for Pizza oven

I'm glad I found this thread. I too am in the process of building a fire place underneath my pizza oven. Its my plan to have an ash clean out in the vent area to act as a chimney vent and have a door on the front of the vent to the oven to make sure the smoke continues to travel upward. I've also looked at using a vent fan on top of the chimney to insure the smoke does not come out the front of the firebox or oven during start up. The oven will be located under a patio with some nice timber framing.

[jmknight77]

Re: Fireplace base for Pizza oven

I too want a fireplace and pizza oven together. Can anyone direct me to some pics? We currently cook off of a fire pit built in 1949. We call it the "leaning tower of Indy". We are ready to rebuild but want something we can not only cook on (fire pit and pizza oven) but use the firepit as a fireplace to stay warm too.... Help Spring is here and we are ready to rock!

[dmun]

Re: Fireplace base for Pizza oven

Hi, jmknight, welcome.

Check the rumford link three messages up for oven - fireplace combo pictures. Notice that, like James' project, the two are often separate, far separated units.

[gjbingham]

Re: Fireplace base for Pizza oven

I've seen a few on the internet when searching for wood fired pizza ovens. I think dmun in the past recommeded two separate flues.

From my experience. most fireplace flues exit the fireplace somewhere around the mid-point anterior-posteriorly of the box, maybe tending towards the back. (again, based on my limited examination of my own fireplaces). Pizza ovens have the chimney in the front. Use your imagination. Design a system that will fit your needs. I'm not aware of any on this this site, though I might be wrong. You're working in the outer limits of oven design. You could pay someone to do it for you, but what fun would that be? You know what you would like to build. Put it on paper, walk around with the idea and think about it for awhile, ask questions of the members here. You'll probably end up very close to what you envisioned when you started.

Let us know what you come up with.

[Barberque boy]

Re: Fireplace base for Pizza oven

Thanks for your response, I realize the potential problems. I've got the base of the pizza oven built, and also built a fire box underneath. The ceiling of the fire box has been sloped and arched to hopefully direct the smoke up and out through the flue vent, which will be also my ash clean out in the vent landing area. As mentioned previously I may put a draft fan on top of the chimney but will only do that if will not draft properly in the fire up stages. Also I put a log lighter in the fire box so if all else fails I could always swap out the log lighter for a gas log set which does not require any venting at all on an exterior fire place. To be clear though it will never be my intention to to burn both at a time its an either or situation and if I were to ever sell my house I would convert the firebox to gas logs to remove any liability. I am trying to cautiously walk through this, Thanks for your input.

[dmun]

Re: Fireplace base for Pizza oven

Venting a fireplace through an ashvent is not something that we've seen done. Keep us posted, and let us know how it works. We like picutures!