Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

I forgot to mention that I received my FB Insulation Board today and also went to HD to pick up some fireclay, lime, sand and portland cement for my home brew mortar. All I need to do is put together my Indispensable Tool and I'll be ready to build!!

I plan on start cutting firebricks and building next weekend, so more pics to follow!!!

Thank you FB for the super-fast delivery of my FB Board!!!!!

aceves

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Hi FB builders!

OK, so I've been a little slow to start my dome, but now that I have all my materials, I will be starting in the next couple of weeks!

In the meantime, I've been keeping busy with stuccoing my outside kitchen and completing my fire pit and brickwork on the outdoor cabinets.

Below is a photo of the mostly completed fire pit. I used real stone for the facade and bullnose brick for the caps. You'll notice that I ran out of mortar for the filler on the brick, but I'll be finishing that up tomorrow. I plan to "stucco" the inside of the fire pit with some home brew refractory mix, so the block will be covered.

I plan to use the same stone for my WFO stand to go with my new fire pit's stone theme.

The next pic shows the ledge/bar that I built on the outdoor cabinet. This will face the WFO and will serve as a built-in shelf where people can sit and enjoy their pizza! This cabinet has a 10 foot long countertop with an opening for a stainless sink. We poured the concrete countertop a few months ago and will be installing the sink in the next few weeks as well.

More pics to follow!

aceves

[brickie in oz]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

I dont want to burst your bubble but, is there something underneath holding up you counter bricks?
Concrete blocks in a fire pit? Concrete is notorious for exploding/spalling with heat.

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Hi Brickie,

Thanks for the heads up. Yes, I have a 10 foot long concrete board and 10 "L" brackets underneath the counter bricks. The brackets hold the weight (along with the existing blocks), and the concrete board keeps all the bricks lined up perfectly level. I did foresee a brick coming undone and flipping towards the person leaning into the counter and possibly injuring him/her, which is why I opted for the supporting concrete board.

As for the blocks in the fire pit, thank you for the warning. Change of plans: I will be lining the inside of the fire pit with firebrick. I have plenty of firebricks, so this will not be a problem and no added expense to the project.

I truly appreciate all your suggestions. This is what's so great about the FB Forum!! So many friendly people keep us "new builders" in check! Thanks!!

aceves

[brickie in oz]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Glad to see you have it all covered and sorted.

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

So we stopped by Costco this afternoon for a few items and guess what I saw near the entrance? A commercial WFO from Mario Batali brand. The price seemed way too steep for my budget! My entire outdoor kitchen will not even reach the price of this WFO!!! Seriously, with all the free materials and discounted firebrick that I've gathered, my entire kitchen will be built for WAY LESS than this bad boy!

Granted, if you buy this WFO, you will have it up an running the same afternoon in your backyard, but there's something to be said about building your own WFO with your bare hands. I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that pizza just tastes better in an oven that you built yourself!!!!

Anyhoo, just wanted to post this up and hear your thoughts on this... Do you prefer to lay down some $$ and buy this thing on the spot or do you prefer to save some serious $$, invest some sweat equity and build the WFO yourself? I know I'm posting to the FB forum, so I would assume that 99.9% of you will go for option 2!!!!!

As for the Costco WFO, it was a cast dome divided up in 6 sections, with a cast-iron swing-out door, metal stand, metal enclosure, and metal brush with a stainless peel.

I showed the WFO to my wife, but she sort of looked, sort of didn't. I can't wait to have my WFO up and running and having her REQUEST a pizza night, roast night, bread night, etc!!!!!

aceves

[brickie in oz]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

So we stopped by Costco this afternoon for a few items and guess what I saw near the entrance? A commercial WFO from Mario Batali brand.

3 and a 1/2 thousand bucks!! for that?

Ok I guess you know my answer.....

[chidding]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

3 and a 1/2 thousand bucks!! for that?

Ok I guess you know my answer.....

My entire outdoor kitchen cost $1000 in materials.. now way i'd spend $3.500 on that haha.

[lwood]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

The door is in the wrong place.

[lwood]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Goes to show ya that just cause he is a great chef.....doesn't mean he knows crapola about WFOs. Maybe it's just for pizza, and you can be cooking pizza that night. What a deal....$3,500 and you too can have one in your backyard. Too much extra $$ laying around, I guess. How many of those things do you suppose they sell?

[brickie in oz]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

How many home delivered pizzas can you get for $3500?

[david s]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Thin steel + heat= fast corrosion.

[stoveup]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

How many home delivered pizzas can you get for $3500?

None worth eating!

[dmun]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

What are those teeny casters for? It goes to show that you should be careful what you license your name for.

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

I had some time to work on the WFO project this weekend and I decided to continue with finishing the lower portion of the stand before I begin building the dome. A wise family member suggested I "finish" the lower portion before I begin the top portion, otherwise I will never get the lower portion done once the WFO starts pumping out pizzas! Great suggestion, I have to say, considering I have 4 other house projects going on at the same time!

I've seen people here finish the stand at the same time they are finishing their dome, while I've seen other builders finish the stand first. I decided to go with the latter.

So here are some pics of the stand storage entry brick I installed over the weekend. I will be doing a brick opening surrounded by natural rock (same rock as my firepit). The brick will be a segmental arch design. I have an idea coming up on this arch, but more on that later.

As you can see, I cut the brick to accommodate the 45 degree angle of my entry. This gives me a straight edge entry into my storage area. It is not the best bricklaying job, but hey, this is only my 3rd time laying brick on this project. I figured I'd do my so-so brick jobs first before I get into the dome build! And these off joints will give it character!

The last pic shows how far I got that day (I built both sides of the entry). Next up is the actual arch.

More pics to follow!!

aceves