fireplace/pizza oven combo

[kat]

Hello to all --
Newbie here. I'm American, he's Italian, and we live near Eugene, Oregon. Currently cooking pizza on our bbq, but we're finally in the planning stages for our *real* pizza oven. Finishing up the stucture of an outdoor greatroom (vaulted ceiling, raised concrete slab -- reinforced in one area for the oven -- no walls except the abutting house wall).
So, a pompeii pizza oven is the main attraction, but we'd also like a fireplace, and I'd love to know if anyone has combined the two in one 2-level unit -- specifically, instead of creating wood storage underneath (we have a massive woodshed nearby), why not make the opening on one side and make it into a fireplace? I realize this probably means dual a chimney and perhaps a larger footprint... and surely there are a lot of aspects I haven't even considered. Can anyone tell me a reason specifically not to do this? Or give me some advice on how to make it work? Any input is very appreciated. Grazie -- k.

[wlively]

Re: fireplace/pizza oven combo

Welcome.

I would have to say that it would not be a good idea. The immense complexity of such a design so as not to compromise the structure or performance of the oven would not be worth it.

If you simply must have both, I would suggest to separate entities or you could build the fireplace firebox on the side (each opening 90 deg apart) of the base of the oven in such a way as to give the illusion they are the same structure.

Good luck.

[Archena]

Re: fireplace/pizza oven combo

It can be done - I think I've seen pictures of ovens directly over fireplaces. The only link I could find, however, is for a fireplace to the side.

http://rumford.com/oven/articleoven.html

[gjbingham]

Re: fireplace/pizza oven combo

Check your building codes about the specs for fireplace fireboxes. With the fireplace below, that might be your only limitation. Its really just a matter of thinking the whole project out, then tripple checking it. I wouldn't use both oven and fireplace at once, but beyond that, I cannot imagine a reason why you couldn't do it.

There's a great Italian restaurant in Eugene, probably half-a-mile north and slightly east of U of O campus. They used an older home for the setting. Damn they have great food! Know the one I'm speaking of? I totally forget the name.

[70chevelle]

Re: fireplace/pizza oven combo

Link to my thread. I built what you're thinking of. It gets a lot of use and works well.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f6/f...ning-4035.html

[dmun]

Re: fireplace/pizza oven combo

I built a fireplace/oven combo, but the fireplace was inside and the oven was outside. Cooking and sitting in front of the fire are two quite different things, if you want to combine the two in one unit, think about rotating the "square" footprint 45 degrees and have the oven face one way and the fireplace off 90 degrees.

[70chevelle]

Re: fireplace/pizza oven combo

Here's what I've experienced with my unit. Depending on how cold it is outside, I usually don't fire both the oven and fireplace at the same time. That being said, the last batch of bread I cooked, the temps were in the teens, so the fire in the fireplace was very well received, and very easy to build. My oven tools, a hoe, shovel, & long handle peel, give me a comfortable distance away from the fire. When the temps are more moderate, it is nice to be able to finish up a pizza party, have some logs & kindling set up in the fireplace and just shovel the ashes to into the fireplace. Within a few minutes the fireplace is going. I've also found that it is nice to have a convenient place to shovel the hot ashes when cleaning out the oven for bread making. It's just as enjoyable to sit and watch the fire in the oven as it is in the fireplace.

[kat]

Re: fireplace/pizza oven combo

Thanks so much to all for the responses. I can see that I have a lot of planning ahead of me.
Wade -- I didn't explain my idea well. I do intend them to be two "separate" structures (with separate exhausts) that are stacked one on top of the other. And the fireplace opening will be rotated 90 degrees from the pizza oven opening. Your "compromising the structure" comment concerns me the most. If putting a Rumford fireplace below, would I need to beef-up the base of the pizza oven to assure a solid structure?

Archena -- thanks for the link. I intended going Rumford and have bookmarked that article.

GJ Triple and quadruple check. (Except that I don't know what to check yet!) Restaurant could be Beppe & Gianni's, but they're just south of UO. Receently opened a new location -- La Perla Pizzeria. Seems they took no shortcuts. . If I'm not mistaken, they've even earned some special "Vera Pizzeria Napolitana" qualification.

Dmum -- I couldn't agree more and intended openings at 90 degrees.

70Chevelle -- I like what you've done. Mine should be similar (except the 90). Did I understand correctly from your beginning pics that you used a fireplace insert? I like the idea of building a Rumford, but I still need to learn a lot about how the venting is done to make it draw efficiently. Surely there are some books to read.... I realize I'm taking on quite a project, and failure in either component will only be exacerbated by the fact that I'm building it our beautiful new "outdoor greatroom."

Any input on where the Rumford should vent? Chimney at its back (which would be off the right side of the oven) is best visually for the space, but with the footprint of a 36" p.o., that means an awfully deep firebox or angling it back and up to clear the oven. I imagine the two chimney's traveling up alongside each other by the time they reach the ceiling so I don't have two coming the roof, so I'd have to either angle the rumford chimney back in or the po chimney out. Hmmm....

Again, thank you for any tips, techniques, or warnings!
Kat

[Kelbor]

Re: fireplace/pizza oven combo

Hi-
Hows it going? Im in Eugene as well and am about to start stacking my bricks for the dome. I am interested in your fire/oven combo and how it is working.
Thanks

Kaylon