West Virginia Casa90 Build

[davemartin88]

It will be a while before I'm able to start the actual oven build but patio work is finally started. This is a picture of the pad where the pizza oven will set along with a fireplace- oven on the left, fireplace in the middle, then a small wall on the right that will be a bit of counter space. Floor will be stone pavers and the area will be covered by a 14'x18' pavilion with a metal roof.

My kit was delivered a few weeks back and the contractor will start the stand for the oven and fp next week, we'll give the concrete for the pad time to cure through the weekend. We're having some light rain and cool temperatures so should be good conditions for the concrete to set up.

I plan to at least set the oven on the pad temporarily during the pavilion construction so we can set the hole for the chimney to go through the roof in the best spot. Would be nice to start the build but don't want to be in the way. Stand will be a bit over sized so we have some leeway in order to make sure we miss a rafter, etc.

Should be fun and will try to post pictures as we move along, will probably just be some patio updates for a while.

[mrchipster]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

Nice setting, looks like you are doing a whole back yard project.

With a roof I hope you have put electrical power out there. You will want lights and outlets for sound and possible other needs. When you are under a roof you want to have some light that can be directed into the oven while cooking at night without a live fire. A head mounted flashlight works but a fixed or adjustable one is better.

It is a bit far from the kitchen and you may want to have a mini fridge under the work counter.

What is the arc on the right for?

Welcome to the club

Chip

[davemartin88]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

Oddly enough, this is actually in the front of the house, only reasonably flat area we had as we're on the side of a pretty good size hill. We will be running power out for lights/ceiling fan, etc. This picture shows the deck that was added to give us the stairs down to the new space and a place to move my astronomy dome out from the back of the house. With the new deck, I'll have 270 degrees of sky available and it gets the dome out of the view from the back of the house.



Still debating the frig, it's not as far as it seems to a frig that we have in the basement below but will keep the option open. Will be putting in a small sink with cold water that I can shut down in the winter for a quick rinse of the hands, etc.

The arc is where there will be a step up to a higher level- there's going to be a small fire pit along with a retaining/seating wall on that level. Sometimes we like to see the stars while sitting by the fire.

Inspector just left from giving us the final approval on the new deck that extends to the area so we're off an running!

Thanks for the feedback.

[mrchipster]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

Water is a good idea, I suppose you will just drain the gray water into the yard somewhere. Make sure the open drain end goes into some type of basket with a grid top. That way you can keep the winter critters out.

The supply should have a tee in it at near or at the highest point and near the lowest, to allow for a compressed air blow down, pressurize on the high side and have a ball valve at the low point to allow the water to escape in a blast after the blow down cap the low point and pour in winter antifreeze at the top, The RV type works well and is cheap.

I have a pool and use this method and have never had a problem.

You will want to have a couple of counter level outlets for kitchen and other tools of the trade, I wish I had routed my stereo speaker wires prior to finishing off the roof of my oven.

Since you are running water you might want to consider a tap point for a spray injection system if you are planning to bake bread.

Just a few thoughts.
BTW: beautiful lot...

Chip

[davemartin88]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

Chip, thanks for the feedback on the lot. We're lucky to be on 63 acres with house in the middle, mostly hills and woods. Bad news is we're on a 1.2 mile gravel road I have to maintain and sometimes the delivery trucks give a hard time about driving up the mountain to the end of the road where we are.

Will have to think about the mister and how I can get some electric outlets near the counters. I was thinking of just having an outlet overhead I could use if needed or even one on the back of the counter as there will be good access behind the small counter. Plan is to spend some time with the pavilion next fall/winter to see if we decide to put a wooden wall on the northwest (right in the pictures) to prevent some of the prevailing winds. I had originally planned to have the stone work there so the fp/oven would block the wind but decided we didn't want to see the back as we drive in. A short (5') wall there would work to block the wind if needed when sitting down and could be done to match the house or garage buildings. May not need it as we are on a low spot blocked by the hill but we have a contingency plan if needed. We have a couple of fire pits in different places on the property and burn a fire 2 or 3 mornings a week in the fall/winter so want to make this very usable. Woods on the property are a mix of wood and plenty of trees on the ground all the time so we burn pine in the fireplace/pits and have plenty of hardwoods (oak and hickory mostly) for the oven.

As for waste water, there is a clean out for the sewer line to my workshop about 6 feet from the pavilion that I'll use. The pipes are in the slab for the water and drainage, you can just see the clean out to the right of the pad in the first picture, has a piece of PVC pipe attached to it sticking straight up to make sure it wasn't hit with the tractors during the excavation.

I had an outdoor shower at our last place that was in a similar spot, water cutoff was inside the house and the water came out of the house about 10' in the air. I had a faucet in the lowest spot so with the low faucet open, water inside off and the shower turned on, gravity took care of the rest and it drained well- used this for a number of years. Key is draining the system before it freezes, lol.

Hoping to move the dome to the new deck today to see how it's going to work. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be able to be posting about the actual oven build!

[mrchipster]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

If you do not want to see the outlets put them inside below the counters or under the oven have them face down, mounted to the underside and no one will know they are there but you.

Chip

[davemartin88]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

Slow progress on the outdoor kitchen project, hoping to see the fireplace and stand for the oven finished up this week and a start on the pavilion that will cover the patio area. Here's a picture of progress so far. The astronomy dome that was behind the house has been moved on to the new deck. I have power and water extended out from inside the house ready to be extended to the pavilion when we get to that point.

The oven stand will be to the left of the fireplace and hasn't been started.

[mrchipster]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

Slow progress on the outdoor kitchen project,

I would not call a fireplace in 2 weeks slow, looking great.

Chip

[davemartin88]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

The fireplace is complete and the contractor put in the footings for the pavilion that will cover the FP and oven. We were rained out on Thursday and Friday so no further progress this week.



There is also a raised area for a circular firepit that is under way. Two steps up to the level where the firepit will sit and an 18' retaining wall. We plan to get a large iron kettle for this pit and use it to boil water for dye for alpaca fleece and yarn. (We have 7 alpacas)

[Dino69]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

That looks like it is going to be a great area. Nice work.

David

[davemartin88]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

Still not ready for the pizza oven but the outdoor area is moving along. Pavilion is framed, fireplace and firepit are nearly complete and most of the main area pavers are in. Contractor is back next week to put build the base for the pizza oven and then to put the roof on the pavilion. I think some of the plants will be going in through the rest of this week. Here's an overall view of the area.



Hopefully, only a couple of weeks away from being able to start the oven.

[Laurentius]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

So, you're going to come back later and cut a hole in the roof for your chimney? I'm curious, was the oven an after thought?

[davemartin88]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

I plan to cut the hole in the roof after the oven is built. Roof is only 1x6 pine on inside and sheet metal on top. I bought double wall chimney pipe to be able to go through the roof. Contractor who is building the pavilion will come back if needed to "trim" out the chimney opening as it was easier that way. Not an afterthought but a lot of moving parts in the project. I'll build the oven myself on the base when the patio area is done and didn't want to have an opening that might not work if my oven building skills aren't what I hope they'll be. Thanks.

[davemartin88]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

We're getting closer to being able to start building our oven. Contractors continued work this week on the patio area. On Monday or Tuesday, the concrete block for the oven stand will be set and then faced with the same stone that was used on the fireplace. Cap type pavers will be set on top, supported by angle iron across the concrete blocks to give extra strength. Once that is done, I'll be able to start the oven I hope!

This week, most of the pavers were placed along with some of the plants.

Here's a picture of the area as it progresses.

[stonecutter]

Re: West Virginia Casa90 Build

I think it was smart not to designate a place for the chimney right now. A lot of times, as things develop on a project, changes are made (especially custom work) and you don't want to be stuck changing a roof panel because the oven works out better in another spot.

Nice looking set up you have going!