Gardella 42" oven

[cgardella]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

Completed!!

I had to Hire someone to do the final stone work but he did a much better job than I could have ever done. I remember looking at the completed ovens before I started building mine and thinking it would take forever to get there. Glad I did it but I'm not ready to build another one; I'll be happy with pizza and beer for a while.

[cgardella]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

Here are a few more pics of the build. I didn't couldn't take too many as I did much of the work myself and didn't have time to take the pictures.

@chip
Thanks, and there will be an 8x8 chimney above the opening to create good draw and keep the smoke out of my face.

[mrchipster]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

very interesting flue design It should breathe very well, looks like a very nice build. Nice wide open work area.

Congratulations on pizza level and the approval of your distrators.

Chip

[irelande5]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

nice build, looks great

[cgardella]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

Wow, its been a long time since I've updated this. After a large push in spring to get the oven functional for a pizza party I took the summer off. Those first few pizza's were incredible! It changed the minds of all the skeptics and all the people who thought I was crazy.

I attached a picture of the oven current state of completion. I'm getting very close. Everything should be done by November!

The front of the oven, surrounded by brick, is the area I'll install a drop in grill grate. Its easier to see in this picture than the previous pics I posted. This also show the large concrete arch that will support the chimney. I think it opens up the front of the oven quite a bit. Which gives me an area to have the grill without restricting access to the oven opening.

Thanks again everyone. I've read countless posts on this forum and I couldn't have done it without all the collective knowledge here.

[cgardella]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

I had some time last night to take some pictures before doing a little brickwork. I got the insulation hearth poured and started on the oven. After all that time and effort required to build the stand, its hard to believe I am building the actual oven now!

I'm up the 5th chain and its starting to get steep. I'm still using the half bricks and they're not yet in danger of falling back into the oven before the grout dries. It seems like the next row I may have to start cutting the bricks into wedges, any advice?


The entry arch transition was a little difficult to figure out but I think I've got a pretty good system. The edges aren't lining up like I thought they would but I can live with it.

One thing that I'm going to do a little differently than ovens I've come across on this forum is at the entry I'm going to install a semi-permanent grill. the outer arch is going to be about 3.5' wide and about 13" deep. That's plenty of grilling space. The fire box and grate portions of the grill will be removable but the brackets to hold everything in place will be permanently installed. Thats part of the reason I pushed the back of the oven so close the rear wall (still 3" for insulation). Thats also why there is no vermicrete slab at the front of the oven; I'm going the leave the slab lower at the front so the top of the grill isn't at an awkward height.

Anyway, the pictures of my progress are attached. Hope my description made sense.

[cgardella]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

Thanks for the replies and advice. I guess I'll just leave the forms in place while I build the dome as Gulf suggested. No reason not to. I just wanted to take some "beauty" shots of the progress.

I do have a few other oven-related task to do and some mid-stream design changes from my wife to consider...

thanks again
Colin

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

Hey Colin,

Great start to your oven! I'm with Chip. Wait as long as you can on the vermicrete and be careful working around it - it's fragile. Have you got a plan for your oven, entryway and insulation? Now would be a great time to finalize some of those ideas you've no doubt been knocking around all winter.
John

[Gulf]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

I agree with chip. This stuff is great on compression strength but SUCKS on tensil strength. In other words it will support the weight of your dome but the corners will chip of easily while you are working. I completed my dome (several weeks) before I took the forms down.

[mrchipster]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

I got the vermicrete layer poured this weekend. That stuff is strange. I didn't think it would would set but sure enough its hardening up. How long should I wait to remove the forms. It seems like I can remove them now (24 hours post pour) but I don't want to push it.

Hope to get some firebrick put down this weekend!

Colin

I would wait as long as is available, that stuff is very soft for about a week.

You want it to dry uncovered after a week of being covered, it is a concrete...then dry as long as possible to allow the large amount of water to escape


Chip

[cgardella]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

I got the vermicrete layer poured this weekend. That stuff is strange. I didn't think it would would set but sure enough its hardening up. How long should I wait to remove the forms. It seems like I can remove them now (24 hours post pour) but I don't want to push it.

Hope to get some firebrick put down this weekend!

Colin

[Mike D]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

I don't see how water would pool under the foundation in the middle unless there was a void there. If you are building an enclosure than you will just have to make it water tight. It all might depend on how the water might get in.

Mike

[cgardella]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

I'm not worried about the leveling the hearth, as you said the insulating concrete will take care of that.

I'm worried that if any water gets in, it could pool under the insulation. I've read a lot of (good) advice on this site recommending to slope the slab away from the center; but didn't keep that in mind building the forms. And I'm don't remember if it was in reference to igloo style enclosures.

I'm building a "house style" enclosure and the insulation will be set back from the edge of the concrete. The outside will be stacked stone so there wont be much opportunity for water to get in....but water is very determined. Thanks for the help!

[Mike D]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

-Depending on how you are going to finish the oven (igloo or covered roof) the insulating concrete should work to give you a level surface to build the oven.
-Is the insulating concrete going to go all the way to the edges? Or more of an island?

Bring on the Pictures-

Mike

[cgardella]

Re: Gardella 42" oven

The weather is finally cooperating and I got my slab poured last weekend. I still need to double check but I think water is pooling is the middle of the slab. I'm wondering if I should level the slab with a cement/sand slurry or just pour my insulating concrete and leave it alone.

There was <1/4" of water is the center of the slab and I haven't had a chance to check for drainage.