Newbie making a pizza oven.

[Bauffman]

wotavidone Thank you for the advice. I am learning a lot from every ones comments and post. It is a learning process!

[wotavidone]

T Was hoping that fireclay or something else would be ggod to line it instead of cutting and doing the friebrick.

Well, people do make oven domes without bricks. A common method for the back to basics type people is to make a sand mound covered in wet news paper, form a dome over the mound from a wet mixture of clay and sand then, when the mix is dry enough to stand up by itself, dig the sand out through the door.
But, these domes aren't really permanent. They seldom get hot enough to fire the clay all the way through, so if they get at all wet they deteriorate.
You can also form a dome from castable refractory in a similar manner. That will be pretty good, but if it isn't the right stuff, it won't cure properly at pizza oven temps either. And it will be expensive.
I've built three ovens now. The most recent was last year for a mate. This was the most traditional design. A straight out 36 inch pompeii oven. Insulation under the floor. Dimensions per the recommendations, 0.63 ratio door to internal height. Door width about 50% of the oven width. Dome half a brick (~ 4.5 inches) thick. 8 inch flue.
The only thing I couldn't persuade the big fella on was over dome insulation, he just loved the look of the brickwork and I couldn't change his mind. I figured what the hell he's not big on doing three days worth of retained heat baking anyway.
Well, I went to his place a few weekends ago and we put the thing through its paces cooking for 20 people. Even with no over dome insulation, this thing rocks. Great performance. The thermal mass is right, the oven is efficient, drafts well, white inside in less than 2 hours,etc.
Nothing wrong with a barrel vault shape mate, but to avoid disappointment, try to get the fundamentals right - chimney outside the dome, try to get some insulation under the floor - especially if this is a pizza oven v a baking oven - get the ratio of inner arch to dome height right, etc.
Seems to me you can use a lot more whole bricks in a barrel vault if cutting them is a problem for you.

[Bauffman]

Thank you

Il Pizzaiolo!! I am trying to make it both!! I will send final pic after I get time to finish it!! I am doing this as a side job, I teach so time this time of year is hard to come by!

[Gulf]

There is nothing wrong with "the look" that your clients want. And, the barrel vault design is ok too, as long as you use firebrick or true clay bricks for the cooking chamber. But, it will need insulation if the homeowners want to truly enjoy the oven. Also, it will require keeping the water out. Those concrete patio block are extremely porous imo.

[Bauffman]

Sorry Bauffman,
I would rather be "online" with your client. I know they want it it on a budget. Don't we all. But, I feel that the homeowner needs to make an informed decision. I'm unsubsribed.

I totally understand that and i have been telling the homeowner what I am finding and thinking about, they want that look and think it will work. So there for I am trying to keep them happy and make a decent product. Thank you for all of your advice it has helped

[Gulf]

Sorry Bauffman,
I would rather be "online" with your client. I know they want it it on a budget. Don't we all. But, I feel that the homeowner needs to make an informed decision. I'm unsubsribed.

[Bauffman]

I might try to red the top, make it traditional round dome then cover with the patio block. Any help on the floor besides to redo?? And any helpful hints on the dome making would be great

[Bauffman]

Thanks but I ill try to make the best of what is there I think

[Gulf]

I know that it is a btch to have to redo, but it would make for a "much better" oven, if you rethink this design.

[Bauffman]

The flue is going to be right behind that row of blocks in the front of the chamber so that the heat circulates. Thought about the heating of the floor, did not know what else to use at the time.

[Gulf]

What about insulation under the firebrick? The floor will take forever to heat up without it, and it will then loose heat very fast. Also, it looks to me like you may be placing your flue inside the cooking chamber. That will be another place for heat loss.

[Bauffman]

I have concrete under it, about 4 inches

Bauffman,

I can't really tell from the pic. What all do you have under the firebrick floor? I don't see much room for a support hearth and insulation.

[Gulf]

Bauffman,

I can't really tell from the pic. What all do you have under the firebrick floor? I don't see much room for a support hearth and insulation.

[Bauffman]

Thank you for the advice. The home owner anted to match everything together, and trying to do it on a budget. I know i need to line those patio block. Was hoping that fireclay or something else would be ggod to line it instead of cutting and doing the friebrick.

[wotavidone]

Looks like the retaining wall blocks are concrete - sand gravel cement.

Concrete is no good for flames. Every thing in touch with the fire must be made of some sort of fired clay.
Looks like you've started using real firebricks for the oven itself? The best way to go, in my opinion, is to build an oven in firebrick, line it with insulation then cover it up with retaining wall blocks to hide it.
Here in Australia, firebrick is uncommon and expensive.
People on a budget often substitute some other form of fired clay brick.
Popular are redbrick solids - ordinary house bricks without the weight and material saving holes. These are getting a bit hard to find these days, the house bricks with holes are much more common.
Pavers for patios and driveways come in two materials over here. You can get concrete ones which are useless, and fired clay ones which work well.

So if you have a source of ordinary clay bricks, you can use them in a pinch.
I take steps to test them first.
Some pavers over here are not fired all the way through properly. I heat a cut sample of any brick I'm thinking of using to at least 450 degrees centigrade on a butane stove, let it cool and then drop it on rocks or bricks.and hit it with a hammer. If the sample shatters I consider those bricks unsuitable for an oven.

I don't think I'd like to mix and match clay bricks and fire brick. Might get a heat transfer mismatch.
Firebrick is best.