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Hi all! Ive been wanting to build an oven for about 5 years, maybe longer, but been putting it to the back burner at every turn because of other projects and generally life getting in the way. Anyway being from an Italian family the wood oven has always been a permanent fixture in the backyard since I have been born and with that came a monthly tradition of pizza and bread making that would last for the month. As I grew up as a kid i knew of square bread but never ate it and at school was looked upon wierdly as I bit into roughly cut thickly crusted bread filled with home made cappacollo, pancetta or prosciutto with provelone cheese, iceberg lettuce leaf(never cut into shape) and tomato wrapped up and put into the old plastic bag that was recycled from the thusday night shopping(remember back in the day when shops only opened late on thursdays, closed on public holidays and sundays) because the bread wouldn't fit in that little square lunch box that everyone else had! how have times changed as now the stuff i take for granted now people are willing to pay premium dollar for. Anyway now that I have my own family I've thought why should my boy miss out on the things that I grew up with as the wood oven was always a family event that brings everyone together.
Now in saying that I am looking at building a similar oven in my yard. The internal dimension will be 1100 to 1200mm built on a base of 2 by 2 meters made out of besser blocks with a couple of internal walls for added support of the floating slab that will be poured with mesh made out of rebar tied together that a good mate has donated to the cause as he had left overs from an extension he did a while ago. Now im trying to figure out which way to go with the materials for the dome and floor insulation. My Dad told me(before his rest) he used washed sand for subfloor insulation and the bricks from little hampton when the were located at the brickworks(floor and dome) then built walls around the dome and filled it with more washed sand and roofed it. 40+ years later that oven still stands with no cracks/problems(except when you try to burn wet prunnigs and someone rings the MFS to discover 2 trucks appear lights blazing and a fireman scales the fence to see me and my mum trying to control the smoke comming out of the oven!). Now i'm just wondering what would be the best way to go as now there are new materials etc. what would be best to use for sub floor insulation and what fire brick? as today i've been advised not to use the little hampton brick as it is not a fire brick and i'll waste too much wood etc, etc.. I guess this is the first stumbling block of many!
Now in saying that I am looking at building a similar oven in my yard. The internal dimension will be 1100 to 1200mm built on a base of 2 by 2 meters made out of besser blocks with a couple of internal walls for added support of the floating slab that will be poured with mesh made out of rebar tied together that a good mate has donated to the cause as he had left overs from an extension he did a while ago. Now im trying to figure out which way to go with the materials for the dome and floor insulation. My Dad told me(before his rest) he used washed sand for subfloor insulation and the bricks from little hampton when the were located at the brickworks(floor and dome) then built walls around the dome and filled it with more washed sand and roofed it. 40+ years later that oven still stands with no cracks/problems(except when you try to burn wet prunnigs and someone rings the MFS to discover 2 trucks appear lights blazing and a fireman scales the fence to see me and my mum trying to control the smoke comming out of the oven!). Now i'm just wondering what would be the best way to go as now there are new materials etc. what would be best to use for sub floor insulation and what fire brick? as today i've been advised not to use the little hampton brick as it is not a fire brick and i'll waste too much wood etc, etc.. I guess this is the first stumbling block of many!
Now time to start on the oven. Question for anyone that knows. I'm going to mix the poor mans mortar, how much fireclay does one need for a 1200 oven? Anyone?
Doesn't matter it cost me less than some places wanted to charge for just 20kg so im way out in front.
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