My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

[RandyJ]

Hey that is a great looking oven. It is amazing how much work it really is to get it finished. I am just finishing up my build and almost done grouting the stone veneer. Have fun with it. You have earned it.

Randy

[mrchipster]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

And it looks from the picture that it is enjoyed by many. Success!!

[Dineomite]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

Would you believe I just finished the stone veneer last Wednesday? Nearly three years after I started the whole project. Better late than never, I suppose.

[mrchipster]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

I was totally caught off guard, but sure enough he was there later that afternoon to drop off his mini.

"Get to bed early! We're going to dig, form, and pour this thing all in one day!"

Huh?

Must be nice to have those big toys available even if they show up with short notice. Best of luck tomorrow. Your life will never be the same.

Chip

[Laurentius]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

Hi D,

Excitement is in the air, good luck. Gambatta-kudasai=hang in there. Don't give up the fight. Give your best effort! And I'm adding stick to the plans.
Pompeii Oven Plans2.0

[Dineomite]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

The whole pizza oven thing has been a dream of mine for probably a couple of years now. With harsh winters and unpredictable springs you pretty much have to figure out a way to knock something like this out in a summer and early fall.

Motivating myself to go through the BS with the architectural review was a milestone in itself. I told my dad that it had been approved, so whenever he had some down time in his schedule (he's an excavator) maybe we could dig this foundation.

No time like the present, huh? The following week he called me up and said, "Hey, we're just finishing up a job on your side of town. All my equipment is out that way, so why don't we plan on doing it tomorrow?"

Tomorrow!?!?!? Talk about a lighting a fire under my butt!

I was totally caught off guard, but sure enough he was there later that afternoon to drop off his mini.

"Get to bed early! We're going to dig, form, and pour this thing all in one day!"

Huh?

[Dineomite]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

Totally agree Stormy, if the winters ever get to the point where it's frozen three feet down, I'm outta here! It really is overkill, especially since it's essentially being shielded from the wind on all but three sides.

[texman]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

Great job on those drawings! I am so glad that i didn't have to do that. That looks to be a great build to watch and i am looking forward to your progress. Cheers!
Tracy

[stormy]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

Here in Portage County Ohio, the footers have to be 48" by code. I've never-ever dug into any soil in NE Ohio that was frozen deeper than 12 inches. Most years anymore, four inches is about the limit on soil that does not get traffic.

[Dineomite]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

With the trees out of the way my next course of action was to produce some plans for architectural review. Having heard horror stories about people going back multiple times (waiting two weeks in between each meeting) until they passed inspection, I knew I had to try and nail it on my first shot.

I've attached a couple of PDF's that show not only a layout of the patio area, but also an elevation for the oven. As with most things construction little things changed as I went through the building process.

After watching three out of five people get told to come back for the next meeting, I was admittedly a little skeptical of my chances. As I went through the whole thing they were actually quite happy with what I submitted. The only things they said they wanted was masonry on the inside of the wood storage area (which I'm going to stucco) and a non-shiny stack.

They stamped my drawings and I was set!

[jeeppiper]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

Id be more concerned about punching through the earth's crust and hitting magma!!!
....(just kidding)

[Dineomite]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

Here in Cleveland it's pretty much heavy clay soil (that absorbs a ton of water) and winter temps have the potential to get pretty low. Combine soaking wet soils with freezing temps and you can get all kinds of fun things happening to foundations.

To get below the frost line here in Northeast Ohio, you could probably go 36" and not have a problem. Since I had to go through the city and didn't want to have to sit through another building review I made them 42" just to be safe. My father, who is an excavator suggested the 42".

Am I really worried about it heaving with footers at 36"? Not really; especially with the winter we had last year. I was actually concerned more about the city's building/architectural review more than anything.

I'll post some site plans as well as an oven elevation tomorrow.

[texman]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

Welcome to the fun.
Can you post some pics of your site and your plan? Those footers are dddeeep! Must be a big oven or get really cold or soil is loose?
Tracy

[jeeppiper]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

Im curious, were the 42" footers a requirement of your zoning folks?...(that seems awfully deep)

[Laurentius]

Re: My Pizza Oven Build in Cleveland, OH

Now you have wood seasoning, before you build. Cool!