Building a 42" Brick Pizza Oven & Grill.

Thermal Mass · Feb 20, 2013

Forming the dome

You can see pretty clearly from these two pics the "I tool" (which we quit using) and the foam form.
Once you get the correct mortar consistency, you can move pretty quickly.
We found a few sticks were very helpful for the short time it took for the mortar to set enough the brick would not move (unless disturbed).
**Your mortar consistency and set up time will vary greatly based on current weather conditions and if you are working in direct sunlight!! Adjust as necessary. Start with small batches of mortar, refractory mortar seemed to be fairly unforgiving once it really started to set up.**
Practice makes perfect...

Carbon · Feb 20, 2013

I used a slight variation of the I-Tool to set each brick but if I were to ever build another oven again I would use a form similar to Thermal used. I think it's a lot easier to work with.

V-wiz · Feb 20, 2013

Thanks for the tips guys. Not bad ideas. What i can also do is build a form but with only 4 walls, if you can imagine the oven split into 4 pieces. That way the height and shape will be exactly where i want it to be and i would have room to work on the inside. What do you guys think.

Thermal Mass · Feb 20, 2013

It gets amazingly small in there in a hurry!!
Keep in mind you are not working on the ground, but over a dome that is likely growing to 5+ feet from the ground.
Your back and stomach muscles will remind you daily....
The foam is lightweight, sturdy, and stands on it's own.
You will also noticed we used it for forming the arch over the flue so if you buy one sheet you will use most of it.
**One tip on the flue arch, we sandwiched multiple pieces together for the form but you almost MUST CUT THE MIDDLE PROFILE OUT (except for the outer piece) or good luck getting it out without a real fight (drills, sawzall, chain saw, ???)!!
Maybe make a couple and miter so they fit in the center if you think you need to.
One form worked out perfect for us and lasted the entire project.

Wampus · Feb 20, 2013

Let me ask a couple of questions of you builders extaordinaire...

Regarding the chimney/flu...
I'm assuming that you cut a hole for that later? I see where Carbon had some kind of bulkhead that he built in, but Thermal Mass's photos don't look that way. So, did you physically cut in the hole above your "door arch" later and then build the chimney up from there?

Another question: Is the dome design the best way? It's certainly farkin awesome looking and I can see where the shape would affect cooking/baking and all, but does a more "square/rectangle" design not perform as well?

Thermal Mass · Feb 20, 2013

The flue in mine is multi-segmented arch built with the flue area left open and profiled from the inside.

Carbon I believe cast his so that he could re-direct to exit over the dome of the oven vs in front like mine.

Another type of oven is called a barrel brick oven.
Not the same but have their place, I believe more among bread bakers.
When I get in to something, I go ALL IN and wanted "what my wife wanted".
Plus I wanted the best pizza I could get.

Carbon · Feb 20, 2013

Yeah, the dome itself is usually built and designed around the entry and vent location / design already in mind. What's critical is the ratio of the dome ceiling height to the dome entry height. Hot exhaust gas first exits out the entry and then rises up and out into the vent and flue.
You can basically build a dome with a simple entry and no vent. Fresh air enters through the lower area of the entry while the hot gases exhausts out through the upper portion of the entry. You can singe your eyebrows if get too close to the entry though...

V-wiz · Feb 20, 2013

Thermal Mass said:
It gets amazingly small in there in a hurry!!
Keep in mind you are not working on the ground, but over a dome that is likely growing to 5+ feet from the ground.
Your back and stomach muscles will remind you daily....
The foam is lightweight, sturdy, and stands on it's own.
You will also noticed we used it for forming the arch over the flue so if you buy one sheet you will use most of it.
**One tip on the flue arch, we sandwiched multiple pieces together for the form but you almost MUST CUT THE MIDDLE PROFILE OUT (except for the outer piece) or good luck getting it out without a real fight (drills, sawzall, chain saw, ???)!!
Maybe make a couple and miter so they fit in the center if you think you need to.
One form worked out perfect for us and lasted the entire project.

Thanks for the advice. I will definetly keep this in mind. I figured i would use plywood since i have so many, but i guess a foam would be easier.

Thanks again.

V-wiz · Feb 20, 2013

Wampus said:
Let me ask a couple of questions of you builders extaordinaire...

Regarding the chimney/flu...
I'm assuming that you cut a hole for that later? I see where Carbon had some kind of bulkhead that he built in, but Thermal Mass's photos don't look that way. So, did you physically cut in the hole above your "door arch" later and then build the chimney up from there?

Another question: Is the dome design the best way? It's certainly farkin awesome looking and I can see where the shape would affect cooking/baking and all, but does a more "square/rectangle" design not perform as well?

If/when you decide to build a pizza oven start searching and digging around. Visit Fornobravo.com. There are 3 different types that i know of. 2 of them being round, one being a high vault and another being low vault. The 3rd option is a barrel oven. You will need to research and see what works best for you.

V-wiz · Mar 2, 2013

Hey Gang,

My buddy and I drove down to the brickyard and had them load up the truck with some Muddox firebricks, the Alumina content is 27%. I decided not to go with the high Alumina bricks i was planning on building with.

Here they are

And here im just dry laying and selecting the better bricks for the floor. May i state that the Muddox bricks are not straight at all, very curvy, and not true at all. Im going to have to level them with sand underneath and fill in the side gaps with sand, just like you would with pavers.

And here i used a few different sanding/grinding pads/stones to get and idea of what the countertop might look like, after i sand, polish and stain i will seal it with a concrete sealer.

V-wiz · Mar 4, 2013

Here is my latest update from Sunday, we only had 2 hours worth of work. My pops and I were sitting outside and noticed our outdoor glass table, the light bulb turned on. We measured the top of the table and it was a nice 40", SWEET. We used the table to draw the circle, we then started from there.

We then built the door, then the form, we will add some more form half circles, but not cover it entirely. The dome will be 40" inside, 19" inside height, Door will be 19" 12.6". Front entry is approx 14"x 20"

V-wiz · Mar 4, 2013

We then brought out our trusty tile saw, using an old tile blade we started to cut some bricks, the old blade cut like butter, that is for the first 40 bricks, after that the blade wore out, no worries i have 2 MK diamond blades ordered from Amazon.

Carbon · Mar 4, 2013

Nice work so far, including the form work! This is where the real fun begins!

Have you decided what insulation material to use under the hearth?

V-wiz · Mar 4, 2013

Carbon said:
Nice work so far, including the form work! This is where the real fun begins!

Have you decided what insulation material to use under the hearth?

Thanks. Yes i have Calcium Silicate boards already. It will be 4" thick.

djoseph74 · Mar 4, 2013

This is very inspiring. Thank you for sharing this with us!

V-wiz · Mar 6, 2013

Got my MK Blade today, OO sooo shiny.

Thermal Mass · Mar 6, 2013

Rock On!!
Plan ahead and take your time, it will be worth it.

With the BS weather you have there, we had better see a hot pie coming out of that thing by Memorial day.:laugh:

Carbon · Mar 6, 2013

One other tool I found absolutely essential during my oven build was my 4.5" angle grinder with diamond blade for shaving and shaping cut bricks for fit.

Thermal Mass · Mar 6, 2013

carbon said:
one other tool i found absolutely essential during my oven build was my 4.5" angle grinder with diamond blade for shaving and shaping cut bricks for fit.

yes!!

Just BS · Mar 6, 2013

Great thread. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Why no smoker? Did you consider it and opt to go in a different direction? Is that another project for another time? Inquiring minds (mine) wanna know?
Sent from my pocket computer ( G III)

Building a 42" Brick Pizza Oven & Grill.

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