Adobe Pompeii Brick Oven Photos Discuss Adobe Pompeii in the Good Background Information forums; We decided to go for it, it seemed to work. It really gave us a 60-90 second pizza, it exceeded ...

[GlassKitchen]

We decided to go for it, it seemed to work. It really gave us a 60-90 second pizza, it exceeded all expectations. No cracking or collapse

The top of the dome got up to 1050 and settled around 1000 throughout the cooking. The sides were about 850, and the floor was around 700-800. The exterior was 140 at its hottest point. About 4 hours after the last piece of wood the dome was about 700, sides about 650, with a nice bed of coals.

We didn't make bread, I'll never make that mistake again. We could have easily done some roasting after pizza and then baked at least one batch of bread.

Next morning the oven floor was around 100, sides about 125, dome about 160. The inside of the dome was fine, no cracking, everything made a nice 'tink' sound when tapped, nothing fell. I am amazed.

Thanks again for the forum!

Chris

[GlassKitchen]

Chris

[jwnorris]

Considering the horrific cost, nice looking oven.

J W

[egalecki]

This is very cool. You did a really nice job on it!

[GlassKitchen]

Just an update.. we are using this thing almost every night. Grilling, smoking, beef, fish, had a great pork BBQ last night, chicken tonight, roasted and grilled vegetables. It's so much fun to have the range of heat, you could never cook like this on a conventional oven.

Thank you so much for this forum, and all of you that wrote descriptions and took pictures. It's the best resource in the world. We really appreciate it, never would have happened without all you good folk

Chris, Lissa, and Ari

[marklewis]

Awesome oven. I am also building a clay oven but using "wet" bricks. Have you had much trouble with cracks and do you just fill and let re-dry?

I think your dried firebricks mortered with clay mix should work better to minimize drying cracks than my oven. (mine is still drying)

Also, what did you insulate with and how are you protecting the oven from the elements?

Here is my thread with pictures:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f43/...ild-12388.html (Cob Oven Build)

Thanks for your response in advance.

[GlassKitchen]

What a time for your post.. I just worked on it for the first time this year last week

I did the unthinkable.. I left it uncovered. Being in NC, you know the winter we have had. I figured, it's just mud, slap some on to fix it. Or maybe it will collapse. The rains came in fall, and it looked a bit rough. Then the freezing came.. huge cracks, but only in the last applications of the mud, 1" down. After this horrible winter, it was down to the point where some of the original adobe bricks were visible, and some almost spongy to the touch. It seemed to be in bad shape.. but the structure was there and very stable, and the inside of the oven was fine.

Last week, when it was finally warm enough to put hands in mud, I took a leaf rake and raked the surface to remove loose stuff, not much at all. Two trays of the same clay dirt, mixed with some long, dried grass from the edge of the yard, and it is back to its original form. 30 minutes of work. Its looks as good as new.

The chimney and the sill of the oven opening are the two places I used a sifted dirt and portland cement mixture. They have no cracks, and there was no visible degradation at all. Once this last round of adobe dries a bit, I'll cover the whole thing using that portland/clay dirt mix. Then 5 months of cooking, and we'll see how it goes next winter.

I should have got some pics before I started fixing it up. I will get some from here on out. We are so excited to start using it again! I'm even happy a large maple fell in our yard last fall.. more wood

Chris

[marklewis]

Very Cool. I plan to build some simple covering when done. I'm glad your oven is still intact after all the wet weather. So do any mountain biking around the NC mountains? I've been to Henderson & Brevard and adore the mountains. Later.

[GlassKitchen]

Yes, a cover is a great thing! Wasn't in our budget or time.. but would love to get around to something this summer. You are taking a lot more care in building yours.. can't imagine leaving that beauty to the elements.

We are about 12 miles from DuPont Forrest, so great MTB'ing (and road) right out the door

Chris

[GlassKitchen]

Here is some video of one of the first times using the oven..

YouTube - More Pizza Pizza

YouTube - Wood oven pizza

YouTube - Bread!

Even a tribute to the Pizza pizza! guy on you tube I had a little too much fire going on, but it was a blast.

Chris