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  • A newbies survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

    Being new to the Forno Bravo web site, we quickly realized that we wanted to build a pizza oven and access the best information available, but did not know where to look. Getting smart about building a Wood Fired Oven (WFO) would have been easier with a little tutoring. So, listed in bold below, you find a few shortcuts to finding Forno Bravo?s WFO Nirvana here.

    Our focus is now directed almost entirely here on Forno Bravo for information, instruction and comradery. After checking your local building codes, your first decision is whether or not to build your own oven. You will find the Fornobravo Store here. Whether you build your own oven or buy an oven or an oven kit, you will find the following links helpful in your planning.

    To start, download and read the Pompeii oven plans, (Add to cart and checkout for free or low cost at the Fornobravo store). Then, read through the well documented and well built oven Links below. The oven construction threads below are remarkable for their presentation and discussion of making a 'typical' pompeii dome oven while sticking to the plans -people have problems with their ovens when they do not follow the plans. The links below have been included primarily for their sketch-ups and/or their pictorial record showing their process -they will aid you in conceptualizing your oven making process. Your oven does not have to be as neat or petty as most of these ovens (mine sure isn't), just put the bricks together so they won't fall apart.



























































































    Study the links above and you will have the benefit of a host of builders who have made themselves smart about the pompeii oven plans and then gone off to make their oven dreams a reality. You will want to make reference to the Materials List and the Brick Oven Glossary from time to time. There are other exceptional oven builds documented on fornobravo.com, but I could not name them all for fear of leaving some splendid people off the list, but you can sift through them here. BTW, don't believe everything you see on YouTube.....

    Later, you?ll want to reread the Pompeii oven plans, and then read them again. That activity alone will answer most of your questions. The Brick Oven glossary will soon become part of your vocabulary.

    As you wade through these data links and downloads, a plan will develop in your mind?s eye and you?ll be on your way. By then you will be more familiar with the Forno Bravo Web Site and find yourself involved in many threads about the details of design and construction of your own pizza oven.

    Finally, you'll venture to other parts of the web site and learn to manage your oven fire, make dough, cook pizza and bread. Then, you can launch out to cook most any dish in the open oven environment. When you become a WFO expert, maybe you'll hang around and help new members ferret out their dreams.

    HTH, My best to you. One more thing, please take a moment to rate this thread using the "Rate Thread" (found at the top of this box) or, the 'Like" button (at the bottom of this box).

    Post Scripts:
    • If you have a favorite feature or thread on the WWW or FornoBravo.com, please, add it by posting a 'reply' to this thread
    • The Photo Gallery is a great resource to peruse while gathering information, or if you're stuck about a particular construction question. The gallery is here
    • Thinking 'outside-the-box' for your oven design using concrete surfaces around your WFO: look here.
    • You will find deejayoh's dome design spreadsheet here.

    I don't know of a better pictorial overview for building a wood fired brick oven
    than Ken524's build.

    Last edited by UtahBeehiver; 06-01-2023, 03:46 PM.
    Lee B.
    DFW area, Texas, USA

    If you are thinking about building a brick oven, my advice is Here.

    I try to learn from my mistakes, and from yours when you give me a heads up.

  • #2
    Re: A newbie?s survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

    Excellent advice!

    As another prospective wood-fired oven builder, I want to echo Lburou's comments. I have spent a lot of time searching through the FornoBravo forum and am amazed at the amount of information and encouragement that is available here. Downloading and reading the Pompeii Oven plans was my starting point and I highly recommend it for others - the plans will help formulate questions to research on the forum and will answer many questions you did not know to ask. Following several builds through the process from beginning to end will fill in any remaining gaps and provide the hands-on know how that only experience can provide.

    All of Lburou's suggestions are excellent points for other newbie's to look into - I wish I had had these pointers several months ago.

    A couple of builds I found particularly valuable are:
    Pizza Bob's 42" Build at http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/p...uild-7155.html

    and Mitch's Oven at http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f21/...oven-3176.html .

    I have not mastered the art of attaching URL's to posts. I hope these work!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: A newbie?s survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

      Agreed! Those are some of the best threads to follow for a Pompeii build!
      And don't forget the other forum members picture archives! Sometimes during my build, I'd have to 'see' what was done in order to fully understand their posts! Take lots of pictures to help show our new builders 'different' ways to build.
      View my pictures at, Picasaweb.google.com/xharleyguy

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: A newbie?s survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

        You guys are great, thanks! As a newbee getting prepared to dive into this project, the research phase was looking to be almost as daunting as the actual build itself. Thanks for making that first step a lot easier to handle!
        Bob

        Always ready for pizza

        http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/memb...ing-build.html

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: A newbie?s survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

          I got to add Dino's to the list of helpful threads. Well done and well documented. I found it very helpful.

          http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/d...arts-5883.html
          Scott -

          My projects: http://www.facebook.com/#!/scott.kerr.794

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: A newbie?s survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

            Another great build thread (in 2 parts) I have been following is peterlyn's build in Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada. It starts here: Let?s Roll! 40? Pompeii in Nanoose Bay and continues here: Pompeii in Nanoose Bay!.

            Not only is this a gorgeous build, it is very well documented both in description and in pics. Caution! Newbies should not be intimidated by the quality of Dave's workmanship - this guy is a professional. Few of us can equal his work, but there is a lot to learn from his methods.

            BTW, Vancouver Island is one of the most beautiful places on earth and is definitely worth going to the trouble to visit (I grew up in the Smoky Mountains, so I know beautiful when I see it!).

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: A newbie?s survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

              Thanks for the post! I'm such a noob that I'm not even sure what a pompei oven is yet!

              I think I like the house-type ovens a bit better than the igloo-type ones, but as long as I can make a pizza, I'll be happy!

              ps - I like the ovens that Christo has as his sig, and Dino Pizza has as his avatar. If anyone can tell me which type they are I'd appreciate it. I haven't been hre long enough to find any others, but I'm looking.
              Last edited by topcrop; 03-21-2011, 02:27 PM.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: A newbie?s survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

                Both Christo and Dino's fine WFO cooking systems are classic enclosed Pompeii-style ovens. What gives each of these ovens their finesse are solid build quality and individual style on the enclosures.

                You would do well to download the free oven plans from the FB site and read through them as well as a dozen or so full-build threads here. You may not become obsessed with the minutiae that surrounds every element of building and cooking in a WFO, but then again there is a good chance you might.

                Comment


                • #9
                  More great builds and Concrete Polishing by Neil2

                  Originally posted by topcrop View Post
                  Thanks for the post! I'm such a noob that I'm not even sure what a pompei oven is yet!

                  I think I like the house-type ovens a bit better than the igloo-type ones, but as long as I can make a pizza, I'll be happy!

                  ps - I like the ovens that Christo has as his sig, and Dino Pizza has as his avatar. If anyone can tell me which type they are I'd appreciate it. I haven't been hre long enough to find any others, but I'm looking.
                  topcrop

                  A pompeii oven built and finished in the shape of an igloo is usually referred to as an 'igloo' oven. The same oven enclosed in some kind of rectangular or circular shape is 'enclosed'. The ovens are the same, the external encasements are different, and the insulation application also differs between the two.

                  You will find Dino's oven described here.
                  You will find Christo's oven described here.
                  Last edited by Lburou; 07-09-2013, 06:27 AM. Reason: Added concrete polishing link
                  Lee B.
                  DFW area, Texas, USA

                  If you are thinking about building a brick oven, my advice is Here.

                  I try to learn from my mistakes, and from yours when you give me a heads up.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    If I had a 'do-over' ......

                    One of the more challenging phases of the pompeii oven build is the transition from the oven dome to the arch opening for the oven landing.

                    GianniFocaccia, KarangiDude & Sharkey, (and possibly others I haven't seen), have employed a simple and clean way to make the transition a lot easier. They have angled the cut on the dome side of their inner arch bricks.

                    Karangi Dude's inner arch:

                    GianniFocaccia's inner arch:

                    Also in Sharkey's inner arch.
                    Last edited by Lburou; 09-04-2013, 07:15 AM.
                    Lee B.
                    DFW area, Texas, USA

                    If you are thinking about building a brick oven, my advice is Here.

                    I try to learn from my mistakes, and from yours when you give me a heads up.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Don't overlook the eBooks at Forno Bravo's Store

                      The section of the Fornobravo store containing eBooks and Cd's has some good information you'll need to get on with your building project, or start making and cooking better pizza and breads. They are FREE: To get the free eBooks, proceed to the checkout, then download them.

                      P.S. You can make a donation to the Christopher Reeve Foundation for some of these eBooks if that is your wish
                      Last edited by Lburou; 01-04-2013, 08:26 PM.
                      Lee B.
                      DFW area, Texas, USA

                      If you are thinking about building a brick oven, my advice is Here.

                      I try to learn from my mistakes, and from yours when you give me a heads up.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: A newbie?s survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

                        Pretty difficult to get it under that amount.. lots of bargain hunting on Craiglist is ahead if you want a true pompeii.

                        You need to read this whole thread... link in the first post is for FREE plans.
                        My oven (for now):
                        http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f43/...ven-14269.html

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: A newbie?s survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

                          Originally posted by Jascob
                          ahh
                          I am planning on not making it fancy and just functional.
                          To make it functional you need lots of insulation, thats around $200 gone already.
                          The English language was invented by people who couldnt spell.

                          My Build.

                          Books.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: A newbie?s survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

                            Download the free plans eBooks & CD ROMs :: Forno Bravo Store it has all the materials listed.
                            The English language was invented by people who couldnt spell.

                            My Build.

                            Books.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: A newbie?s survey of the Forno Bravo treasures hiding in the archives

                              I've been a craigslist junkie for the past several months getting all of my cinderblocks and regular bricks for free and all of my firebricks for $.50/each. The thing is, it's been TONS of work having to remove old mortar from these used items. I'm getting some of my refractory mortar for free from leftovers from a neighbor's job and got an AWESOME deal for a brand new 36" Dura-Vent chimney pipe for $50....................and I'm still gonna be pushing $800 for my oven. Most people would probably think that's pretty cheap. If you aren't prepared to spend this you should start looking at a cob oven.

                              PS - The cob oven was my original plan until I found this website. Then I realized that even though it would cost less than $100, I'd have to do practically the same amount of work and have my oven fall apart in a couple years. Thanks for breaking the bank Forno Bravo!

                              Comment

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