Hey folks

[RichieRich]

Hey there folks, just thought i would introduce myself.

My name is Richie and I live in the North East of England (UK) and I am planning to build a brick pizza oven, ever since i visited Italy (researching my grandfathers route during ww2) a few years back I have wanted to build one

it will be used for breads and Pizza's but was also wondering if i could cook the likes of Suckling pig etc etc.

I need to pick your brains on so many fronts for the build, but I will search the forums and see if i can get some of the answers to save you good people repeating yourselves.


Cheers

Richie

[Les]

Welcome to the obsession! These ovens (depending on the size you choose) can cook ANYTHING! If you want to see some awesome examples - go to Karangi Dude (whats cooking). I'm thinking every protein and green on the planet has passed through his oven.

[GianniFocaccia]

Richie,

You've come to the right place to get answers on your oven design and construction. A lot of builders here like to cook everything too. Read through their build threads, learn from their mistakes and remember to insulate heavily (top and bottom) and you can't go wrong.

John

[Lburou]

Welcome Richie

You have found a knowlegable, supportive group of mentors here, take advantage of it.

[RichieRich]

thanks for the replies guys, I think I am going to build the Pompei style oven as seen on this site, the bricks used are they just normal firebricks cut into halves or are the bricks cut and tapered too ?

[Lburou]

The firebricks (the cheapest you can find and usually low duty) are cut in two pieces and sometimes tapered too. I tapered mine, but I'm not sure it wasn't a lot of wasted time. An oven will perform well with or without tapered bricks. I decided we were into cooking and not the process of building.

[RichieRich]

Cheers lee, another thing i dont want to do is to fully enclose the dome, was just going to render it (after insulating) but need to look into this as we have a load of rain here in Northumberland... the base plinth is going to get poured in the next week or so, so i will post a project thread up

[Gulf]

Originally Posted by RichieRich

Cheers lee, another thing i dont want to do is to fully enclose the dome, was just going to render it (after insulating) but need to look into this as we have a load of rain here in Northumberland... the base plinth is going to get poured in the next week or so, so i will post a project thread up

You may want to think about putting the oven under some type of roof for a little extra protection against the elements. Some have incorporated their ovens in covered outdoor kitchens, patio covers, or just a simple open sided roof over the dome.

I had intended to build an inclosure, but could not bare to hide the dome. After seeing it's shape (and a lot of influence from family and friends) became partial to the igloo design. In the subtropical climate in which I live, 60" of rain per year is a given so I am putting an open sided roof over mine. One that will help protect the oven from elements, but will allow me to showcase the the dome.

[RichieRich]

Well been busy today, i have decided to go with a 42" Pompei Igloo design oven, could not believe how large the found needed to be 86 x 73 x 5.5, but nevertheless i have dug out the rectangle in the corner of my garden, ready for the shuttering to go in and the concrete to be poured.

quick question, my pal has decided he wants to build an oven too, but wants to use it to heat his house, can this be done ? my thoughts were to run a coil of pipe around the outside of the dome before render goes on, then coupled with a pump and some gubbins it could possibly work... he wants to burn his offcuts of lumber but i think its treated lumber, i take it we cant burn treated stuff or charcoals in these ovens ?

[Gulf]

That will rob heat from the oven making it less efficient. There is a thread on this site in which something like this was attempted. I believe that this idea was abandoned although the coils remained uncharged against the dome. If I can find the thread I will post the link.

Also, the treated lumber that I am familiar with shouldn't even be burned in a fire place, much less an oven.