help to choose size of an oven Getting Started Discuss help to choose size of an oven in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; Undecided on a 32 or 42 dome oven mainly to cook pizza and also would like to downsize the base ...

[josephl]

Undecided on a 32 or 42 dome oven mainly to cook pizza and also would like to downsize the base heart. If anyone has any suggestions? I have been reading on the low and high volume opening, which would be the best for the pizza oven.

[Les]

Joseph,

I would go with the 42. It will require a little more fuel to get to temp, but the additional cost to build is very little. You never know what the future brings - you don't want to be kicking yourself in the butt latter on when you're fighting for a little more room.

JMO,

Les...

[Brucesky]

Les that is one cool oven. thanks for the pictures Brucesky

[Frances]

I'd consider going for the half-way mark... 38 or so. You don't have to build either the biggest and smallest oven sizes. But whatever the size and regardless of wheather you decide on a high or low dome, they all cook fantastic pizzas.

The dome opening on the other hand is fixed at 63% of the total dome hight, make sure you get that right!

[Xabia Jim]

Not a bad idea frances, it's just about a meter in size/39 inches which is what I use and it's worked pretty well overall.

Within reason. I don't think you can build too big but you can certainly build too small.

[josephl]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the responses. I am building the igloo type oven and would like to know the minimum size concrete base I can build for it to save space in the yard. I am also thinking about building a heart base out of metal studs and a concrete wonder board to hold the slab and finish it with stucco. If I do it this way the local code does not require permits. If I use concrete block I have to file for permint. Any thoughts on this?

[gjbingham]

Unless you're planning to use a prefab/casted refractory oven, I'd recommend you get the permit.

The concrete required just for the pour on the 3.5 inch deep hearth slab will be very very heavy. You'll still have to go through all the gyrations of framing around the sides and underneath your wonderboard for this pour. If you're going to then add 200ish nine-pound bricks, insulation, and finishing materials on top of that, you're asking a lot from those four steel legs. I'm sure it can be done, but you will not likely save yourself any work or headaches by trying to bypass the permitting process.

That's my two cents, which is exactly the value of my onpinion.

[josephl]

Hi;

I am not trying to bypass permits just trying to save heavy work by using the cinder block and mortar. I was going to frame the box 12 foot on center with the studs and support wall in the middle too. It should be strong enough, because when we frame the walls and floors of buildings there is a lot of weight there too. Looking for some input on this. Also, I going with the 42 inch oven, on the plans they talk about the low vault and the high vault with different sizes, which one would be the best for pizza?

[dmun]

The standard interior framing studs are really flimsy. Their rigidity depends upon the covering. Ovens are heavy and brittle, any shifting or vibration and you are going to have problems.

Metal bases can work fine, but they should be welded up from heavy gage angle iron. Wonder board really has no strength at all: a concrete-free hearth support would need to be heavy gage metal plate. This all gets expensive, particularly if you don't do your own welding, hence the traditional block-and-slab system.

High dome ovens are easier to build, and stronger. Many professional pizza ovens are low dome, but they are less self supporting, and may need buttressing on the sides. You get slightly better balance between top and bottom heat with the low dome oven, but you can always lift your pizza to the dome with your turning peel to get extra browing if need be.

[egalecki]

I agree with the others about the base- the oven's really heavy and not happy when it shifts.

My base is a corner install, which you can make a bit smaller since your landing is on the corner. I built a 36, and my base is 64 inches square, I believe. With the insulation (FB blanket and 4 inches of vermicrete) I have almost nothing left of the base on the sides- maybe 1/2 inch. I wouldn't go smaller.