Oven Door Material Getting Started Discuss Oven Door Material in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; I have a piece of thick cast iron I could use for my oven door, but it'll act as a ...

[PerryPizza]

I have a piece of thick cast iron I could use for my oven door, but it'll act as a radiator and will get very hot - someone has told me the baker's ovens have thick wooden doors which I could easily make, I'm not looking for anything super efficient or technical, does anyone have any experience/ suggestions?

[dmun]

Wood makes a fine oven door, but you have to be careful not to put it in place before your oven cools to 500f (260c) or you'll char the inner surface. That's why many builders use a metal inner surface, and a layer of insulation, on the inside of any wood door.

Cast iron is heavy: remember you have to lug this thing in and out of the entry, and store it when not in use.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

hi perry,
I used a 2 x 12 seamed in the middle, Went to lowe's and got 2 sheets of lt. gauge steel about 12$ each i think, I wrapped the outside of the door in aluminum L channel.. and 2 brass pull handles I screwed into the wood, It's not the prettiest but works fine,
Mark

[kebwi]

Actually, that looks like a great door. I would imagine that the wood makes a great insulator for the handles.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

yes,,, the lt. gauge metal is enough to keep the wood from burning and you dont feel any heat in the handles at all...

Thanks
Mark

[testadom]

I was told that you can use a simple wooden door, but that it should be soaked in water for a while before using it. How long to soak it I don't know, but it seems to make sense.
it should be easy to build and not too expensive. A little experimentation and a door or two should be enough to figure it out.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

My uncle in Italy has a wooden door in his, This is especially usefull for baking as soaking the door not only keeps it from burning, but helps keep steam going in the oven when your baking bread....

[DimTex]

I have some leftover FB insualtion and I was thinking of making a sandwich with metal on the oven side a batt of the 1" insulation and then some leftover plywood as the outside face. Anyone see anything wrong with the concept?

[Les]

Originally Posted by DimTex

I have some leftover FB insualtion and I was thinking of making a sandwich with metal on the oven side a batt of the 1" insulation and then some leftover plywood as the outside face. Anyone see anything wrong with the concept?

No problem as long as you keep the insulation contained. You don't want the dust/fibers anywhere near your food.

Les...

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

the plywood might not last as long with the outside moisture being as its laminated,, Thats why I used the 2 x 12