Plans & materials before stand? Getting Started Discuss Plans & materials before stand? in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; I'm hoping to complete my foundation and possibly the block stand this year, and the rest of my 42" oven ...

[dbhansen]

I'm hoping to complete my foundation and possibly the block stand this year, and the rest of my 42" oven next summer. I'm following the Forno Bravo instructions so far, and plan on having an 80x88" foundation and 70x78" dry-stacked stand. My (perhaps dumb) question is, how important is it for me to source my oven materials (especially the firebrick) and draw up my own detailed plans before proceeding with the block stand? In other words, is it safe to go step-by-step through the Forno Bravo plans and find the materials as I need them, or should I really find (and size) all the materials first, and then start at the end and mock up the oven to help determine the size of my stand? I'm not planning on varying from the plans. I just don't want to end up next summer with a stand that is too small because the materials (like fire brick) end up being a different size than the plans assume.

[dmun]

The plans are sized for US sourced materials, so you should be fine. The only variation is the thickness of insulation, with less room on the side needed if you use all refractory blanket insulation instead of perlite/vermiculite concrete. Someone who has followed the plan closely may jump in here to give you specific advice.