Building my Pizza Oven

[Makwassie]

Hi All,

After some planning, wheeling and Dealing, My oven is finally done and first Pizza made. It was an experience, but a fun one at that. First, I would like to thank Gert Odendaal for the guidance and help when I started my project. And Jacques Hertz for assisting with building - as this was my first building project.


Dimensions:
Width = 1m
Length = foundation bricks 1,6m - lintels =1,8m
height = 1m

Oven:
width (front to back) = 900mm
side to side = 800mm +-
oven opening = 700mm

bricks:
I used normal clay bricks. they can handle heat
cement, building sand and fireclay mixture for mortar - as i could not source blast furnace sement.
cement, fireclay and water slurry to paint dome.

total height from foundation to top of chimney = 1,8m


Ok, so here goes... (I will number the topics to correspond to photos)

1. My first task was to do the foundations. I had my measurements of the oven, slab and surrounds, so I had to do a foundation. This was the toughest job. I dug the foundations and filled it up with concrete mix - this was left to settle for 5 days before the building started.

Once the foundation was set, the next task was setting up profiles, building lines and starting to build. Picture one and two is the start of the build.



3,4. This is the brickwork for the foundation done, with the lintels installed on top. all in all this took 1 day to complete. toughest part, scouring the bricks and cleanup.



5,6. Building the dome... this was tricky, as the site closed down that had the dimensions for the frame to build upon, i had to use some clever magic and a hoola-hoop to to sort this out. but i eventually got the frame build and laid down to start. you need to lay the frame down, and do your first layer of bricks, remove and do the floor of the oven. Then you replace the frame and start building.



7. This is the building process and how the end looked like. you need to keep the frame in the oven to allow the bricks to set. I kept it in for 3 days. keep the cement wet and wrap in black bags.



8. after 3 days, remove the frame and cover up again, wet the cement to allow it dry evenly. this is after 7 days.

9. I did some tile work to give me an even-ish working space and food prep area.

10,11. I mixed fireclay and cement and painted the dome to give it a more rustic look, and finished the sides off with some more tile work.

12,13. After all was done, the burn in process, this took about a week... as you need to start small fires and work your way up to a big fire. this allows all to set evenly.

after all was done, I started making pizza... and the proof is included.

[Makwassie]

Hi all,

Struggling to upload photos... if someone can assist, I can email the lot to upload...

[Toxxyc]

Use www.tinypic.com for your uploads man. If you struggle, pop me a PM and I'll do it for you and post them here!

[Toxxyc]

Here are the pics in order:

1:


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13:


And that's it, back to the studio!

[M1]

Well done ! and happy cooking.

[PistolBoy]

Nice dude. Im glad to see people trying out the DIY projects.

[Gert Odendaal]

Makwassie, mooi man, die oond lyk skitterend, ek is regtig bly alles het mooi uitgewerk, dit is regtig `n voorreg om met jou eie hande sulke skitter werk te doen, baie geluk...geniet die oond, nou kort jy natuurlik `n ordentlike roker...ek dink dit is jou volgnede projek, ek het `n ordentlike roker wat jy kan dupliseer...dan kan jy nou jou eie ham, vleis en hoender rook...dit is `n baie eenvoudige maar skitter roker...geniet jou pizza/brood oond min manne het al so `n oond gebou...

[HvR]

Nice build, definitely going on my to do list.

With small modification can this design not be changed into a dual purpose pizza oven and smoker?

Easy enough with few extra bricks fire pit/box can be constructed underneath the oven; with one or two big holes on the floor of the oven that can be covered by removable bricks and a removable wooden door for the oven.

[Makwassie]

Hi all,

Thanks for feedback - was an experience - learned quite a bit about building etc - and how not to do tiling :)

I am sure with some Macgyvering you will be able to make a smoker out of this design. Wood door - don't use pine.. it will slowly roast away :)

Next upgrades in the works is a screed underneath, tile work, frame and some wooden doors underneath - allowing me some storage space. I would also like to build some sort of chimney cowl that the wind can direct the smoke.

But for now I will just enjoy the pizza, bread & T-bones being turned out

[Brendank]

Well done!! Awesome project!