Forum / Plans to build an outdoor pizza oven

Ymullaji

An oven refers to a thermally insulated chamber utilized to heat, dry or bake a substance, and most usually used for cooking. The type of oven especially used to cook pizza is pizza oven. An indoor pizza oven, as its name signifies, is used in a kitchen, and is not meant for use outdoors on a fire. The pizza kept inside is baked from below and upside by the heat generated by the burning of coal. The size of an outdoor oven is bigger than that of an indoor one.

The first thing in planning to build an outdoor pizza oven is to obtain essential materials that include cement and concrete mix, grout bag, welder, circular saw, exterior grade plywood, angle iron, rebar, brick tile, oven kits, and a few other minor tools. Then a base is built as a next step under which an L-shaped structure is made by the use of 8-inch cinderblocks or concrete blocks. This structure should be strong enough to bear the weight of the oven, fit the oven, and provide counter space. One can provide the oven the height he wants. The concrete blocks should have holes that should be filled with concrete which will provide solidity to the edifice.

The base could be aesthetically designed to look more beautiful. Different types of bricks, stones and mortar are used to give shape and cover the base. The entire surface of the base needs to be covered with brick tiles. The cement should be applied with trowel, and spacers should be used to ensure bricks are placed evenly. One should fill vacant spaces with more cement, and let the cement dry for some time.

After the base, one has to build a countertop on which oven can sit. A concrete countertop could be preferred. An iron frame to decorate edges of the countertop can be used to enhance overall look of the oven. A piece of plywood which may fit in exactly on the countertop can be used, and a welded steel frame having smoothen corners could be utilized. The plywood frame should be placed on top of the base, and rebar should be placed on top of wood board in crisscross design. Rebar attached to wire ties besides supporting concrete, prevents separating or cracking. With the use of concrete and trowels one can have a smooth finish. The concrete should be left to dry for a day.

Hence, there are the foundation, hearth, dome, vent, flue, and chimney in the construction of outdoor oven. After the surface and foundation, it is the hearth which is important because it is here where one keeps the pizza for baking. The width of the dome and its design provides magnificence to the oven. In brick ovens 25% of heat escapes through chimney which increases flow of air. An opening allowing gas or heat to pass through the chimney is called flue. It needs to be placed properly, and cleaned regularly. Thus, the plan for an outdoor pizza oven has elaborate but uncomplicated steps.