Okay, so I’ve always wanted a pizza oven, you know, the real deal, wood-fired kind. But those things are expensive! Then I stumbled upon these brick pizza oven kits, and I thought, “Hey, I can probably do that!” So, I started researching.
The Prep Work
First thing, I spent hours, and I mean hours, watching videos and reading articles. I wanted to make sure I knew what I was getting myself into. I picked a spot in my backyard, cleared it, and leveled the ground. This part took some serious elbow grease, let me tell you.
Then came the base. I decided to go with concrete blocks for simplicity. I carefully stacked and leveled them, making sure everything was super sturdy, measured twice, you know the drill.
Building the Oven
The kit arrived, and it was basically a giant pile of bricks! I felt a little overwhelmed, ngl, but I took a deep breath and started sorting. The instructions were pretty good, surprisingly. It was like a big puzzle.
I started laying the bricks, using this special refractory mortar. It’s kinda like regular mortar, but it can handle the super high temperatures. Slowly but surely, the dome shape started to emerge. It was actually pretty satisfying, seeing it come together brick by brick.
I had to cut some bricks to fit, and I won’t lie, that was a bit tricky. I borrowed an angle grinder, and even with that, it took some practice to get the cuts right.
The Finishing Touches
Once the dome was done, I added an archway and a chimney. The kit came with a pre-made arch, which was a lifesaver. Then, I insulated the whole thing with this ceramic fiber blanket. It looks kinda like fluffy cotton candy, but it’s super important for keeping the heat in.
Finally, I covered the blanket with another layer of mortar, gave everything a good clean, and let it cure for a few days. This waiting part was the hardest!
First Firing!
Okay, the moment of truth! I built a small fire inside the oven and slowly increased the temperature over a few hours. This is crucial to avoid cracking the bricks. It was a bit nerve-wracking, but everything held up!
- First pizza baked: Success!
- Crust: Crispy and perfect.
- Toppings: Nicely melted.
- Overall: Amazing!
I’ve been making pizzas in it every week since, and I gotta say, it’s the best pizza I’ve ever had. And the bragging rights? Totally worth it. It was a lot of work, no doubt, but building it myself made it even more rewarding.
