Okay, so I’ve been wanting to build a brick oven for ages, and a big part of that is getting the door right. It’s not just a door, it’s like, the key to controlling the heat and making sure everything cooks perfectly. So, I finally got around to tackling it. This is how it went down.
Planning and Gathering
First, I spent some time sketching out what I wanted. Nothing fancy, just a basic arch shape that would fit the oven opening I’d already built. I measured the opening like five times, just to be absolutely sure. You know, measure twice, cut once, kind of deal. Then, I gathered my materials. I already had a pile of firebricks, so that was easy. The tricky part was finding something for the door itself.
The Door Dilemma
I considered a few options. I thought about welding something out of steel, but honestly, my welding skills are… questionable. Plus, I didn’t have the equipment. Then I looked at buying a pre-made cast iron door, but those things are expensive! I mean, seriously, who knew oven doors could cost so much?
The Solution
Finally, I had a bit of a lightbulb moment. I remembered I had an old, heavy-duty steel baking sheet tucked away in the garage. It was thick, sturdy, and just about the right size. I figured, why not? It’s meant to withstand high temperatures, so it should work for an oven door, right? I decided to go that path.
Bricking the Door
I had an old steel plate, it was thick, and reliable, the key was securing the bricks.
I took my baking sheet and lay the firebricks on it.
I used some refractory mortar to make the bricks stick and filled the door.
The First Test
After letting the mortar dry, I put door in place. It fit perfectly.
I built the whole door and used it for the pizza oven.
