Alright, folks, let’s talk about building an outdoor pizza oven, specifically, a brick one. I’ve always wanted one of these bad boys in my backyard, and last summer, I finally went and did it. It was a journey, let me tell you.
Getting Started
First off, I spent ages online, looking at designs and plans. There’s a ton of information out there, but honestly, it was a bit overwhelming. I finally settled on a simple, dome-shaped oven. Nothing too fancy, but it looked like something I could actually build myself.
Gathering Materials
Next up, getting all the materials. This was a bit of a chore, not gonna lie. I needed a ton of bricks – firebricks for the inside, regular bricks for the outside. Then there was the mortar, sand, cement, and a bunch of other stuff. My poor car was loaded to the brim. I made multiple trips to the home improvement store, I felt like I was living there.
Building the Base
I started with the base. I dug out an area in my yard and laid down a concrete slab. This part was tough work, mixing and pouring concrete is no joke. I got a few buddies to help out, bribed them with the promise of future pizza. We got the slab poured and let it cure for a few days.
Building the Oven
Then came the fun part – building the oven itself. I started laying bricks, following the design I’d found. It was slow going at first. I’m not a mason, so it took some time to get the hang of it. Mixing mortar, buttering bricks, tapping them into place. I even made a wooden form to help with the dome shape.
- Layer by layer, the oven started to take shape.
- It wasn’t perfect, a little wonky in places, but I was actually doing it.
- My hands were raw, my back was aching, but I kept going.
Finally, after weeks of work, I finished the dome. I stepped back and looked at it – my very own brick pizza oven. It was a thing of beauty, in a rustic, homemade kind of way.
Firing It Up
I let the oven cure for a while, then came the moment of truth – firing it up. I built a small fire inside, slowly increasing the heat. I was nervous, not gonna lie. What if it cracked? What if it didn’t work? But it held up beautifully. The heat radiated throughout the oven, and I knew it was ready for pizza.
Pizza Time
I made my first pizza in that oven, and it was glorious. The crust was crispy, the cheese was bubbly, and the flavor was incredible. It was worth every drop of sweat and every sore muscle. Now, we have pizza nights all the time. The oven is the centerpiece of our backyard, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever built. It’s not just an oven, it is about the memories we made.
So, if you’re thinking about building a brick outdoor pizza oven, I say go for it. It’s a lot of work, but it’s so worth it. Just be prepared to get your hands dirty, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. And when you finally make that first pizza, you’ll know it was all worthwhile.
