Okay, so I’ve always wanted a brick oven in my backyard. I mean, who doesn’t love the idea of homemade pizza cooked in a real wood-fired oven? I finally decided to take the plunge and build one myself. It was a project, I’ll tell you that, but totally worth it!
Getting Started: The Base
First things first, I needed a solid base. No way was this thing going to sit directly on the grass. I started by clearing a good-sized area, making it bigger than I thought I needed, just in case. Then, I dug down about six inches and filled it with gravel. I made sure to tamp that gravel down super tight – you don’t want any settling later on.
Next, I built a wooden form for the concrete slab. It was just basic 2x4s, nothing fancy. I poured the concrete, making sure to use a level to keep everything nice and even. I let that cure for a good few days. Patience is key, my friends.
Building the Oven
Once the base was ready, it was time for the actual oven. I used firebricks because, well, they’re made for fire. I also got some fireclay mortar. Regular mortar would just crack under the heat.
I started laying the bricks for the floor of the oven. I just did a simple running bond pattern. I didn’t use mortar on the floor, just laid them tight together.
- Then came the walls. This is where things got a bit tricky.I made it a Dome Shape.
- I started building up the walls, brick by brick, using the fireclay mortar. Slow and steady wins the race.
- To create the dome shape, I had to cut some of the bricks at an angle. I just used an old circular saw with a masonry blade. It was dusty, but it worked!
- As I got higher, I used a cardboard form to help support the bricks until the mortar dried. It looked kind of janky, but it did the job.
The Chimney and the Door
I built a small chimney at the front of the oven, just above where the door would go. This lets the smoke out, obviously.
For the door, I just used some scrap metal I had lying around. I made sure it was big enough to easily get pizzas in and out, but not so big that all the heat would escape.
The First Fire!
After letting everything cure for a week, I was finally ready for the first fire. I started with a small fire, just to let everything warm up slowly. Then, I gradually added more wood until I had a roaring blaze.
I let the oven heat up for a good few hours, then I raked out the coals and let the temperature stabilize. And then… pizza time!
Pizza Perfection
The first pizza was amazing. Seriously, the crust was perfectly crispy, the cheese was bubbly and golden, and the toppings were cooked just right. It was so much better than anything I could have gotten from a regular oven.
Building a brick oven was a lot of work, but it was so rewarding. Now, I can have amazing pizza anytime I want, and it’s a great excuse to have friends over. If you’re thinking about doing it, I say go for it! Just be prepared to get your hands dirty and put in some elbow grease.
