Alright, so, I decided to build a brick oven. You know, the kind you see in those fancy pizzerias, where they slide in the pizzas and they come out all crispy and delicious? Yeah, that’s the one. I got it into my head that I needed one in my backyard. So, where does one start with such a project? With the bricks, of course!
Now, these ain’t your run-of-the-mill bricks that you’d use to, say, build a wall. Oh no, these are fire bricks. Special bricks made from some kind of fire clay that can withstand the crazy high temperatures we’re talking about for a pizza oven. I did some digging, and apparently, regular bricks can crack or even explode under that kind of heat. Not what I want in my backyard, thank you very much.
First, I went online, looking for where to buy these things. Found out there are some specialty stores that deal just with fire bricks and other refractory stuff. Places where you can be sure to find the right stuff. I needed those high-duty or super-duty firebricks. But I also found out that any brick that’s been fired in a kiln is also ok. You gotta make sure these bricks are dry, though, or else they’ll have water in them and steam. You don’t want that.
And that got me thinking about the oven’s size. I mean, how many bricks do I need? Turns out, it depends on how big you want the oven to be. I sketched out a rough plan, did some calculations, and figured out the approximate number. Also, I found out some people use soapstone as a substitute for bricks.
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Sourcing the Bricks
I drove to a few stores, talked to some folks who seemed to know their stuff. One guy told me that fire bricks are the way to go. He said they’re the best at taking the heat without getting messed up. Makes sense. The cooking chamber and the oven floor, those parts, they’ve gotta be fire bricks. There’s also refractory glue you need for this job, which I also picked up, along with some gloves and a trowel.
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Choosing the Right Type
There were different types of fire bricks, it seems. Some were heavier, some were lighter. I went for the heavy-duty ones because, well, I wanted this oven to last. Plus, they just felt more solid, you know?
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Quantity and Layout
With my rough plan, I had a decent idea of how many bricks I needed. I bought a few extra, just in case. Better to have too many than too few, right? Back home, I laid them out on the ground, following my sketch. It was like a giant, heavy puzzle.
After laying out all the bricks on the ground, fitting them together, I started to see the oven taking shape. It was hard work, moving those bricks around, but it was also kind of fun. Seeing it all come together, piece by piece, it gave me a real sense of accomplishment.
So, that’s the story of how I tackled the brick part of my brick oven project. It was a learning experience, for sure. But now, with the bricks sorted, I’m one step closer to baking that perfect, homemade pizza in my very own backyard oven. Can’t wait!
