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Post by noodle on Jul 12, 2019 15:39:40 GMT
Hi All Been browsing the forum for a while. I've spent the last 18 months working on my garden and I'm finally making progress having moved over 80ton of soil by hand I'm on the last 20ton... Part of my "idea/design" was to build a pizza oven ideally a vault oven into the retaining wall - I wanted to use up what would otherwise be dead space. I've allocated a space of 34" x 34"inch for the base however now after reading online and doing some more research I'm not sure if this is going to be big enough? I'm going to be building out of clay bricks. My wall is made from blocks with soil packed behind them so I thought I would be OK for insulation and the void will be filled with insulation before the front is closed off in brick and all rendered in as one unit. My question as I hope to start construction in 3 weeks is this size OK? I just want it to cook pizza and bread if possible? If not I can live with just pizza.. Photo of the wall to give some kind of idea of what I'm talking about. not sure why image is not loading ibb.co/zHKV8T2
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Post by downunderdave on Jul 12, 2019 19:02:01 GMT
The problem with building an oven into a retaining wall is the take up of moisture from the surrounding soil. By the look of those streaks on your brick work it looks as though it already has. Moisture is our enemy and moist insulation doesn’t work well at all. If you plan to build the oven in that structure then you will have continuing problems. If building on top then you should make sure that you seal really well below the supporting slab to prevent water wicking up into the oven. The type of water membrane used under tiles in bathroom installations would be suitable.
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Post by noodle on Jul 13, 2019 0:21:45 GMT
There is two land drains behind it so should have no moisture. The white on the cement is from efflorescence from the cement drying out its just salt reacting with the air rather than any moisture or water damage..
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Post by downunderdave on Jul 13, 2019 20:15:17 GMT
The efflorescence being salts is carried by moisture and is further indication that it’s probably caused by moisture seeping into the brickwork. Ovens must be dry to work properly. I’d hate to see you go to a lot of effort building an oven that might require constant drying. Regarding your question on adequate size, if you build in brick then your oven walls will be 4” thick and with minimal insulation of 3” thick that leaves you with a 20” diameter oven. My ovens are 21” in diameter and easily cater for parties up to 30 at one pizza at a time. At 2 mins/pizza that’s 30/ hr. I quite often do parties of 50 guests but that’s pushing it. You might consider. a cast oven which usually have thinner walls (around 2”) which would save you space and bring the internal diameter up to a more workable 24”
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Post by noodle on Jul 14, 2019 12:26:14 GMT
Yeah sorry I was a bit short in my last reply. The salt damage at the front is because that wall I dug that section out first September last year I dug down 3.5m x 7m made that wall and then left it while the rain hit, the front of the trench filled as the water had no place to go that's what's caused the front damage. Since I've dug out the front of the garden the walls have been dry.. I guess time will tell I am a little bit worried about damp issues but I think it should be OK the back of the wall there is 0.5m of chippings and loose stone for drainage sitting on 2 x 4 inch land drains one at 3m the other at 1.5m meter (one is higher because of the pad required for the base of the oven area. Hope that clears it up. Worst case the oven becomes a total washout I'll seal it all up and build a freestanding one. I just wanted something built into what would be dead space normally and have done my best to reduce water behind the brick work. I'll try and find a photo of the "trench" from winter As for the size thanks for that. I was looking at using clay bricks I don't think these are 4inch wide? I didnt think id need a double skin to help with the arch because it would be built up next to the block wall? Thanks for the reply.
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Post by noodle on Jul 14, 2019 12:33:34 GMT
ibb.co/WzFbTTHSorry I can't find one with it full of water but this gives some kind of idea. That's how I started the wall December last year with all that rain we had the entire thing filled up I think that's what caused the salt damage rather than it coming through from behind the wall. Since I've cleared out the entire front section there has been no more water build up and when it has rained I've not noticed any additional effects on the wall. Time will tell once I render it off later this year, guess I'll know then!!
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Post by downunderdave on Jul 14, 2019 19:43:34 GMT
The normal method of building a brick oven is to cut the 9x4x3” bricks in half and lay them so the walls are 4” thick. Some builders have tried laying them on edge so the walls become 3”. Most have reported however that it is not successful in the long term, the 3” being insufficient to get a strong enough bond resulting in lots of cracking. A cast oven because it’s either one or a few pieces is not subject to the problems of multi joins.
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Post by noodle on Jul 4, 2020 20:26:31 GMT
So it's been a while since I joined and posted but I actually done it I ended up building the oven using storage heater bricks. The oven fires up to well over 500c and the following day is still holding mid 300s it's very hot and have managed to cook bread in there as well I guess it's more of a hybrid build as I had to shape the roof to fit he space I had but it's water right and very well insulated So I'll try and do a decent write up but this gives some kind of idea where I'm at. Between work being manic and the weather I'm hoping to make some progress on actually finish off the entire thing this week been able to make a few pizzas with it and for neighbours during lockdown
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Post by oblertone on Jul 5, 2020 6:59:12 GMT
I can only see one problem with that build, you’ve nowhere to rest your beer ! Would love to see the blow-by-blow build detailed some time, but meanwhile enjoy your pizza.
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Post by noodle on Jul 5, 2020 15:24:57 GMT
Ha! First image made a table there that's where we prep everything now and I have a beer there I got to build a bench by the pizza oven at the back someplace to just sit and chill and enjoy the heat. I'm in the middle of doing a garden project diary / build once I'm at the pizza oven stage ill share the photos here
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