How to Make a Pizza Oven at Home?
If there is anything I really want in my home it is a pizza oven (an original stone one, not just an Ooni or alternative) But have you seen the price of them?
Recently, I learned how to make a pizza oven myself, at home, using some simple construction materials that you can find in your local garden centre – or online.
So, here are the steps you need to take.
The Base
You either need to already have a brick countertop constructed in your garden or build one yourself. If you’re handy, then this should be easy enough.
The important part about the construction is the size you build it (to ensure there is enough space for the oven) and that the bottom of the oven is built to withstand extreme temperatures. You can do this by building the base with specialised “fire bricks” or by inbuilding some insulation using bottles or something similar.
The Pizza Oven Construction
This is the fun bit.
Everything You Need:
- Construction sand
- Newspaper
- Vermiculate Concrete
- Ceramic Fibre “S” Blanket Insulation
Now that you have your base set up, then you need to build yourself a massive sand mound which will be the shape and foundation of the pizza oven. You should use construction sand here and ensure that it is just a little bit wet. The moisture in the sand will help the sand stick together and ensure a perfect dome.
You can also start the entranceway in the same manner or use wood to pose where the entrance will be. You should make sure that there is at least a space at the front where no concrete can get to. This will be the entrance to the oven itself.
Once your dome shape has been completed, you should then cover your oven in wet newspaper. Why? Great question. It prevents the clay (or cement in my case) you’re about to add from sticking to the sand. That would ruin everything. Allow the paper to dry completely before starting the next stage.
Add roughly 5cms of Vermiculate Concrete roughly 5cms around the sand dome.
Once the concrete has dried, you can now get in there with a shovel and hand brush to remove the sand from inside of the dome. What is left is the paper, the concrete and the outer layering of the walls. Perfect.
Now, you must temper the concrete. This will ensure that the concrete is properly set, and is strengthened to withstand extreme temperatures or harsh weather. This is a step that many people miss and end up with a crumbly collapsed oven.
You can set up a small fire inside the oven with wood. Allow it to burn out and set another once the oven has slightly cooled. 3 separate sessions of tempering should be enough. Once the oven has cooled again, you can add a layering of roughly 9 cm of Ceramic insulation (to ensure the heat is kept inside the oven and retain the integrity of the oven) and then some chicken wire pulled tightly.
Then, for the final outer layering of concrete to waterproof and protect the outer layering of the oven.