Wood Fired Oven Build

The good news is that I sourced my ceramic fiber board insulation locally, but the bad news is I can't get over to pick it up until Thursday as we are on our way out of town for vacation. I will try to get my first load of firebrick and mortar on site before we leave so I can do a little work on Labor Day.

Carbon said:

Are you going to home brew your own high temp mortar?

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No, I will be getting the 50lb bags of a pre-mixed refractory mortar.

Bob in St. Louis said:

Vacation?
What?!?!?!?

Are you some kind of slacker, or what?
Come on man, build SOMETHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Yes I feel like a complete and total slacker, but I am looking forward to this vacation!

Back from vacation and time to get to work!

Started by laying out my ceramic fiber board


Here it is trimmed to size


Close up of the landing/oven opening, made sure to build in an extra 3/4" on each side of the oven opening to ensure that I can easily get a door in.


Got started with the floor layout, I will be picking up a diamond blade this afternoon so I can start making some cuts. Also need to get a grinding wheel so I can smooth any imperfections in the floor surface.


So far this stuff is much easier than pouring the pad, stacking the block and pouring the hearth!

Carbon said:

Looking good so far! Are you gonna build on top or around the floor?

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On top

V-wiz said:

I would recommend one more layer of insulation on the floor, if you want max heat retention. If not carry on.

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Not to concerned about maximum retention

1st Course dry stacked




Without the template so you get a feeling for size


While the template was out I cut it into sections so that later I can easily slide out, now it basically acts a center point for the indispensable tool and a floor mat to make cleanup easier later on!


Indispensable tool, my cheap version anyway, basically keeps my radius at a constant 21", I feel like this will make things very quick for the courses that will stay put with gravity alone.


That big chunk of brick is what I had laying around at the time for a shim, I will try to find something a bit smaller than that!


Keep as much water out of it as possible.


Found out that my metal saw is rated to cut masonry brick/block so I went and picked up a diamond tipped blade. I was planning on rigging up a water system but this blade said no water needed. I am sure it would still extend the life of the blade but as long as it gets me through this project I don't really care. The metal saw has a screw down clamp which is needed for metal, but the brick don't really move when you cut them so I just do a quick clamp. Eye protection and ear protection are being worn, today there was a 20 mile per hour wind so I wasn't wearing a mask, if that isn't the case I will wear a mask.




Out of brick so about all I can do in the meantime is get the first course mortared in.

Carbon said:

Your blade will last longer and cut easier if you soak the bricks in water til its fully absorbed. I used a couple of 5 gallon buckets and had several bricks soaking at a time.

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I will give it a try, but I can't imagine they could cut any easier than they did today. The dust alone would be a good enough reason to do it, today it just blew way but on a calmer day that would be a big deal.

Without any brick there isn't much to do so I took the opportunity to get my inner & outer arch forms built.

Inner Arch


Outer Arch


Arch comparison showing that the outer arch is 3/4" bigger on left, right and top; to make it easier to insert a door for baking.