Summer Project #1 Commences: Wood-Fired Oven
Spring is finally springing...time to get outside and get started on some fun stuff!
I think I've spoken before about how I get antsy when I don't have at least a couple of house projects in the works. Fortunately, even at 3 years present and accounted for here at Modern in MN and despite what I would call a fairly steady rate of dispatch with all manner of projects and finish-ups, I'm still managing to maintain a page-long list of items on my agenda for both indoors and out.
This one's been burning a hole in my brain since last fall...or technically, I guess it's been burning a hole in my brain for the last ten years or so. It's one of the few things from my kitchen wish-list that I didn't manage to pull off, and while it's not happening indoors, as of this past weekend, I'm on my way to having my very own wood-fired oven on the patio.
I'm following the downloadable instructions and friendly advice available at fornobravo.com, for the Pompeii oven and I can almost taste the deliciousness that shall (hopefully) issue forth already. Pizza anyone?
On Saturday, Boy and I got busy running our trusty shovels, stripping the sod and leveling a ~6' x 7' area next to our patio in preparation for footings and a foundation slab. It doesn't sound like much, but we've got crazy hard clay soil and it was slow going, that digging business. Once again I found myself insane with jealousy over those warm climate places where the work and expense of 48" frost footings would be unnecessary.
Anyway, fast forward about a half day's worth of dirt and sod moving, and another half day with the post hole digger and some bagged concrete mix, and we've managed some footings to support the 6" reinforced concrete slab upon which the actual oven project will commence.
On Monday I spent a couple of hours with power tools and a hammer and got the formwork set. Now it's just a little more sand and gravel and finding some more free time and we're ready to pour, and THEN the fun begins!
In the interest of full disclosure, I should point out that I'm not exactly doing things by the cold-climate building book. I made the executive decision to take a shortcut with the foundation and (perhaps stupidly), I'm proceeding from here with fingers crossed. What should have happened is a full 48" depth block or poured wall perimeter foundation, but that would have been expensive from a materials standpoint and extremely time consuming to excavate by hand. I'm hoping that the post footings we've poured combined with the super thick, extra reinforced slab with decent drainage will do the job.
I think I've spoken before about how I get antsy when I don't have at least a couple of house projects in the works. Fortunately, even at 3 years present and accounted for here at Modern in MN and despite what I would call a fairly steady rate of dispatch with all manner of projects and finish-ups, I'm still managing to maintain a page-long list of items on my agenda for both indoors and out.
This one's been burning a hole in my brain since last fall...or technically, I guess it's been burning a hole in my brain for the last ten years or so. It's one of the few things from my kitchen wish-list that I didn't manage to pull off, and while it's not happening indoors, as of this past weekend, I'm on my way to having my very own wood-fired oven on the patio.
I'm following the downloadable instructions and friendly advice available at fornobravo.com, for the Pompeii oven and I can almost taste the deliciousness that shall (hopefully) issue forth already. Pizza anyone?
On Saturday, Boy and I got busy running our trusty shovels, stripping the sod and leveling a ~6' x 7' area next to our patio in preparation for footings and a foundation slab. It doesn't sound like much, but we've got crazy hard clay soil and it was slow going, that digging business. Once again I found myself insane with jealousy over those warm climate places where the work and expense of 48" frost footings would be unnecessary.
Anyway, fast forward about a half day's worth of dirt and sod moving, and another half day with the post hole digger and some bagged concrete mix, and we've managed some footings to support the 6" reinforced concrete slab upon which the actual oven project will commence.
On Monday I spent a couple of hours with power tools and a hammer and got the formwork set. Now it's just a little more sand and gravel and finding some more free time and we're ready to pour, and THEN the fun begins!
In the interest of full disclosure, I should point out that I'm not exactly doing things by the cold-climate building book. I made the executive decision to take a shortcut with the foundation and (perhaps stupidly), I'm proceeding from here with fingers crossed. What should have happened is a full 48" depth block or poured wall perimeter foundation, but that would have been expensive from a materials standpoint and extremely time consuming to excavate by hand. I'm hoping that the post footings we've poured combined with the super thick, extra reinforced slab with decent drainage will do the job.
Labels: building wood fired oven
posted by splatgirl at 6:18 PM
4 Comments:
I can't wait to see how it comes out!
Great job on your house. I love when there is a new post. On the subject of the oven, not sure why a full foundation, or posts for that matter are required when a poured slab reinforced with rebar would be suitable. It is not attached to anything structural therefore would move accordingly with the frost....I could be wrong. Keep up the great work.
Wade
Hi Wade
I agree, and I agonized. But we have the most ridiculous clay soil ever, the worst possible substrate for building, and it was either footings or dig out a couple of feet and replace with sand/gravel under the entire pad, which I decided would have been more work. The problem is that I have first hand experience with frost heave here...both our (heavily reinforced) driveway and sidewalk slabs here have multiple cracks and move several inches in the winter,(no soil correction under them) and I just couldn't imagine a dry stacked block base and brick/mortar dome putting up with that year after year. Given the amount of labor, I figured better safe than sorry. Hopefully I've chosen "safe enough".
Awesome! You keep rolling out some really great projects. Any ideas for the outside of the oven? Are you going to keep it "Modern in MN", traditional brick, or something else?
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