2014 MHA Annual Meeting

Experimental Red Brick Dome Oven built with only hammer and trowel
with Alex Chernov

Back to Wildacres 2014 Photo Report

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

Material List:

- 84pc of regular clay "Jumbo"-size hand-molded brick with good absorption
- 32pc of 2.5" firebrick
- 2pc of 24x36 calcium-silicate board (skamol) for insulation under the core
- 3 bags of Austrian clay mortar "Ausbaumortel".
- About 4-6 lbs of 1/8-3/16" grog

It took Alex and Dan French 5 hrs to build the dome, as a speed demonstration.
This should not be used as a time estimate in building a complete oven for a client.

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

Two inches of calcium silicate board insulate the firebrick hearth.

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

Ortner Ausbaumoertel (special clay mortar) is mixed with grog (square bucket) to increase gap filling properties.

Dry soft red bricks. The brick suction on the mortar is used to build the dome without formwork.

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

A template is used to maintain the correct shape

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

The dome is wrapped with 1" of ceramic blanket

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

Ceramic blanket is plastered with clay/sand mix. Ceramic blanket is not good to breathe because it contains
silica, hence the dust mask.

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

Connected to chimney.

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

Chopping straw for cob mix.

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

Making cob mix.

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

Forming cob into balls, ready to toss to plasterers.

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

The next morning, plaster shrinkage from accelerated drying.

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

Ready in time for the pizza party on Friday afternoon.

Saturday morning tear down.
Of special interest was the condition of the Orter Ausbau mortar. It has a low vitrification temperature, and had a
slightly fired skin on the interior face, as evidenced by trying to dissolve a sample in water.

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

Checking the condition of the mortar.
This is an easy oven to build, and would provide many years of service for backyard pizza use, provided it is covered.

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

2014 MHA Annual Meeting

Experimental Red Brick Dome Oven built with only hammer and trowel with Alex Chernov

Experimental Red Brick Dome Oven built with only hammer and trowel
with Alex Chernov