How much clay do I need for a cob pizza oven?
“We dug over the whole of our garden and it was incredible how different the soil was – clay here, beach sand there,” she says. “Go home and dig a hole and see what comes out of it.” To make cob, we need 25% clay, 75% sandy gravel.
How much straw do I need for a cob oven?
When building a small oven two or three bales of straw will be enough. Large ovens however may require up to four bales. A larger quantity should be used when opting for molding the cob shapes and/or decorations so as to improve longevity.
Can I use clay from the ground for pizza oven?
Interestingly – and as many of these guides will tell you – it’s almost irrelevant what naturally occurring clay is used, because all clays (at least, all clays we have experience of) will easily withstand the sort of heat that a pizza oven will generate.
How long do cob ovens last?
Cob should hold up for a couple of years of steady use. Eventually it will begin to break down, but they’re so easy to build, replacing the dome will take you one whole day every two to four years. And occasionally, they just go on forever, and if it ain’t broke, by god, don’t fix it.
Does a cob oven need a chimney?
If you need to control smoke, then yes, a chimney is best. A cob oven without a chimney burns more slowly, giving the oven mass more time to absorb the heat of the fire.
How do you make natural cob?
Cob is a mixture of approximately 1 part clay, 4 parts sand and 1 part straw. You can buy bagged clay in powdered form (go to Laguna Clay for local distributors) and masonry sand from your local supply store.
Do you need special bricks for a pizza oven?
If the bricks are made of clay and are kiln fired (firebrick or red clay brick) they can be used for a pizza oven, but if they are concrete bricks you should stay away. Clay bricks can withstand the heat from a pizza oven, and concrete bricks can’t.
What kind of sand do you use for pizza oven?
Clay/sand mixing for the thermal mass layer of the oven: The ratio should be somewhere between 1part clay/soil to 2-4parts sharp sand and a little water as you go. Don’t be tempted to add too much water, the mix will be stronger and less prone to slumping when drier.
Do I need a flue on my pizza oven?
The chimney or flue you choose for your pizza oven is absolutely essential for it to work correctly – without the right flue the oven won’t get hot and there will be no pizza! The hotter the air inside the flue, the stronger the draw.
Where should the chimney be on a pizza oven?
“What is the best design to use for a pizza oven? The ovens have been designed using an age old tradition, the chimney outlet should be between 60% and 70% of the oven roof height. This enables the oven to keep the optimum amount of heat in while still allowing enough air in for the fire to draw.
Can you make pizza in a cob oven?
Earlier in the year, the idea of baking in the outdoors in a wood-fired oven became something of a romanticized (in every positive sense of the word) notion to me. It was soon obvious that I should build a cob oven, which would be fairly easy and quick to build, and quite cheap, too.
Is there a right way to build a cob oven?
2. No two cob ovens are the same. There is not one single “right” way to build a cob oven, especially as it relates to the more artistic design aspects of the oven. There are certain fundamental features that you do want to be precise on, and we’ll make note of those in our how-to section.
What’s the best way to build a pizza oven?
Conduct the ‘shake test’. Half fill a vertical-sided glass jar with the clay soil mix, then, add water until ¾ full. Allow to stand for 24 hours or until all lumps are completely dissolved, then shake the jar vigorously before allowing the mixture to settle.
What’s the width of a cob oven door?
4. The width across the base of our cob oven door opening is 15″. That’s a great width to allow a pizza peal or a baking sheet to slide in, while still leaving a bit of wiggle room. If you want to build a close replica of our cob oven, here are the materials you’ll need:
