Installation guide

Pompeii Oven Instructions
© Forno Bravo, LLC 2007. All Rights Served. Ver. 1.2 11
it both heats the cooking floor and food. The oven is
constructed using a high heat mortar (see Appendix 7).
We would recommend using high quality firebricks for both
the oven dome and cooking surface. The firebricks that
make up the dome provide a majority of the oven's ability
to hold heat, and will allow the oven to deliver the high
temperatures that are needed for cooking pizza.
Also, as many oven builders have noted, the additional
cost of buying the best firebricks is very low compared
with the overall cost of the project, and the labor capital
that is being invested.
5. Vent
Unlike a fireplace, where the chimney is inside the firebox
in the back, the brick oven's vent and chimney are outside
of the oven -- in the front. The vent can be made from
steel, brick, or cast as a concrete form. We have included
drawings and directions for all three methods.
6. Vent Arch and Door
Your oven has two openings: one into the oven itself, and
a second, optional opening around the oven vent and
landing. Either or both can be decorated with a brick arch.
For most installations, the opening into the oven itself can
be built using standard angle iron, producing a rectangular
opening.
You can build your own door, or if you build you door
opening to a standard size, you can purchase one from
Forno Bravo.
7. Chimney
The top of the vent is then connected to either a modular
double-wall steel chimney system, or a terracotta chimney
flue liner. The type of chimney pipe you use depends on
whether your installation is outside or inside, your design
choice, and on your local building code. Be sure to check
you local building code prior to installation.
You should use a chimney cap to minimize rainfall
infiltration into your chimney and oven, and to stop sparks
from leaving the chimney.
8. Dome Insulation
After the oven dome and vent have been assembled, the
oven is covered with insulation, typically a woven ceramic
insulating blanket, such as Insulfrax, loose insulation, such
as vermiculite or perlite, or a combination of the two.
Unlike thermal mass, where too much can be a bad thing,
there isn't really such a thing as too much insulation.
Woven ceramic insulation has the advantages of higher
efficiency, requiring using less space, and providing better
oven heat retention. Loose insulators tend to be slightly
less expensive.
9. Oven Enclosure
There are two basic outdoor oven designs: the Walled
House and the Igloo, both of which give you a virtually
limitless range of design options and finish materials.
Oven structures can be designed to incorporate a range of
outdoor kitchen elements, such as counters, shelves,
storage, and grills.
The top half of the Gabled House can be constructed
using either metal studs and concrete board, or half-wide
concrete blocks (4x8x16).
The Igloo is constructed using rebar, wire stucco lathe
(mesh), rough stucco (scratch coat) and/or exterior finish
stucco. The finish material must be waterproof.
The lower half of outdoor ovens that use a metal stand
can be finished with metal studs and concrete board, and
both the metal and concrete block stand can be finished to
match to top of the oven.
Indoor ovens can be placed in corners, against walls, and
when the oven is part of a larger re-modeling project, can
be set back outside a room to make the front of the oven