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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

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

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

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

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov



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

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov


red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov



red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov



red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

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

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov



red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov

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.



red brick dome oven workshop with Alex Chernov
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


See also,

2013 Photo Report

2012 Photo Report

2011 Photo Report

2010 Photo Report

2009 Photo Report

2008 Photo Report

2007 Photo Report
2006 Photo Report
2004 Photo Report
2003 Photo Report
2002 Photo Report
2001 Photo Report
2000 Photo Report
1999 Photo Report
1998 Photo Report
1997 Photo Report

This page was last updated on May 14, 2014
This page was created on April 26, 2014

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