How to Make an Open Hearth Outdoor Oven
- 1). Measure a 24- by 24-inch square in the location you plan to have the oven. Dig 2 inches of soil from the square.
- 2). Tamp the ground with a plate compactor to make it smooth and flat. Fill in the hole with sand. Tamp the sand down with the plate compactor.
- 3). Lay a 20- by 20-inch single layer of firebricks down in the center of the 24- by 24-inch square. This is the hearth. Use a level to make sure the bricks are level. Adjust the bricks as needed by tapping them with a mallet.
- 4). Moisten some sand. Build a 13-inch high mound of moist sand in the center of the firebrick hearth. This is the form for the inside of the oven. The mound should be approximately 13 inches in diameter. Smooth the mound with your hands so the form is rounded to your satisfaction.
- 5). Apply a layer of wet newspaper over the mound. This will protect the sand from the layer of clay that will form the oven wall.
- 6). Mix the oven wall clay mixture. The mixture should contain 1 part clay to 1 to 3 parts masonry sand. You should be able to manipulate the clay like play dough.
- 7). Form a 3- to 4-inch layer of clay around the sand/newspaper mound. Smooth the outside edge of the mound with a scrap piece of board.
- 8). Allow the clay to dry until it has a leather-like consistency. Draw an 8-inch-high by 10-inch-wide arched opening on the side of the mound you want to orient as the front.
- 9). Cut a hole in the center of the arch with a keyhole saw. Saw out the opening. This is the door. Smooth the edges of the opening by rubbing your finger along the edge.
- 10
Using a band saw, cut a hardwood board to fit the opening. Sand the board until the edges are smooth. - 11
Allow the oven to dry completely. Scoop out the sand with your hands. Leave the newspaper in place. The first fire in the oven will burn that out.
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