Finishing The Pizza Oven Enclosure - Veneer Mortar Temperatures- March 2026

I've recently posted about a number of [priority projects] for 2026 and (at the same time), I've been drafting my full 2026 to-do list.  That's typically 25 items that help keep me focused in the yard and garden.  One of the items near the top of that list is going to be:  finish up the pizza oven enclosure.

Last week, I burned the first small fire in the oven for the season and talked about getting motivated to finish it.  A big part of that finishing is applying the exterior brick.  However, I need the temperatures to improve and stabilize before I can get busy.  Here's what the specifications sheet reads in terms of application temperatures:

50 degrees for 72 hours after application of the mortar.  According to *some* models, we should be hitting that 50-degree average right around early April.  

Last Fall, I applied just a handful of bricks to the rear part of the structure - figuring I'd LEARN how to apply the bricks on the part of the oven nobody will see.  Then, as I improve, I'll move to the front, more-visible part.  

This weekend, I'll go a full inventory of materials to see if I have everything I need to hit the project hard this Spring.