Stripping Forms From Concrete Hearth - Pizza Oven Build - July 2024

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Last week, I completed the concrete pour of the raised (reinforced with rebar) hearth for our DIY pizza oven build project.  After a few days of allowing the concrete to cure (wet curing), I stripped the forms and was able to see the final product.  Good news, all around.  The backer rod, caulk and sand held and the forms didn't leak.  The concrete also settled down into the Pressed Bond Beam blocks and filled all the available space.  

Below is a look at the fresh concrete right after stripping the forms:

Concrete Hearth on Pizza Oven - Results from 4.5" thick Pour

The first thing I did was to put a couple of levels on the surface:

Concrete Hearth on Pizza Oven - Results from 4.5" thick Pour

And...more good news:  dead perfect level.  Both directions:


Other good news include the hearth being square, fully-formed.  And all six drainage pipes clear and useful.  

With the forms removed, I'm now DONE with the stand construction and can move on to the actual oven build. It has been quite a journey.

July 2024 - Hearth forms stripped.  Hearth level and square.  Drainage holes working.

We've hit the sixth working month of the project.  Excavation started in January.  Wow.  Now comes the fun (but more careful work) part:  building the oven.

The first step of the actual oven-building is to cut out a template from Masonite to place the oven.
Location: Downers Grove, IL, USA

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