2025 Priority 2: Making the Pizza Oven Functional - March 2025

Yesterday, I posted a list of 18 potential projects that I called "an early look" at some potential priority projects and talked about how I needed to refine the list to bring forward the most critical ones.  The first one on that list that I labeled as a priority in its own post was the bluestone chip gravel path renovation project that calls for the installation of a nonwoven geotextile.  

The second priority project is going to focus on my largest project from 2024:  the pizza oven.

I've spent a bunch of time (and a lot of posts) writing about the oven, including how it will anchor a second, lower-level patio.  That project requires the installation of a retaining wall, a patio floor (or floating deck) and more.  I even worked through an 'order of operations' in this post where I talked about the ideal, final state including electrical and prep-space.  

But, I know that those projects will take time - likely all summer.  And, I'd like to get the oven operational, so we can ACTUALLY USE IT. 

What does operational mean?  

It means three things:  

1.  Make the oven water-tight.

2.  Make the ground mud-proof.

3.  Creating an outdoor prep-area away from the kitchen.

Yes, a retaining wall and patio and bar and prep counter and even a roof/pavilion are what we want to put in down there.  But, is there a path towards a 'minimum viable product' this Spring that gets the oven operational?

I've posted about him before, but there's a guy on YouTube with a channel named Blood, Sweat and Beers that built an oven.  He has a video about how he framed out his oven - I've screenshot part of that video below.  He shows a simple 'doghouse' with a gable roof.  

Via Blood Sweat and Beers on YouTube

He also has a video showing the installation of cedar shingles on top - screenshot below:

Via Blood Sweat and Beers on YouTube

The photo I have at the top of this post is what our oven looks like currently.   The first part of achieving the minimum viable product is making the oven water-tight.   

Doing the framing also makes the rest of the insulation possible - pouring in loose vermiculate - inside the 'doghouse' structure.   

We'd have to solve for the roof - shingle material and underlayment.  I'm thinking of using a waterproof membrane under the shingles or something similar that would help keep the water out of the oven.

Finishing the outside of the oven - with brick, tile, siding, etc - can come later.  But, getting the oven water-tight is step one.

The other two parts of getting the oven (floor + prep counter) kind-of go together.

What is the MVP (minimum-viable product) version of those?  

I think it is a small gravel landing.  Something to stand on.  And that landing needs to be a couple of things:  

1.  large enough to handle a small prep table. 

2.  Something that isn't PERMANENT.

3.  But, at the same time, doesn't look unfinished.

My current thinking is creating an eight-by-eight area out front using metal edging and gravel.   It would be similar to our sideyard path using bluestone chips and the same metal edging.  

Eight-feet wide would set it slightly wider than the oven.  And would allow for a 30"-or-so deep prep table on one side or out in front.  I'd use a similar approach with the non-woven geotextile to avoid the gravel from sinking.  Eight-feet also wouldn't require a TON of excavation and can be done in a weekend.    I could add/extend the beds to include this little landing to make it feel more cohesive.  The excavated material could also be used to backfill the excavated area next to the oven slab.  

As for the prep table, I'm thinking something on Facebook Marketplace - a stainless commercial kitchen prep table - would be perfect for the MVP.   Does it have that little 'cutout' for the peel that I want in the final build?  No.  But, let's get baking before making the perfect outdoor pizza kitchen.