The Pandemic Project: Plugs and Pizza Oven

The pandemic gave a little extra time to work on a giant project: The Pizza Oven!! Brent researched online and followed lots of YouTube tutorials to build this big beast. Years ago he built this concrete base and started to lay out the brick oven floor in the basement of the garage. We also decided to add the grass to the north side of the backyard using teeny tiny drought resistant plugs. So, in the following pictures, watch the progress of the plugs--it's like a mini time lapse! 

Brent had a bit of engineering to figure out with the shape of each level of bricks. He cut and cut and cut! 

Little side note: the 2019 steel retaining walls are looking nice! So fun to plant pretty zinas! 

Each layer, a different size of brick. 

When Brent finished the bricks, we wrapped the entire oven in 3 layers of thermal ceramic blankets. Next, the entire oven was covered in a mixture of crushed styrofoam and cement. It's kindof the texture of stucco. 

The maiden voyage was on Estee's 16th birthday. Boy, that oven can heat up and retain heat like crazy! The pizzas were delicious and we're working on our techniques. 

This past spring Brent added the black chimney and the girls helped to finish the base. Just look at those little grass plugs plugging along! 

Almost there! The steel will turn a pretty rust color (I love that look) to match all of our garden beds and retaining wall. The final touch will be to cover the oven in a black stucco for a very dramatic effect! The projects continue. Next in line is the seating and gas fireplace, all designs by Brent! And look at that grass--it's working!