The following sequence of photos is intended to show you how to build an attractive and non-hazardous pizza/bread oven door. The door is self-supporting in that it stands erect without having to lean against another surface.
Note: You don't use an oven door when cooking pizza. The door is only to be used when you bake in the oven. A temperature of no higher than 190 degrees Celsius (374 degrees fahrenheit) is sufficient for any type of baking requirements. Do not use a door made with any combustible material over this temperature.
There are three different materials used to make this door. The outer skin is made of wood. The inner skin is made out of stainless steel (closest to the heat source) and an intermediate heat shield of cement sheeting (acting as a heat buffer between the wood and metal heat shield.) The three materials are joined by screws fixed from the metal heat shield through the cement sheeting into the wood.
Figure 1: Trace the shape of the oven door by using the original template (used by the builder). if you don't have it, using cardboard and a sharp bladed knife (box knife is best), cover the entrance of the opening that you want for your door with the cardboard, and finding the edge of the internal opening, cut the shape of the opening with the knife. Test the cut-out and see if you have produced a neat outline. If not, try again. Transfer the shape of the cardboard onto a piece of paper (I use 18mm, or 5/8" of an inch plywood. Reduce the size of the cardboard template by 10mm, or 3/8" of an inch around the entire outline so that the outline is 10mm smaller that the outline of the opening. You can do this by using a piece of chalk 10mm long and laying it on its side, press down and carefully tracing the shape following your original outline. Cut out the shape using a jigsaw.
Figure2: Using the above timber cut-out, mark on a piece of cement sheeting (I used 4.5mm or 1/4" of an inch) the outline of the wood cut-out. The cement sheeting acts as a heat buffer between the wood and the metal heat shield. The size of the cement sheeting cut-out is 2mm or 1/8" of an inch greater than that of the wooden cut-out. This should be easily done when tracing the wooden cut by using a thick felt-tip pen and cutting out the cement sheeting following the outline of the thick pen. This means that your cement sheeting is now 2mm bigger than your wooden cut-out. Cut with a jig saw.
Figure 3: The heat shield should be made of steel or stainless steel. It should be about 10mm bigger than your wooden cut out that you made in Figure 1 and about 2- 4mm smaller than the opening. To get the size right, trace the original cardboard cut out using a pencil. If wanting the L shape base, the bottom of the door should be longer than the cardboard cut out by 80-100mm (3+1/8th – 4 inches, this is later bent to 45 degrees to form an L shape).Then using a thick felt pen, trace the outline of the pencil mark so that the outline is smaller than the pencil mark. Cut out with a jig saw along the dark outer edge of the felt pen mark.Creating an L-shape: To bend the heat shield to an L shape, you require a flat bar and an angle bar longer than the width of the heat shield. In a bench vice, place the flat bar furthest away from you and the angle bar closest to you. Sandwich the heat shield between the two bars at the point where it is 3mm (1/8th of an inch) smaller than the cardboard template. Bend the sheet towards you, making sure that the pressure is even, keeping the pressure as close to the base of the bars as possible. Bend the heat shield as far down as you can. Use a rubber mallet to hammer the edge along the angle bar so that the edge is a sharp crease.
NOTE: This door design does not allow the door to sit flush against the wall of the oven but sits 80mm (3+1/8th inches) away because of the L shaped at the bottom of heat shield. This design works with the L shape design if you have an igloo shaped oven only (sitting inside your igloo entrance). If not using the L shape, the heat shield will usually be greater than the size of the opening you require to seal.
Assembly sequence: Check that the heat shield fits as to your requirements before assembling all the pieces. Paint/stain wooden section with desired finish. Clamp the three sections together to see if the desired outcome has been achieved. If not, adjust accordingly. If using a thermometer, drill a hole through the three sections (wood, cement sheeting and steel).
Figure 4: Installation of handles- determine the point that you want the handles to be attached. Drill holes so that the wood screws are located in the centre of the wooden handles. Screw wood screws from inside the timber cut-out. Wooden handles shown in this diagram are 330mm or 13" inches in length.
Figure 5: Attached thermometer if required - Oven gauge as shown in this diagram is 50mm or 2" inches in diameter.Attach cement sheeting to wood door using only 2 screws that have been rebated.
Attach steel door to wood door with screws.
Figure 6: Attach caster to door with screws, tilting the door slightly against the 'L' so that when the caster is fixed, the caster is tilting the door slightly forward. Caster shown in this diagram is 60mm or 2+3/8" inches long.
Figure 7: Door completed. Door 635mm wide by 530mm or 25"inches x 21" inches. Door is free standing. Pyramid shape on the door is 75mm or 3" inches and is a brass logo screwed into wood door.One sexy pizza oven door. I have to say that I haven't seen one better.
Figure 8 & 9: Door as shown from side of heat shield, and 9 is the pyramid logo shown on red background indicating Pizza Ovens Australia.
I am happy to display your home built pizza oven or your pizza oven door on my website. I hope this was helpful.
Cheers, John M.
PS Check out my website on building Pizza Ovens
