Building a pizza dome made of refractory concrete
What is important for a really good pizza?
In addition to high-quality ingredients, the right wood-burning baking stove makes all the difference. The perfect pizza should be baked at high temperatures, as quickly and evenly as possible – and this can perfectly be realized with a wood-burning pizza dome. The fire has a lot of space upwards and can therefore develop high temperatures. The round shape allows the heat to flow evenly around the baked goods.
Not only restaurants and professional chefs, but also private pizza lovers want a pizza dome like this. Traditionally, the construction of a pizza dome is made of fireclay bricks. We offer prefabricated vault bricks with slight angles on the sides for this purpose. However, smaller models can also be built from refractory concrete, which we also have in our range.
Our refractory concrete consists mainly of fireclay. Its technical properties are therefore very similar: it has an application temperature of up to 1,100 °C with a consistent bending tension and compressive strength up to high temperatures. The baking stove made of refractory concrete is therefore a high-quality and durable solution. It is also food-safe, of course.
Data sheet refractory concrete
The data sheet with all technical information can be found in our download area.
Our refractory concrete is very versatile: it can be processed both as a liquid casting compound and as a moldable ramming mixture. As a casting compound, it is perfect for shaping individual baking stove components. It can be used as a ramming mixture for repairs, e.g. to the base of the baking stove, but also for forming a pizza dome.
We will show you how you can build a complete pizza dome from refractory concrete and how to offer your customers a relatively simple and high-quality alternative to a baking stove made of fireclay bricks – at an attractive price. We also provide a dome calculator!
Our dome calculator
A practical planning tool for your pizza dome can be found herewolfshoehe.de/kuppelrechner.
Here, you can enter the diameter and wall thickness of your dome. The tool then calculates how much refractory concrete and how many baking stove plates are needed for the construction.
It also indicates all the other dimensions for the construction, such as: the height of the dome, the diameter of the burnout, the dimensions of the opening, the chimney height and much more, so that you can get started straight away.
A pizza dome made of refractory concrete - this is how it's done:
You can find the video instructions here:
Mit dem Laden des Videos akzeptieren Sie die Datenschutzerklärung von YouTube.
Mehr erfahren
And here are the instructions again in text form:
To use the refractory concrete as a moldable ramming mixture, it is mixed with slightly less water (0.2 l / kg), to use it for mold casting, with more water (0.24 l / kg). You need both to build your pizza dome!
The dome is formed by mixing the refractory concrete as a ramming mixture and pressing it onto a shaping base. There are no limits to your creativity when choosing the shaping base: a pile of sand or an exercise ball pre-treated with spray grease, for example, are suitable.
To ensure that the mixture is easy to shape but not too moist, the amount of water should be as precise as possible and the mixture should be mixed as homogeneously as possible, preferably using a compulsory mixer. It is made even easier by adding a little Chamotte mortar C (approx. 10 – 15 %). This increases the stability and adhesion of the compound, making it even easier to apply.
The remaining parts of the baking stove, the dome opening and the smoke pipe collet, are best cast. Homemade and screwed wooden molds are suitable as well as matching plastic containers. For optimum results, we recommend working with a concrete vibrator or concrete compactor.
Our refractory concrete is hydraulically setting, i.e. it hardens at ambient temperature and should therefore be processed within 30 minutes. It can be removed from the mold after 12 – 18 hours and transported after 30 – 36 hours. The cement contained needs moisture to set completely. This means that the concrete should be protected from drying out too quickly, for example by covering it with foil or moistening it regularly. The refractory concrete is fully hardened after 28 days. The question often arises as to whether reinforcement in the concrete is necessary. Our laboratory tests have shown that there is no significant difference in strength between the samples with and without steel, so reinforcement is not necessary.
Finally, all that remains to be done is to assemble all the parts with mortar and to insulate and plaster the baking stove. Important note: to avoid cracking, the finished pizza dome should be allowed to dry thoroughly for approx. 10 days before the first use and then heated very slowly with a small flame the first time. This is achieved by gradually increasing the amount of wood during the first two firings up to the maximum amount. Once the pizza dome is thoroughly hardened, you’re ready to go: the first pizza can be prepared!
You still have
questions or suggestions?
We are happy to answer your questions and look forward to exchanging ideas.
Simply send us an email info@wolfshoehe.de.
And now: enjoy building you baking stove and your pizza!
More blog posts
REMUS baking stove set – assembly is this easy
REMUS baking stove set – assembly is this easy Our REMUS – cleverly designed Our REMUS tunnel baking stove set has an intentionally compact design,
Wood-burning baking stove made of fireclay – the components
Wood-burning baking stove made of fireclay – the components All components at a glance – from the foundation to the rain hood The enthusiasm for
Wood-burning stoves- correct heating & calculating the amount of wood
Wood-burning stoves – correct heating & calculating the amount of wood In these two videos, our master stove fitter and Head of Training Daniel Reisinger
