what size hearth in WFO

[mkevenson]

Newbie question, but, if I want to bake a 14" pie in a WFO, what size hearth do I need? In early planning stages for a cob oven?

Mark

[TXCraig1]

Do you mean the oven floor?

[mkevenson]

Yes, was I incorrect in calling it the hearth?

Mark

[TXCraig1]

Yes, was I incorrect in calling it the hearth?

Mark

I don't know. I think of the hearth as the landing in front of the oven not the oven floor.

For the oven floor, there are many factors, but to some extent at least bigger is better because it lets you get farther from the fire itself for a more even heat. If you don't have suitable mass or insulation, there may be a practical limit on the size. In any case, if you have to cook right up next to the coals, the side facing the fire is going to be much hotter than the other. For a proper Neapolitan brick (or cast) oven, I think 39" is about the minimum to have a "ideal" cooking environment. 24" is probably the absolute minimum for any oven.

Craig

[RobynB]

My average pies are 14" and my deck is 39".  I'm happy with it.  I wouldn't want smaller, and I'm not sure I need bigger - though I think the CF I wanted was 110cm which was about 41"(?) and I loved that size.   So maybe shoot for ~40" ?

[mkevenson]

I don't know. I think of the hearth as the landing in front of the oven not the oven floor........



Craig

Craig, I did a search of "hearth", I originally called it the "floor".

I saw this  "However before the guests arrived, I decided to try my hand at NP with high temps.  I had the hearth at 855F and the dome around 1000F with flames"

This from Tran.http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,14201.0.html

I wonder if it would be helpful for us new to the art of pizza making to have a readily available diagram of ovens with the parts identified in common vernacular?

Mark

[TXCraig1]

If you look it up at wiki, it sounds like it refers to the whole oven. I found dictionary definitions including:
- A brick, stone, or concrete area in front of a fireplace
- The floor of a fireplace
- The floor of a fireplace, usually extending into a room

I guess it can mean just about whatever you want? Personally, I think "floor" is the most common and least confusing way to describe the cooking floor of the oven.

When I asked, I asked because I wasn't sure if you were asking about the diameter of cooking floor or width of the door.

CL

[scott123]

Craig, in a fireplace, I might call the outer floor the hearth, but in an oven, imo, the floor is the hearth:

Here's an oven-specific definition:

http://www.yourdictionary.com/hearth

the part of a brick oven, or of a blacksmith's forge, on which the fire rests

[TXCraig1]

I'm not opposed to calling the floor of the oven the hearth per se - rather just saying that it confused me. Notwithstanding, I don't understand why we would not call the floor the floor? I'm pretty sure doing so wouldn't confuse anyone.

[dellavecchia]

The size of the pie will directly reflect the size of the mouth (opening) as well. If you want to cook a 14" pie, most openings at 16 inches wide will accommodate the pizza and peel. Larger mouths need attention to different variables in the construction of the dome. I am not sure how you plan to construct your cob oven - there are alot of different plans out there.

The minimum for a 14" pizza, I would say, is a 28" inside diameter. This gives you enough room to actually place the pizza with a peel to one side, and then have a fire on the other. I would not strive to go beyond 36" though, as your oven is probably not going to have the heat retaining capabilities of Craig and Robyn's ovens. Smaller will allow you to get up to temp quicker and with less fuel, and then cook your pizzas at the maximum temp possible.

John

[Chicago Bob]

I'm not opposed to calling the floor of the oven the hearth per se - rather just saying that it confused me. Notwithstanding, I don't understand why we would not call the floor the floor? I'm pretty sure doing so wouldn't confuse anyone.

In WFO advertising I believe you will more often hear the phrase...."the floor of our oven can reach temperatures...". rather than "hearth".

"Hearth and home" is a pleasant phrase from days gone by...
The hearth is the old word for fireplace back in the day before electricity. So "hearth and home" was a phrase that referred not just to the physical structure of the house itself but to the life of the family in it, gathered around the fireplace, so to speak. So you read phrases from time to time of soldiers going out to protect "hearth and home."

[mkevenson]

Thank you all for the info. Your eagerness to answer questions, even those like mine, shows your exemplary attitude. It is a pleasure to be here.
And the pizza is good too.

[scott123]

Notwithstanding, I don't understand why we would not call the floor the floor? I'm pretty sure doing so wouldn't confuse anyone.

I talk about floor temps and floor materials constantly.  By being able to use different terms for the same thing, I'm able to break it up and sound less repetitious. Conveying information in a less tedious manner is critical for me. 'Hearth' is probably one of the most important words in my vocabulary.  If it weren't one of my core words, I wouldn't make such a big deal about it. Also, if this were a fireplace forum, for the sake of confusion, I'd avoid it, but, being baking related, with the implication that we're talking about ovens, I don't see a lot of potential for confusion. I've used the term here at least a thousand times and there's never been any question as to what it means.

[JConk007]

So  this is posted in Pizza ovens > Hearth ovens?  My mobile does not have a landing area but think its a hearth oven?? anyway yes 37- 40" floor s a perfect size for the homeowner that want to Party !
my home "hearth oven"  has a 36" floor aswell  and more than sufficient as well.
John