Installation and
Operating Manual
Forno Bravo
Casa2G and Premio2G
Residential Modular Refractory Ovens
19
©Forno Bravo, LLC 2019. All Rights Reserved.
Ver. 2.0
from the slab too quickly, making it brittle and prone
to cracking.
You may also want to install your oven as part of a
larger outdoor kitchen project. Use the dimensions
for the oven in conjunction with your other kitchen
elements, such as counters, a grill, storage, a sink,
and refrigeration. You might find it easier to form your
entire kitchen at one time.
Hints and Tips
Use a tiller to break up the ground before you
excavate. You can rent one from Home Depot. If your
ground is hard and/or dry, water it with a sprinkler for
a couple of days before you start. Your site should be
soft, but not muddy.
Compare both diagonal measurements of your
foundation frame to ensure that your foundation will
be square. Double check that your foundation really
faces the exact direction you want your oven to face.
Once the diagonals are of equal length, you may
want to temporarily attach 2"x 4"
(5 x 10 cm)
lumber
horizontally to form triangles at the corners and hold
your form square during the pour.
The weight of concrete in the foundation can be
heavy (40 80 lb. bags or more), and mixing it by hand
in a wheelbarrow might use up energy and time that
will serve you better later in the project. Rent a mixer
from Home Depot, and ask a friend (or pay a local
teenager) to help you mix and pour the slab.
There are also mix-on-your-site trucks that come and
just make as much concrete as you need on site, so you
might want to price this option if available in your area.
Check with your local equipment rental company for
a 1-yard mixer that you can tow behind a standard
pickup truck.
If your building site is far from your street or curb,
you can hire a concrete pump to shoot the concrete
where you want it. The pump rental is typically a
different company from the concrete delivery truck.
2. The Oven Stand
Overview
The oven stand is typically constructed using
standard 8"x 8"x 16" (20 x 20 x 40 cm) concrete
masonry units (CMU), though it can also be made
from brick, metal, or formed concrete.
Instructions
Build a block stand comprised of four courses using
standard 8"x 8"x 16" (20 x 20 x 40 cm) and 8"x 8"x
8" (20 x 20 x 20 cm) concrete blocks. The first three
courses of the block stand form a three-sided U,
leaving an opening in the oven front that provides
access for wood storage. The fourth course of blocks
spans the opening at the front of the U, by resting on
two pieces of 2"x 2"x 3/8" (50 x 50 x 9.5 mm) angle iron.
Using a chalk line, mark the layout of your block
stand directly on the foundation slab. Make sure that
it faces exactly where you want your oven opening
to face. Then, lay your first course of blocks directly
on your slab. Use pre-mixed mortar where necessary
to ensure that the first course of blocks is level, front
and back, side to side, and on the diagonals.
Take your time with getting the first course set
correctly, because it will be increasingly difficult to
correct problems later.
2.1. Carefully lay out the first course of blocks.
