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Introduction

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LE PANYOL OVENS AND THE 
LEGACY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Fire:  The most primal element of the human 

experience.  Universally compelling, it draws us 

near with light and warmth, offering comfort, 

safety and sustenance.  Cooking with fire is the 

combination of sacred ritual and survival, and 

ensures our continued survival as a species.

When our ancient ancestors began to render 

their food more digestable and, of course, more 

palatable with fire, they took a giant step forward.  

The enduring artifacts of history, the spit, tripod, 

brazier and earliest of all simple ovens, bear 

testament to the primal need and desire to harness 

the energies of fire in ever-more sophisticated ways.

What we have left of the earliest ovens is just 

enough to learn about the social structure of the 

communities that used them.  Vitruvius, a Roman 

hisrorian, recorded the shape and proportions 

of the ovens in use during his time.  Little has 

changed in the overall design of wood burning 

ovens since Roman times, mostly because little has 

changed in the way wood burns.

Any fire requires oxygen to burn, and in turn 

it must also be able to expel the products of 

combustion.  Therefore, an oven must be designed 

to “respirate” evenly, efficiently feeding oxygen to 

the fire while simultaneously discharging exhaust.  

Every simple, unassuming Le Panyol wood 

fire oven core is actually the product of precise 

proportions and thermal mathematics.  The size 

and height of the door relates directly to the oven 

chamber depth and height, which allows the fire 

to draw fresh air in over the hearth to the back of 

the oven.  There, a happily fed fire expels flame 

and hot exhaust gasses fully and evenly over the 

dome, warming it to provide reflective and radiant 

heat for cooking and baking.  The heat then rushes 

along the ceiling, coming forward in order to vent 

through the throat at the front top edge of the 

oven entrance.  The result of these carefully refined 

proportions is a fire that burns strong and clear, 

evenly warming the hearth and dome with radiant 

energy while simultaneously fostering perfect 

convection airflow within the oven chamber.

An oven with too low a ceiling will force the 

incoming oxygen against the outgoing exhaust, 

creating turbulence that inhibits both flows.  The 

result is a fire that fails to burn vigorously and 

instead smolders weakly at the back of the oven.  

Conversely, a ceiling that is too high will not give 

the hot gasses enough downdraft to ensure even 

distribution and venting.  In such cases, the fire 

will actually smother itself with its own exhaust.

Over the course of 150 years, Le Panyol has 

adapted the original proportions devised by the 

Romans to modern culinary standards.  In the 

process, Le Panyol has moved from creating ovens 

composed of individual “refractory” bricks made of 

the “Terre Blanche” to producing a modular core 

kit that is easy to assemble and outperforms its 

predecessors. 

The new kits are a testament to the reputation of 

“Terre Blanche” de Larnage as the optimal material 

for any and every type of cooking and baking.  

For the better part of 1,000 years the clay drawn 

from the earth in this one special spot in one 

special corner of France has been dried and fired 

to create an earthenware product that is uniquely 

“semi-insulative.”  This means that it is of balanced 

density and porosity, and has the capacity to store 

Summary of Contents for LE PANYOL 66

Page 1: ...Construction of the Le Panyol Wood Fired Oven...

Page 2: ...he contents of this book may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publisher All inquiries should directed to Albie Barden Maine Wood Heat Company Inc 254 Fr Rasle Rd Norridgewock M...

Page 3: ...l ovens and the legacy of the Roman Empire 7 Le Panyol Core Values 9 Calculating the height of your oven hearth 19 Hearth slab depth 20 Footings and Foundation 21 Oven stand 22 Ash dumps 28 Smoke Thro...

Page 4: ...ppendixes 51 Appendix A 51 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 99 and 100 37 Step by Step assembly 38 Variations for the Model 100 46 Model 99 plan and sections 47 Model 100 plan and sections 4...

Page 5: ...u four sort le pain From the oven born of fire comes the bread born of fire When one travels in France it is possible to see and enjoy the products of many many traditional wood fired ovens From the s...

Page 6: ...1...

Page 7: ...to the back of the oven There a happily fed fire expels flame and hot exhaust gasses fully and evenly over the dome warmingittoprovidereflectiveandradiant heatforcookingandbaking Theheatthenrushes al...

Page 8: ...discharge As a result your Le Panyol comes to temperaturequicklyanddeliversenoughextended heat to cook multiple course dinners and bake several rounds of bread per firing Each and every Le Panyol brin...

Page 9: ...heoven the ovencomesuptotemperaturewithminimalfuel Thisistheperfecttimetoroastpeppersandother vegetables right on the hearth 2 Pizza You ll know the oven is ready to cook when the Terre Blanche return...

Page 10: ...10...

Page 11: ...res 2 11 The domestic ovens are designedforpassionatehome bakersandgourmets Models 66 99 83 and 100 offer the performance of professional grade ovens in a size that can be easily integrated into any k...

Page 12: ...Panyol Ovens 12 Inside Diameter Weight Hearth Total Height Inside Height Cooking Surface Dome Thickness Door Opening Specifications 26 838 lbs 39 3 8 x 39 3 8 19 5 8 12 1 4 3 68 ft2 4 1 8 8 5 8 x 16 7...

Page 13: ...anyol com for more about wood fired ovens Inside Diameter Weight Hearth Total Height Inside Height Cooking Surface Dome Thickness Door Opening Specifications 32 5 8 1234 lbs 52 x 52 19 5 8 12 1 4 5 8...

Page 14: ...nyol Ovens 14 Inside Diameter Weight Hearth Total Height Inside Height Cooking Surface Dome Thickness Door Opening Specifications 26 x 39 1124 lbs 39 3 8 x 52 19 5 8 12 1 4 6 03 ft2 4 1 8 8 5 8 x 16 7...

Page 15: ...nyol com for more about wood fired ovens Inside Diameter Weight Hearth Total Height Inside Height Cooking Surface Dome Thickness Door Opening Specifications 39 3 8 1805 lbs 66 x 66 19 5 8 12 1 4 9 9 f...

Page 16: ...16 Notes...

Page 17: ...Design and construction 17 3 What your wood fired oven will look like is 100 up to your imagination In this chapter you will learn the basics of oven design and how to get the most from your Le Panyol...

Page 18: ...Chapter 3 Design and construction 18 Square vs Domed Facade It s best to first determine the basics of your oven s appearance The two traditional designs are the square fa ade and the domed fa ade...

Page 19: ...age Le Panyol has determined that an oven is most efficient when the additional mass is equal to the mass of the core components 4 1 2 walls 4 1 2 thickness of additional mass Using the official Le Pa...

Page 20: ...You can find the recommended hearth support slab dimensions for your specific oven model in the schematic diagrams in the back of this manual In almost all scenarios the length and width of the suppor...

Page 21: ...tion is the structure below the oven stand and atop the footing While the portion of masonry that supports the oven above ground is technically a foundation for simplicity sake we ll call it the oven...

Page 22: ...Maine Wood Heat Co masons are available for specialized design work on a contract basis concrete Some jurisdictions may require that vertical and horizontal rebar be carried throughout the entire fou...

Page 23: ...chimney built should be supported by the veneer walls not by the oven core If a short 2 to 6 masonry chimney is built directly above the throat and supported by angle iron and the veneer walls a stan...

Page 24: ...24 Notes...

Page 25: ...Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 66 99 4 25 The Domestic family of le Panyol oven cores are exceptionally quick and easy to assemble...

Page 26: ...3 First debur the pieces of the oven with a grinding stone Then place the hearth tiles and ensure that they are level Center the oven entry 5 1 8 inches from the front edge of the hearth to accomodate...

Page 27: ...6 and 83 Chapter 4 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 66 and 83 Starting on one side of the oven entry place the voussoirs Support each voussoir as necessary with a piece of wood Chock these t...

Page 28: ...few removable pieces shown here to allow for keystone height adjustments The pieces of each Le Panyol oven core are handcrafted and thus vary slightly in size and orientation When stacking the core s...

Page 29: ...installations Chapter 4 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 66 and 83 Chapter 4 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 66 and 83 Place the 4 half voussoirs on the doorway piece Place two v...

Page 30: ...t may be necessary to shim the elements with pieces of masonry at the top and bottom in order to ensure proper fit at the keystone Again a sound structure is more important than a perfect fit The vous...

Page 31: ...est step by step oven installations Chapter 4 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 66 and 83 Chapter 4 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 66 and 83 A rubber mallet can be used to adjust...

Page 32: ...aling wire etc The wire should be snug not tight Layer the hearth with newspaper to protect it from the mortar As an alternative the vertical joints in the dome can be stuffed with paper towels which...

Page 33: ...slighly thicker mixture than before and spread by rubber gloved hand or trowel starting from the bottom to complete the installation of the oven Add the smoke throat pieces to the doorway flush with t...

Page 34: ...top of a stable 13 1 2 support In order to ensure that the lower part is at the same level as the inside of the roof use a support of fixed length on top of a few removable pieces shown here to allow...

Page 35: ...35 www mainewoodheat com for the latest step by step oven installations Chapter 4 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 66 and 83 Chapter 4 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 66 and 83...

Page 36: ...36 Chapter 4 Assembly of the Le Panyol Oven core Models 66 and 83...

Page 37: ...www mainewoodheat com for the latest step by step oven installations Chapter 4 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 66 and 83 Chapter 4 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 66 and 83 Note...

Page 38: ...38 Notes...

Page 39: ...3 Assembly of the Le Panyol Oven core Models 99 100 5 39...

Page 40: ...0 40 First debur the pieces of the oven with a grinding stone Then place the hearth tiles and ensure they are level 1 Center the oven entry 5 1 8 inches from the front edge of the hearth to accomodate...

Page 41: ...e latest step by step oven installations Starting on one side of the oven entry place the voussoirs Support each voussoir as necessary with a piece of wood Chock these two voussoirs with 12 pieces of...

Page 42: ...on top of a stable 12 1 2 13 support In order to ensure that the lower surface is at the same level as the inside of the roof use a support of fixed length on top of a few removable pieces shown here...

Page 43: ...ep by step oven installations Place and center 2 straight voussoirs on each side of the keystone Place the other voussoirs It may be necessary to shim the elements with pieces of masonry at the top an...

Page 44: ...Assembly of the Le Panyol Oven core Models 99 and 100 44 The voussoir positioning can be adusted from inside by gently tapping with a wood pole or stick 9 A rubber mallet can be used to adjust the ou...

Page 45: ...ure 12 Insert the two included metal screws into the doorway as shown Circle the construction with wire baling wire etc The wire should be snug not tight Layer the hearth with newspaper to protect it...

Page 46: ...ve been sealed With the remaining portion of the refractory mortar mix enough water to create a slighly thicker mixture than before and spread by rubber gloved hand or trowel starting from the bottom...

Page 47: ...e latest step by step oven installations Add the smoke throat pieces to the doorway flush with the edge of the hearth Affix with a 1 8 mortar joint Heat Stop 50 or other commonly available high temp r...

Page 48: ...eystone fit together as shown 3 4 Place the four half voussoirs on the doorway piece 6 Place 8 straight voussoirs as shown in relation to the doorway Place the other voussoirs It may be necessary to s...

Page 49: ...Chapter 5 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 99 and 100 49 www mainewoodheat com for the latest step by step oven installations...

Page 50: ...Chapter 5 Assembly of the Le Panyol Oven core Models 99 and 100 50...

Page 51: ...Chapter 5 Assembly of the Le Panyol oven core Models 99 and 100 51 www mainewoodheat com for the latest step by step oven installations Notes...

Page 52: ...NJUNCTION WITH ANY AIR DISTRIBUTION DUCT WORK DO NOT USE CHEMICALS OR FLUIDS TO START THE FIRE DO NOT POUR WATER ON THE OVEN HEARTH EXCESS WATER PENETRATING THE TILES WILL TURN TO STEAM AND DAMAGE THE...

Page 53: ...ments at all times are Back wall 2 5 cm Side wall 2 5 cm Floor 24 61 cm Ceiling 1 2 5 cm with a minimum thickness of 4 10 cm of sand or terre blanche grog Clearance in front of the oven to combustible...

Page 54: ...rn fuel kerosene charcoal lighter fluid or similar liquids to start or freshen up a fire in this heater Keep all such liquids well away from the heater while it is in use Disposal of ashes Ashes shoul...

Page 55: ...x same 3 thick x same 3 thick x same 3 6 thick x same 3 6 thick x same DIMENSIONS width and depth width and depth width and depth width and depth width and depth TOTAL CORE 19 5 8 19 5 8 19 5 8 26 29...

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