11
4.2 Tools
Special tools are available for the management of oven
fires and inserting and removing wood and food. The-
se tools can be obtained online, or from local retailers.
Some choices are shown in Figure 30.
4.3 Selection of Wood
Use cured wood logs only. Scrap wood produces
sparks. Treated wood, coal, or woods dipped in pine
tar should not be used because they may leave a com-
bustible residue in the fireplace and chimney.
Use of seasoned wood is preferred.
The amount of heat available from logs will depend on
the type of wood, its dryness, quantity of wood and the
size of the logs. Ten pounds of twigs will produce as
much heat as a 10 pound log, but will produce it much
faster because the air supply is more available.
4.4 Softwood vs. Hardwood
Wood is divided into two classes, hard and soft woods.
Each has a use in a fireplace and each has advantages
and disadvantages.
The hardwood category includes such woods as oak,
walnut, birch, elm and maple. Softwoods include
pine, fir, cedar and spruce.
Selection of wood depends on the type of fire you
want. Softwoods are good to offset a morning chill
because the fire develops faster. Hardwoods are pref-
erable for a slower burning and uniform heat output.
Softwoods contain a highly flammable resin that will
leave creosote soot in the chimney flue. This often
results in sparking. Burning softwood exclusively will
require more frequent inspection and cleaning of the
chimney.
Experienced fire builders often use small amounts of
softwood kindling and newspaper when starting a split
hardwood log fire.
4.5 Seasoned Wood
Most freshly cut “green” wood will not burn well and
will smoke. The pressure of moisture and resin inside
green wood will build under heat and explode as
sparks. Therefore, it is recommended that only sea-
soned wood be used in your fireplace.
Most wood requires 9 to 12 months of seasoning and
drying to reduce the moisture content enough to pro-
duce good steady fires. Ensure that you buy only sea-
soned wood, or if you buy green wood (usually
cheaper), store it properly to aid in the seasoning pro-
cess. The following steps will assist in the seasoning
process.
A. Stack wood loosely to permit maximum air cir-
culation.
B. Do not stack wood on the ground. Use a wood
rack or stack on scrap lumber. Storage on the ground
will cause rotting and insect infiltration.
C. Cover wood stacks with a tarp so that it is not
excessively exposed to the elements such as snow
and rain.
D. Do not stack wood against the walls of your
home.
4.6 Cooking
If the oven has been exposed to moisture 48 hours pri-
or to use, build a small fire and heat the oven to 250-
300°F for two hours before increasing the heat to
cooking temperature. An easy solution is to burn an 8-
10 pound bag of match light charcoal and let it burn
completely. This will slowly draw out the moisture
that the oven has absorbed.
The recommended cooking temperature range for this
wood fired oven is 350° to 600°F. Time of cooking
will depend on the temperature and the item being
cooked. The floor is the heat source that will do most
of the cooking. An infra-red temperature gauge like
that shown in Figure 18 can be used to measure tem-
perature at any location in and around the oven.
Cooking in a wood-fired oven is somewhat like grill-
ing or smoking meats in that there are many variables,
Figure 30. Fireplace and Pizza Tools
IR Thermometer
Pizza Pans
Fire Management Tool
Bubble
Popper
Brush
Turning
Paddle
Peel
Pan Gripper
