Firestone Ovens

Traditional wood-fired masonry ovens. Hand built with passion and pride.

Food sustains life… but excellent food enhances life. A meal can be food on a plate that satisfies our hunger, or a meal can be an experience that nourishes our souls. We believe that the best meals are not just about the finished product, but involve a process with many rewards that should not be overlooked. It begins with a desire… what do we want to eat? The path to satisfying this desire includes many steps that should be enjoyed… choosing a recipe, shopping for ingredients, preparation and cooking. The aromas, the tastes, the sights and the interaction with people we share our meals with, all contribute to an experience that is so elemental, yet so fulfilling.

Our ovens will be a conversation piece you will be proud of. Impressive and elegant in structure but so simple in principal. Cooking in a brick oven yields results that are uniquely spectacular, and the possibilities are endless. One firing can produce multiple spectacular meals and a lifetime of memories. Imagine a summer evening perfumed with burning wood, and the sights and sounds of crackling flames as you serve up the most amazing pizza ever, that all your friends and family will rave about. The following morning you can bake delicious bread with the heat retained in the thick masonry walls. Then as the oven cools further, you may choose to slowly braise your meat and soffritto all day and serve a classic ragu for dinner.
Mangia bene!!

Pizza Ovens, as they are commonly referred to, can actually cook a lot more than pizzas. They are ancient wood burning masonry or clay ovens that can reach high temperatures and retain heat for a long time. This makes them extremely unique and versatile, capable of producing crisp authentic Neapolitan style pizza, artisanal bread, seared, roasted or braised meat. They can be built in various sizes as long as certain dimensional ratios are adhered to for efficient and even heating, but there are several variables to consider when constructing an oven. The floor area, dome height, wall and hearth thickness will all have an effect on firing time, heat retention and fuel economy. The design will vary for commercial or home use, and depending on how the oven will be used. Firestone builds ovens that are highly functional and aesthetic, and are customized for your needs. Our goal is to create a masterpiece that will be the star of your back yard, kitchen or restaurant. Your Firestone Oven will be a conversational centrepiece guaranteed to create memorable meals and impress your friends, family and customers.

A complete build of a well designed wood-burning masonry oven is more complex than it appears. There are many layers that are built in stages… the foundation, base, hearth slab, fire chamber, insulation, cladding, chimney and roof, must all be constructed with precision.

Oven temperatures can exceed 540° Celsius (1000° Fahrenheit). And cool down to ambient temperatures of twenty five below in the depths of winter. Brick, stone & concrete do not expand and contract well and this extreme temperature change puts enormous stress on the masonry.

Firestone Ovens are built to endure repeated firings for decades without cracking, spalling and deteriorating. This is achieved by good design, quality materials and meticulous attention to detail in the construction. A poorly built oven may work fine initially, or if it is only used occasionally, but over time, cracks, loose masonry, steam spalling and even fires can occur. Repairs can be very difficult to carry out after the oven is constructed so it’s important to pay attention to every detail during the build.

We take pride in building your oven and are passionate about providing old-world craftmanship that will last more than a lifetime. Please contact us to discuss your project.

Back in 1989 Darren first began working on industrial wood-fired combustors at the Ajax steam plant. It was here that he learned firsthand about high temperature refractory products, and the damage they incur from the thermal stresses they are subjected to. Over the years his experience has shown him the importance of precision in construction, and strict adherence to product installation requirements, for longevity in high heat applications.

During the last seven years, Darren has teamed up with master mason, Doug Burpee, on various projects that included stone monuments and historic buildings. Doug has been building the most impressive stone fireplaces for decades, and his expertise is a contributing factor in the quality you can expect from any Firestone Oven.