Building a pizza oven offers numerous advantages. One advantage is that high heat virtually guarantees pizzeria-quality results.
An added benefit is that building a pizza oven can be an engaging project that engages both children and adults, becoming the focal point for parties and celebrations alike. If this project is new to you, try purchasing a prefabricated kit to simplify construction.
Choosing the Right Materials
Ovens are the heart of a pizza, so it's crucial that they can handle the high temperatures necessary to craft crispy crust and gooey cheese pizzas. In order to create an optimal environment in which to bake pizza, ensure your pizza oven contains appropriate materials when building it.
Standard concrete can't withstand the extreme heat of an oven; thus you should source refractory cement and mortar from companies specializing in this kind of kiln material, or alternatively, fire bricks can also be used instead. Clay bricks may be preferable as their density helps them withstand intense temperatures without cracking under pressure.
Before beginning construction of your dome structure, it's necessary to excavate and prepare its base. This step is crucial as its strength must support a large amount of weight - including brick and stone that will become part of your pizza oven itself. Any solid material will do, with stone being traditionally preferred as it can be dry-stacked or mortared into place for easier assembly; alternatively, cinder blocks may provide suitable alternatives that can be found locally at hardware stores or from leftover building projects.
For an archway that connects the dome to its base, a stiff form specifically designed to hold its shape during construction will be needed. These forms may be created from various materials - foam (Styrofoam or cardboard), old and discarded cinder blocks or any other suitable medium - large enough for you to work within.
Materials will also need to be selected for the self-supporting brick chains that create the dome, built in a circle with one chain consisting of fire bricks that curve inward, followed by one or more full rows with bricks positioned so as to touch both bases and tops of each previous row, creating a seamless dome shape.
Getting Started
No matter if you buy pre-assembled ovens, there will likely be work involved when building one yourself. A DIY project can be a rewarding and fun way to involve family members; just remember the time commitment required as well as how much investment is involved!
Building your own pizza oven may save money, but that doesn't guarantee it will pay for itself in reduced delivery costs or saved material costs. The time it will take before this project pays for itself could vary depending on materials costs alone and delivery savings generated from its use.
In order to make the most of your investment, it's essential that you select an optimal location for your oven. Preferably, pick an area easily accessible from your kitchen for prep while away from structures or boundaries that could potentially be affected by smoke or heat emissions. Furthermore, check if local laws or building and fire codes prohibit constructing one before making your decision.
Most DIY pizza oven tutorials provide step-by-step instructions for building both the base and chimney of an oven, typically using concrete and brick mixed together for the base, with a specific paver recommended for the chimney. As Ballard learned through trial-and-error, choosing an appropriate paver type is crucial - press brick has poor thermal properties that crack under high temperatures while clay brick and fire brick can withstand higher temps without shattering over time.
Once your base is secured, it's time to assemble the oven dome. Depending on which pizza oven kit you select, this step may vary; all should contain detailed instructions for the assembly of the chimney and dome. Next comes cementing bricks together using refractory mortar; this will protect the oven as well as provide an even surface for finishing.
Building the Dome
Building the dome of a pizza oven requires considerable masonry skill. You must know how to lay bricks and use a mortar mix that differs from typical house mortar; specifically a dry mixture made up of 50% fire clay and 50% sand; this combination provides heat resistance while offering easy working conditions - the sand helps create a smooth surface which prevents cracking of bricks while the clay provides heat resistance.
Before beginning, the foundation for your oven must be set. While you could build one from wood, purchasing a pre-made kit may be easier. Once this step has been taken care of, consider what height dome your pizza oven should have; shorter domes work best when creating Neapolitan-style pizzas while taller ones may help produce New York-style ones.
Once your foundation is laid, it's time to lay bricks for the archway of your oven. In general, two-thirds of the height of the dome should suffice. You should leave enough space at the top for flue entry while keeping an opening large enough for pizza pie storage in front.
After your pizza oven has been assembled, allow enough time for its mortar to set before beginning use. Furthermore, find an open and safe location free from anything that could spark fire; including people or animals. If unsure how to proceed further, purchasing a pizza oven kit with a professionally engineered dome and comprehensive instructions is always an option for success.
Once your oven is assembled, it's ready to use! If you prefer gas ovens instead of traditional wood-fired models, they offer the benefit of maintaining optimal temperatures without having to constantly tend a fire. They are great options for parties or families who may lack time or experience in maintaining wood fire ovens.
Finishing Up
Once your oven has reached temperature and you have an active fire burning, close its vents to start prepping your pizza.
If you are making dough from scratch, follow your recipe closely. Some require active dry yeast while others call for quick-rise yeast; either way, ensure it has been proofed before adding it to the flour mixture. Also, ensure you use high-quality olive oil that adds an attractive flavor while simultaneously helping to brown the crust and decreasing the overall fat content of the pie.
Once your oven has come to temperature, assemble your pizza with sauce, cheese, and any additional toppings you desire. Place the pizza onto a perforated pizza peel in the oven and cook it for five to eight minutes, or until evenly browned and charred spots appear. If using a turning peel instead, rotate every 10-20 seconds so all sides cook evenly.
Once your pizza is complete, take it out of the oven and serve. Your homemade wood-fired pizza will likely become an instant favorite among friends and family members who may never look back to restaurant pizza again!
Brian is a self-professed foodie who loves trying out new cooking techniques. Recently he purchased an Ooni Koda 16 Wood Fired Pizza Oven Bundle that includes the oven, perforated pizza peel, and waterproof cover - finding that Ooni wood-fired pizzas have much superior flavors compared to those made in standard kitchen ovens.
Before using clay to construct a pizza oven for cooking purposes, it must be dried and temperated first. This can be accomplished by lighting small fires in the oven over two days to gradually increase heat until it reaches 700-800 degrees F; you can test its temperature with an infrared thermometer heat gun. Make sure logs of the highest quality are used - softwoods such as pine or spruce are likely not burning well and creating too much smoke.