Nothing tops enjoying a piping-hot, perfectly blackened pizza straight from your outdoor pizza oven. With its crispy crust, gooey cheese, and smoky, timber smell, it is an experience through and through. Gas-powered pizza ovens just can’t compare.
You don’t have to be a master mason or spend an exorbitant amount to build an outdoor pizza oven. All you need is time and a few materials to design your dream backyard. Impress friends and spice up weekend meals with this DIY landscaping project.
The Ideal Location for Your Outdoor Pizza Oven
Before laying down that solitary brick, think about the weather and terrain on your property. Choose an area free of overhanging trees, branches, or flammable material. Level areas like patios or outdoor kitchens in the backyard are perfect.
Consider where the wind is blowing; nothing ruins an outdoor dinner like getting smoked in the face. Position your outdoor pizza oven close to your indoor kitchen to prevent running between dough hands.
For more inspiration, I recommend the book The Backyard Bread & Pizza Oven: A DIY Guide to Building Your Own Wood-Fired Oven.
Gathering Materials to Build Your Outdoor Pizza Oven
You don’t have to invest in expensive equipment or materials to get started. You can build an oven in a dome shape with:
- Fire bricks (for cooking grates)
- Standard bricks (for exterior shell)
- Sand
- Clay or refractory cement
- Wooden mold (used to shape the dome)
- A clay or metal chimney
Fire bricks form the core of the oven. They absorb and disperse heat in an equal manner, so don’t go cheap on them. Ordinary bricks can be used externally since they’ll not be exposed to direct flame.
Building the Pizza Oven Base
A solid core is necessary. Some use cinder blocks, while others opt to pour concrete. Either process aims to provide a waist-high solid platform. This is an ideal cooking top to work on. If you want built-in storage, leave space below the core to put cooking utensils or wood.
DIY Outdoor Pizza Oven Chimney
This is the final touch. The chimney is not just cosmetic—it pulls the smoke upwards and aside, leaving the heat where it is needed. Place it in front of the oven door, just above. Any run-of-the-mill metal chimney pipe or small terracotta chimney will do the trick.
Lighting Up the Oven for the First Time
The key to fixing an oven is patience. Don’t go lighting a flame in the expectation that everything is just going to work. Slow down, starting with small fires over several days to allow moisture to evaporate. Don’t rush this process because cracks can develop. Once your oven has proven it can handle small fires, then you can enjoy a full-blast pizza nights.
Maintenance and Keeping Pests Away
A well-cared-for pizza oven can last for many years, while neglect can lead to structural issues—and unwelcome pests. Scrape off residue to maintain cooking surfaces. Sweep out ashes after cooling to prevent buildup.
Pests love warm, snug areas, and an outdoor pizza oven can be an ideal hiding area. Clear the oven area free of scraps to deter pests. Store firewood properly to avoid attracting rodents. If you ever have unwelcome intrusions, an exterminator can handle things before they get out of hand.
Relishing Your First Homemade Pizza
The oven is preheated, now comes the fun part—pizzas! A classic dough using flour, water, yeast, and salt does wonders. Stretch it out. Load whatever toppings you like best. There are so many fun recipes and techniques to try.
Bake your custom pizza on a preheated pizza stone or slide it right onto the oven bricks. Be sure to purchase the right size pizza peel for your oven’s opening. Within ten to thirty minutes, you’ll have a crunchy brown crust with an unmistakable wood-fired taste.
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