Building a pizza oven is a project that has many small steps that are easy to overlook and might make the project seem complex. There are some tips to keep in mind when planning and building a pizza oven that can help to make the project progress more smoothly. These can range from research to be performed when planning the oven to choosing the right kind of bricks for construction. During construction, taking the time to ensure that all parts are correctly measured before setting them can prevent potential problems later. A well planned and built pizza oven can last for decades with proper care.
One tip for building a pizza oven is a step that should be done before construction starts. This is checking for ordinances or other rules that need to be followed for the oven to be legal where it is built. Some of these rules could include minimum distances from flammable trees or plants, requirements for insulation over the oven or even specifications for the size and type of building materials to be used. Learning these rules before construction starts will allow any modifications to the design to be made without wasting time or supplies later.
An important aspect of building a pizza oven is making sure the foundation is sound. It might be tempting to just build a wooden frame and fill it with concrete, but a good foundation can make the oven easier to use and extend its lifespan. The foundation should be below ground level and should be level, despite the grading of the land around it. A level foundation means a level oven that will not lean and crack over time. It also means that food cooked in the oven will lie flat so toppings and sauces will not roll off onto the cooking stone.
When choosing the types of bricks to use for building a pizza oven, one should be certain they are unglazed. While there are fire bricks that are glazed, the glaze can sometimes contain lead that can be transmitted to the food being cooked. There is a wide selection of unglazed ceramic bricks that have very high heat tolerances and that come in several colors.
A larger oven might require a door to prevent the heat from escaping, lengthening cooking times. Smaller ovens will not need a door. Installing a door into brick or stone can sometimes present problems, so the decision about having a door should be made early on.
The height of the domed ceiling of the oven is very important. If the dome is too high, it will take a long time for the entire oven to heat up. If it is too low, the heat will simply flow out the opening of the oven and escape. The correct dome height should be one-half the height of the opening in the oven.