instructables
Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven
by Effortless_DIY
I have always been a fan of the taste of woodfired
pizza, but never even thought about making one
myself until I redid my backyard and patio. I was very
nervous going into the project because I assumed
that making my own pizza oven would take a level of
skill and money I didn't have (I am not a professional
mason or constriction worker, just a hobbyist), but
even I was impressed with how my project turned out,
to the point I wanted to share how easy and fun it was
with others.
There is also a series of Youtube videos to follow
along with if the steps seem too confusing for you or
is you are a visual learner like me who benefits
greatly from the demonstration. The video is in three
Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 1
parts, each corresponding with a step or sequence of
steps in the project and you are free to share and edit
as you like, it is Creative Commons material that
belongs to everyone. I made sure that the video is
only supplementary, you don't need it to complete the
project if you follow the instructions I wrote to be as
in-depth and helpful as possible. If you have any
issues, feel free to leave a comment asking for help
of message me.
Hopefully you have as much fun as I did making my
own Backyard Pizza Oven, and enjoy your very own
authentic woodfire pizza after you are all done!
Step 1: Step 1: Tools and Materials

Gloves, safety glasses, boots and mask

Concrete or cement mortar (refractory grade for heat resistance) like this, this product here or here
Small cement trowel
Sand (optional)
Metal Chimney or other cylindrical metal part (optional)
Heat resistant firebricks, 4'' by 9'' thick by 2.50'' thick similar to this product
Heat resistant firebricks, 4" by 9" thick by 1.25" thick similar to this product
Common red bricks
Outdoor paint (optional)
Shovel
Containers or tubs for Cement mixing
Tape measure
8-inch cinder-blocks available here
Paving tiles
Loctite Landscape Construction Adhesive from here
Caulk Gun (for Adhesive)
Plywood (3/4") and wood planks (I used 1" by 1' pine)
Level (optional)
Angle grinder with masonry wheel (optional) from here

Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 2

Step 2: Step 2: Safety First

Woah there, hold up a second!

You might want to look over some safety guidelines first! Working with power tools and construction materials can
be dangerous, if you aren't careful. It may not seem important now, but, trust me, you will thank me later.

Always wear eye protection when using power tools and make sure to wear closed-toed shoes.
Always. No buts. Gloves can also be a good idea.
Concrete powder is a chemical irritant and you should avoid all contact with bare skin and keep
away from eyes.
Wear a respirator or mask when working with powders and particulates.
Keep power tools unplugged and in a safe place when not in use.
This is a somewhat difficult project, and I don't recommend trying it is you are using these materials
for the first time, however, if you follow the safety guidelines and the steps closely, your project can
turn out just as good as mine (or hopefully better)

Now that we've got this boring (important) stuff done, lets get back to the project.

Step 3: Step 3: Laying the Groundwork

To make sure the oven was constructed on as flat a
surface as possible, I first dug just a couple inches
deep into the area where the oven would sit, using
the pavers as a guide. You can use sand or dirt to
create an even more stable foundation. Press the
pavers down so they sink into the earth enough to not
shift.
The adhesive takes 20 minutes to set under ideal
conditions, but its best to wail around 30 minutes to
ensure a strong bond before continuing and adding
the second and third layers of cinder-blocks. Make
sure the cinder-blocks are clean before applying the
adhesive, as dust and dirt will cause the bond to be
much weaker.

Using the Construction Adhesive, join the cinder

blocks to the pavers. As with most adhesives, a little
bit goes a long way, so don't overdo it. You only need
a bead about half the width of the cinder-block for it to Make sure that each layer and section is level and at
create a strong bond. Coming in direct contact with the same height as the other blocks around it to avoid
the adhesive is not recommended, so be sure to use a nasty surprise later on.
gloves when applying and cleaning up. The adhesive
comes in tubes that can fit in a standard Caulk Gun
and is easy to use and apply.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzlhgKt_A6Y

Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 3

Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 4
Step 4: Step 4: Bring in the Bricks
Using the paving bricks, add two more layers of
paving titles as to create a solid floor for the firebricks
to sit. Set bricks on their sides around the perimeter
to create a flat surface for the oven floor.
Firebricks are not the same as regular construction
bricks, as they are made specifically to line ovens
and kilns, made with aluminum and silica for heat
resistance. Standard bricks will crack and crumble
under the heat of an oven, and will also take longer to
heat up and will require more heat to keep warm, so
make sure the bricks you have are designed for heat.
Typical firebricks measure 9²x4.5²x2.5², weigh about
8 pounds and are a dull yellow. The price of a quality
firebrick is currently around $2.50 each, which is
Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 5
more expensive than common clay bricks, but trust
me, the price is worth it in terms of heat resistance
and durability.Watch this video is you are unsure
what bricks best fit your project.
With the firebricks, create a floor for the oven by
laying them flat over the paving tiles. Use the trowel
to spread the mortar onto the bricks just like you
would butter, once again keeping it thin to avoid
wasted material. Depending on the brand of
mortar/concrete you are using to adhere the bricks, it
will take some time to set. Begin the arch after the
mortar has dried by putting two bricks on their sides
so there is adequate room in the oven.
Step 5: Step 5: Building the First Arch
Construct a brace form for the dome with a 265mm
radius. I used plywood and pine planks to create a
simple form for the bricks to be built around. You
could also use polystyrene, which is weaker, but less
expensive and easier to remove after the mortar has
dried. I added a little drawer pull as a handle so it
could be quick and effortless to remove after the arch
had set.
The brace also acts as a guide for the angle of each
brick, as they will need to sit at an angle with the
mortar acting as a wedge between each brick. Apply
more on the outside of the arch between each brick
than the inside to create a strong triangular shape,
and fill in any gaps with more mortar. You could also
Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 6
cut the bricks at angles given the correct tools, or buy
pre-cut bricks that are angled to create an arch,
similar to the ones available here.
Important: Make sure to get all the air bubbles out of
the mortar as you put each brick together. Put some
pressure on each brick to push out the bubbles, and
use the trowel to squeeze out any bubbles as you
add additional bricks to the arch.
Let the arch sit to dry for a full 24 hours to ensure the
mortar has completely dried before removing the
mold.
Step 6: Step 6: Raise the Roof!
The steps for the other arches will be the same as
they were in step 6, using the mold, form an arch with
the firebrick and mortar, making sure to push out any
air bubbles.
Make sure to add mortar between the previous arch
to join them together and avoid any heat escaping
during cooking.
When I started adding the mortar, I devoted a lot of
time to making sure to clean up any mortar that had
spilled out the sides and onto the faces of the bricks,
but I realized it didn't matter as I would be applying a
thin layer of cement mortar around the entire outside
of the oven.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRRXYqtzcko
Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 7
Each arch took me between 1 and two hours to build,
so keep that in mind.
Once again, let the arch sit for at least 24 hours
before removing the brace, otherwise you risk all your
hard work falling apart.
After the second arch is built, skip adding the
adjacent arch and build what will be the fourth
(frontmost) arch(see the images or video below). This
is to build the chimney as strong as possible and
avoid any chances of it collapsing under it's own
weight.
Step 7: Step 7: Chim-Chimney!
The third arch will be lacking bricks at the top of it's
arch to form the opening of the chimney, that's why it
is crucial to build it after the other arches have been
completed, it needs structural support.
Instead of using two of the full cut bricks, use the half
cut bricks to finish off the peak of the arch.
Wait until the third arch has fully dried before
attempting to build up the chimney. Place two of the
full sized bricks placed perpendicular to the opening
of the arch and leveled them off with mortar, then
place two half side bricks on top of them. Finish it off
with two on their sides next to the opening to create
my chimney.
Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 8
If you are using bricks to build the chimney instead of
using a metal one, be sure to use a level to keep the
bricks at the proper angle and not sliding off or putting
too much weight in one direction, possibly ruining the
arch.
You may want to use an angle grinder with a
masonry wheel to clean up the mortar inside of your
oven. This will create a large amount of dust, so be
sure to use your respirator and glasses. I also
recommend using an air compressor to clean the dust
out of the oven.
Step 8: Step 8: Building the Back

Start with a brick placed vertically, and two on their back, and you don't want any of it escaping out any of
sides. Continue to build up the back of the oven the seams or gaps between the bricks. You also want
leaving no gaps and overlapping the arches. to stagger the placement of the bricks to they overlap
the previous seams, making the likelihood of the
Make sure to seal the back very well with mortar, a lot bricks collapsing much lower.
of the oven's heat will be concentrated towards the

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcKS_0t0yn4&t=39s

Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 9

Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 10
Step 9: Step 9: Covering It All Up

Before you go on to the outer layer, go around the Instead of using a trowel, I used my gloved hands to
whole oven first to fill in any cracks, holes and gaps apply it, as the oven is a curved surface and getting
you may have otherwise missed with more mortar to an even and well spread amount is difficult. The
ensure a perfect seal. cement needs to be be wet enough to spread around,
but not too runny so it doesn't slip off the curved sides
You may want to cover the cinder-blocks as well, you and fall to the ground.
only need to use common waterproof cement mortar
and red bricks as it won't be in contact with much Apply between 2-4 coats on top of the oven to fully
heat. This is purely for ascetic reasons and is seal and protect it, keep in mind it too will take a long
completely optional. time to dry. Use your cement trowel or sponge to
smooth the final layer. You may also want to use the
Covering up the oven with cement is a bit more angle grinder with the masonry wheel or a sander, but
difficult. The cement mortar needs to be heat resistant be aware that it could fling large chunks of partially
as well or it will crack, and needs to be made for the hardened cement towards you, so take appropriate
outdoors to withstand rain, snow, sun and anything safety measures.
else mother nature uses to punish us.
You can paint the outside to give the whole oven a
Test the oven by lighting a small fire in it, this will finished look, be sure to use paint made for outdoor
help the bricks settle and also help harden up any application to avoid cracking and flaking.
mortar between the bricks that hasn't hardened yet.

Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 11

Step 10: Step 10: Pizza Party

Here's the part you've been working towards this
whole time, the moment you spent all that time
building towards. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a pizza
cooked in your very own backyard pizza oven. Maybe
invite the neighbors over to show off what you built,
you deserve the praise after all that hard work and
time spent.
You may even find you love the taste of wood fired
food so much it becomes just as common a tool for
cooking as your stove oven! I love the smokey,
natural taste of things cooked with wood instead of
gas, and you probably will too.
If you liked this instructable, be sure to favorite it and
vote for it in any contests you feel it deserves to win,
and if you liked the video, check out Second Son Wo
odworks for more videos like the ones from this
tutorial! And if you built it, share your pictures with me
and the rest of the community. If you need help on
anything from picking materials to building
assistance, just comment or message me, I'd be
happy to help a fellow DIY hobbyist! You can also get
tips, tricks and advice from forums like the Forno Brav
o forum, The woodfire enthusiast, or The UK woodfire
d oven forum.

This looks fantastic! Very well done, thank you for sharing the details.

Backyard Woodfire Pizza Oven: Page 12