Backyard pizza ovens can be built from firebricks, refractory mortar, and common brick, with the dome height ideally around 60% of the oven’s diameter. If you want to learn how to build a pizza oven in your backyard, the process is very doable over a weekend or two with basic masonry skills.
The key is getting the proportions right. A dome that’s too tall won’t hold heat well. A dome that’s too flat cooks unevenly.
This guide walks you through the materials, the base, the dome, and the curing process. No fancy tools required.
What You Will Need Before You Start
Gather everything first. Running to the store mid-build slows you down and can mess up your mortar mix.
Materials List
- Firebricks (about 50 to 60 for a 36 inch oven)
- Refractory mortar (heat resistant, not regular mortar)
- Common red bricks for the base and arch
- Concrete mix for the foundation slab
- Sand and cement for the render coat
- Ceramic fiber insulation blanket
- Chicken wire or metal lath
Tools You Will Need
- Brick trowel and pointing trowel
- Rubber mallet
- Angle grinder with a masonry blade
- Spirit level
- Measuring tape and chalk line
- Bucket for mixing mortar
- Safety glasses and gloves
How To Build A Pizza Oven In Your Backyard: Step By Step
Follow these steps in order. Skipping ahead usually causes cracks or a wobbly dome later on.
Step 1: Pick The Right Spot And Pour The Foundation
Choose a level area away from trees and your house. You need at least 8 feet of clearance from anything flammable.
Dig a hole about 6 inches deep and 12 inches wider than your planned oven base on all sides. Fill it with concrete and let it cure for at least 48 hours.
Your foundation must be perfectly flat. Check it with a level before you move on.
Step 2: Build The Base
The base holds the whole oven up to a comfortable working height. Most builders aim for the oven floor to sit around 36 to 40 inches off the ground.
- Lay common bricks in a square or rectangular shape on the slab.
- Use a standard mortar mix of 3 parts sand to 1 part cement.
- Check for level after every few courses.
- Leave a gap in the front for a wood storage area if you want one.
- Cap the base with a flat concrete slab or a layer of firebricks.
Let the base cure for a full day before adding weight on top.
Step 3: Lay The Oven Floor
The floor is where your pizza actually cooks, so it needs to be flat and made of firebrick.
Set firebricks flat side up in a herringbone or running bond pattern. Sand the surface smooth with a rubbing brick or a piece of coarse sandpaper wrapped around a block.
Any bumps here will cause hot spots. Take your time.
Step 4: Form The Dome
This is the part most people worry about. The trick is a simple wooden jig.
Cut a semicircle from plywood that matches your oven’s inner profile. The dome height should be about 60% of the diameter. For a 36 inch oven, that means a dome around 21 to 22 inches tall at the center.
- Place the jig in the center of the floor.
- Start laying firebricks around the edge, tilting each one slightly inward.
- Use refractory mortar between every brick. Keep joints thin, about 1/8 inch.
- Work in rings, moving upward and inward.
- Cut bricks with the grinder as the rings get smaller.
- Leave a gap at the front for the oven opening and arch.
Build the arch separately with common brick before you close the dome. The opening should be about 63% of the dome height. Too big and you lose heat. Too small and you can’t fit a pizza peel inside.
Step 5: Insulate The Dome
Insulation keeps the heat in the oven instead of leaking it into the air. Without it, your oven cools down fast.
- Wrap the dome with a ceramic fiber blanket.
- Cover the blanket with chicken wire to hold it in place.
- Apply a render coat of sand and cement over the wire.
- Add a second thinner coat once the first one sets.
Some builders also add a layer of perlite or vermiculite mixed with cement for extra insulation. It’s cheap and works well.
Step 6: Cure The Oven Slowly
Do not fire up the oven right away. Moisture trapped in the mortar will turn to steam and crack the dome.
Start with small fires over several days. Keep them low and let the oven dry out gradually. Increase the size of the fire each day.
By day five or six, you can build a full fire. If you see steam coming off the dome, slow down and keep the fire smaller.
Tips For A Better Build
- Keep your mortar joints thin. Thick joints crack easier.
- Soak firebricks in water before laying them. Dry bricks suck moisture out of the mortar too fast.
- Build a chimney at the front of the arch to pull smoke away from your face.
- Add a door for baking bread after the pizza fire dies down.
- Test the oven with a few plain dough balls before your first party.
A well built oven will last for decades. The work is hard but the payoff is real. Take your time, check your levels, and don’t rush the curing stage.