Avoiding Mistakes Building a Pizza Oven / Building a Brick Oven / Pizza Oven Construction

In this video, I will go over five different things that you need to consider to avoid making mistakes. Topics that are covered include: How to choose a size for your brick oven? What is the correct height of the brick oven dome? How high should the base be? How large should the base be? How big should the brick oven opening be?
Link to my cooking channel: On The Flame
/ @on-the-flame
Artisan Made Truckers Cap: etsy.me/3qIwqT4
My Etsy Shop: etsy.me/3qgDnr8
My Website: www.artisanmadethings.com/
Follow: / artisanmadethings
Links to the other parts of this build:
Full Playlist: • Brick Oven/BBQ: Outdoo...
Part 1: Building the base (This is my first video ever so go easy on me) • Brick Oven/BBQ Outdoor...
Part 2: Building the form (This is my second video ever. Slightly better that the first) • How to build a brick o...
Part 3: Insulating the oven floor • How to build a brick o...
Part 4: Installing the floor • How to build a brick o...
Part 5: Building the Dome • How to build a brick o...
Part 6: Building the Landing, Arches and Chimney • How to build a Brick P...
Part 7: Curing Fires • How to build a brick p...
Part 8: Insulating and Rendering the brick oven • How to build a brick o...
Part 9: How to build a wood fired BBQ: • How to build a Wood Fi...
Part 10: Kitchen Counters: • How to Build Outdoor K...
Part 11: How to Frame A Roof For An Outdoor Kitchen: • How To Frame A Roof Fo...
Part 12: Installing the chimney for an outdoor kitchen: • Installing The Chimney...
Part 13: How to build a Brick Arch • How to Build a Brick A...
Part 14: Installing Stone Veneer Over Cinderblock • Installing Stone Venee...
Part 15: Outdoor Kitchen is Finished • Building An Outdoor Ki...
How to Make the Indispensable Tool: • How to Make the Indisp...
Frequently Asked Questions About My Brick Pizza Oven: • Frequently Asked Quest...

[@dcloder]

You lost me at 52 inches 😂😂. In all seriousness it takes some balls to jump on social and admit that you made mistakes in an effort to help somebody from making the same ones. Well done A.

[@ArtisanMade]

Thank You brother!!!

[@lowspeed2000]

It's probably impossible not to make a few mistakes with such a complex project. Especially while taking videos and the time lapse between steps.

[@FabricationStation36]

@@ArtisanMade .....when life deals you lemons .... raise the floor

[@shannonlandre4442]

If you have an ounce of humility you can easily. No balls required.

[@jamesriley5057]

We appreciate learning from your mistakes. We stand on the shoulders of giants

[@lahaza6515]

I'm an interior designer doing my first patio layout with a client & trying to talk them into a small stone fireplace with a small pizza oven above. This is all SO MAJORLY HELPFUL!! Thank you so much.

[@MurphyWoodwork]

You really did knock this project out of the park. Great job!

[@ArtisanMade]

Thank you!!!

[@jillianpillsbury3797]

Thank you for sharing your mistakes and all your insights. So informative!

[@firebadger7548]

Great content, watched your oven videos and really inspired me. I'm now setting the first row of bricks on my oven. Thanks again!!

[@free-lancecapetown44]

Hi from South Africa Thanks for advice, consider building a ramp platform in front of oven on floor to raise yourself up a level. 👍

[@constantinjacota6400]

Thank You for all good advices!

[@ronap7449]

Great video, thanks for showing us your mistakes!

[@GreaseAndGravel]

Very valuable lessons, thanks!!

[@fillempie1501]

I had the same problem with the height. For good work it was a little to high.. Well...I will remember for the second oven :)

[@RealRuralJapan]

Make a platform to stand on and problem solved. No biggie.

[@bearshield7138]

Thank you, I found this very helpful

[@kelesadem]

Excellent advices.very informative thank u

[@skarr0w765]

Thats so far the best pizza oven video i've seen, you really covered every single detail that i was looking for, and now i'm much more positive about building one myself Thanks alot !

[@AmericanDrinker]

very courageous. Thank you!

[@GigoAB]

this is perfect, great job on the videos! thank you!

[@RealRuralJapan]

Nice oven. I made a similar video for the indoor one I built for my cafe here in Japan. Mine is a 40 inch and with a 64% inner arch ratio for my Pompeii design. It is always better to run your flue back over the dome and then extend from the middle. This way the heat of the oven powers the draft. As for the height of the base that’s not a problem as everyone in a family is a different height. This is where you can fabricate a platform and place it on the floor and then move it for the taller members of the family. Also when making a Pompeii dome the roof should not be a perfect dome at the apex. It should flatten off a bit and this way you lessen the hot spots. 40 inch is the perfect size even for 2 guys cooking pizzas all night. The only time you need something bigger is when you have a bread operation. I made mine with a second battery brick behind the dome and with a double floor. Super even and consistent and much much longer heat retention.

[@ArtisanMade]

Hello, thanks for sharing. I thought about building a little platform.

[@myshinobi1987]

Very informative, good job. Thanks for putting your DIY ego aside and letting us know where you went wrong 👍

[@ArtisanMade]

Haha! I just want to help.

[@richarddavis3569]

Mate so happy I have found this video and channel ! So many pizza oven making videos in video speed x 10 Gonna watch all the ones you have about building one. Subs and thumbs up 👍🏻

[@miriambernier9504]

Great video!

[@kevinwachsmann3111]

thank you for your info...👍👍

[@Rustie_za]

brilliant feedback

[@nelson32]

This video is clutch... I just came inside from building the walls of my oven stand and its at 35" in height which I think its kinda low and I'm thinking put putting another round of blocks. I'm super glad I got to hear you opinions on the matter

[@giovannisalai8357]

Vidéo super bien expliqué merci

[@colecrick7223]

Great video for starting the process. Going to build one this summer

[@ArtisanMade]

Good luck friend!

[@Loveshisfamily]

Thumbs up 👍 keep it real, we need more honesty

[@slapurmom5667]

Im tall so I like the height of your oven. But the way you explained scooping out with spatchula makes alot of sence. Thank you that helps.

[@antathletix]

Thank You, Good Man! 👍👍

[@user-xi9ug7ge7g]

Excellent series of videos!!! MANY thanks from RUSSIA!!!!

[@oilandsteelfilings3272]

That she'd is awesome. We'll done!!!

[@Whatta33]

Thank you

[@rolandsalazar9562]

Very insightful and comprehensive. Thanks for sharing 🍕 🥩 🍗 🔥

[@DENNIS5831]

extremely helpfull

[@ralphfierro8502]

Overall a great effort…. Not sure what region of the country your in, I’m in the north east. Without well thought out waterproofing details it just wouldn’t hold up in my area despite having the roof. I would love to see the bbq finished and in use…. Good luck with it…

[@stevenrennie2612]

Hi love content as I myself have made a pizza outdoor oven

[@123htraveler]

Beautiful oven! 😎👍🏼 If the oven opening is too high, raise the floor.

[@abdulhamidbani2712]

Very helpful

[@estrelladeldesierto66]

Excellent ☝🏽👍🏽👌🏽🧱🧱🧱

[@georgewashington938]

that's the good thing about bricks and concrete - it is easy to make changes and adjustments ;-)

[@peterwhelan173]

Great video, thanks. I’m just about to start building my 1st pizza oven and I’m glad I found this video beforehand. A lot of your viewers watch from around the world (I live in France) and don’t understand inches. It might be worth while showing metric measurements also . 😊

[@martingwynfawke]

Every phone has a conversion scale on the built in calculator.

[@abdullahalbuzilfah615]

I followed you for my build exactly. This video was long due for me 😅

[@crix_b1047]

Could the oven be square shaped? Having the dome replaced by a taller square?

[@thomasj.fulnecky4547]

Hello Jason thanks for your reply it's very helpful. I have another question regarding what type of cement fire cement I think did you put on top of your base? To lay the fire Bricks down on? Please let us know as we are waiting on your response we have stopped building until we get a solid idea answer from you. Thanks again Thomas.

[@firstpitstop]

I'm about to make mines soon so this video help I do have a question what you do to clean the oven I was thinking of making a door in the back of the oven to clean remove the ashes I see yours don't have a back door from this video do you think it be a good idea and should I really do this just wondering if you think it will be worth doing or not ? Thanks for all the inputs your oven looks nice.

[@funkynoodle08]

Hi when you rendered the dome you had said cement? So you didn't have to use perlite and or Vermiculite in the dome rendering after your 3" of ceramic fiber blanket? Thanks

[@truthbtold6118]

Hope you are doing well too :) Great info regarding this topic. I have subscribed to your channel. Hope the rest of your videos are as professional and not including profanity, as this one.. then I will definitely be sticking around for more. Thanks for sharing your awesome knowledge , have a blessed day !

[@mohammadshirkavand9196]

Hi information u have given are very interested but if u would give sizes in centimetres is much better

[@thomasmortensen1467]

Thanks for the info! Just out of curiosity, how much did it cost you to build the smaller one?

[@Reza-mn6cj]

Thanks for informative tips, I have a question if you don’t mind! Is the outer wall of the dome going to be hot? And what is the clearance if it’s close to the wood material? I’m adding a pizza oven in to my existing outdoor kitchen space which is mostly wood, since we live in Toronto and I need to know if should be considered and also for exhaust pipe after insulation can be close or touching wood material? I really appreciate if you would help me with that since I couldn’t find any source for that! I thought I would put the whole oven right behind my kitchen and only opens from inside means just an iron cast small door maybe! If I have the answer for that I’ll start it right away sir, 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@thomasj.fulnecky4547]

Hello Jason. I'm asking a few more questions. The reason I have not built my pizza oven yet is I have been looking for my friend who is a Professional Brick layer from Germany. We have started he has built the three sides of the oven the blocks measure in width 2-3/4 Length 15-1/2. Width. He put two Blocks side by side with rebar in the inside of the Blocks. Four courses high. We built the fram overall demetions are 51x51"X4" thick with rebar. Heating our pizza oven. What about using LP gas this is the norm for cooking here in Thailand. I've been thinking about this? I think I will go with it besides wood. Using wood here Is a lot different then in America. Plus here in Thailand there is not that much wood here in Thailand. Jason I am in the process of building a wooden dome. I have built one already but it was to small. So building a new Wooden dome I've looked at your video again I'm going to go with your overall suggestions. Highth of the opening, dome. The width of the opening door. My Brick layer Kai is coming back next week to start laying down the fire bricks on top of the wooden dome I've built to your suggested measurements. Sounds great. Thanks. Jason My first wooden dome wasn't large enough I couldn't put Three pizza's inside of the wooden dome. Opps I looked at your video again writing down the measurements of what you suggested. I'm going with it. Thanks. I am going to have a door opening and closing. After Kai gets almost everything done I will have to oven door built.

[@tomusa1]

great tips

[@salvatoreclaps4374]

Great videos love all you have done! How can I fiqure out the height of dome of a 30 inch interior oven before building to know my door max heiht and width. Thank you for your videos

[@ArtisanMade]

Not sure for 30 inches. Once you decide on the height, you can use the formula that I explain in the video.

[@interestinoldschool8080]

Loved the build, watched all the videos, came across a Portuguese clay oven by mistake, person had the oven doors for sale, bought the whole thing. It works fine, but it only increased my desire for a real brick oven. How many firebricks did you end up buying, floor and dome? Figure if I just go buy them now, It'll light the fire under my rear to get moving on it.

[@ArtisanMade]

About 250

[@interestinoldschool8080]

Ty Sir, appreciate it.

[@laughatapes3781]

What are the differences between the domestic & tunnel shaped ovens, in terms of their performance? Which one is better & easier to build as a pizza oven, please?😊

[@Raynaldiish]

Hi, i am really interested in having one built, but do you know what bricks or materials i should use or avoid to ensure it is still food safe? thanks

[@thomasj.fulnecky4547]

Hello this is Thomas! I Live in Thailand. I finally found a good Brick layer. From Germany a professional Brick layer. Most of the Thai brick layer's don't pay any attention to details keeping it plumbed vertically or level. Yesterday we measured the actual size of the overall width of my pizza oven. It is 40" wide. For building our foundation we are going to be using Blocks, the Blocks measurements are 2.1/2-1/16th wide By 15-1/2-1/16th So we are going to use two Blocks side by side with about 1/4" of Morter in-between the Blocks. Making the total with of the block 5" Wide. I've decided to go with your suggestion for the actual oven door opening of 18" and the Center of the door opening 12" High. As you answered me in my first question about do you have a door for your pizza oven. Thank you for your answer. Mine will be the same just a simple metal door with a Handel to cover the opening of the pizza oven. I have another question for you what about the metal flue that takes out the smoke? They don't have aluminum here at all only steal in which to build it. What are your thoughts and suggestions on this? What are the four sides of the dementions you need for the flue opening? How high should we go up with the stack?

[@ArtisanMade]

Most are made out of galvanized or stainless steel. The opening should accommodate the size of your flue. My flue is 8 inches in diameter.

[@georgettklinedinst3688]

I am so impressed. Yes, you are my research. Do you hire out to build ovens for others?

[@ArtisanMade]

No way. I can’t imagine a lifetime of building these. That is real hard labor.

[@georgettklinedinst3688]

@@ArtisanMade Thank you for your reply. You have inspired me. 🙏❤️

[@mikevee4218]

I went with an exercise ball 29 inches at Walmart 13$ it kinda filled it. It's a strange hat-looking dome lol the foam was hard to build after I got so high. but I stopped the tool just after the arch and did it by eye it turned out to be egg-shaped kinda like a turtle, but then rounded just before the hat. don't know how to show it but thanks for your vids helped me a lot 48" inside needs to fill some gaps inside but I'm satisfied. watched your vids like 50 times

[@ArtisanMade]

Congratulations!!! This is not an easy thing to do. If you have time, send me a pic. [e-mail]

[@randywolff]

@@ArtisanMade I am planning on building an oven this summer. Would a two piece arm on the tool work with a series of holes say a half inch apart for shortening the arm length as you proceed thru the top of the dome work? I don't know how much shorter the arm needs to be, but with the known drop needed the hole spacing could be split so it would be even for each row of brick.

[@mahmoudshuaibi7164]

Thanks a lot for all those videos helps big time, I am about to start the dome following your video of how to make the trammel tool!. I’ll have an important question. I hope you can help. I have enough light weight white insulating firebricks to build the dome, is it ok to use those type of bricks?

[@ArtisanMade]

Insulating bricks are no good for the dome. They Do not absorb heat. Firebrick absorb, retain, and reflect heat and is necessary for an oven to cook properly

[@MarionMakarewicz]

Nice build on your oven. My oven is a barrel vault oven. I want to make another that will go on a trailer. I used Rado Hand's plans and adapted. His advice made the difference. I made a big oven to fit two full restaurant sized sheet pans in. Rado's advice on the ratio of oven dome height to mouth opening height was spot on. I made my opening wider as he said that wasn't the crucial dimension. My draft is excellent and after ten years there is not smoke on the outer face of the oven. My large oven with a large height does suck down the wood though, but I have tons of it on my land. I would make it a bit lower of dome height because with pizza's I don't get the top radiant heat as much, but as long as I have a good log flaming it works fine. The other size consideration was to fit a small roast pig in so it's a bit bigger. I really am glad to have found your build with such good instructions. We'll see how it works out.

[@RealRuralJapan]

All you need to do is lift the pizza up and hold it for 10 seconds on the peel near the roof and that takes care of that. With a low dome you have taken away all the other uses for your oven other than pizzas and breads. You chose well just remember to finish the pizzas off by lifting them into the roof and then serving them.

[@MarionMakarewicz]

@@RealRuralJapan Thanks for the perspective. That's generally what I do to get the final toast on top. I was just getting a bit tired have having to use so much wood to get it up to pizza temp. But once it is ready, it is a great oven.

[@Rustie_za]

Question - how viable will it be to add a cold smoke chamber to the side or underneath the oven with a smallish inlet into the dome of the oven for cold smoking? By extension, including a metal bar at the top of the done to hang cuts of meat for this purpose?

[@ArtisanMade]

Not sure but I think I saw a video on KZbin

[@thomasj.fulnecky4547]

Hello Jason This is Thomas again. Thank you for your answer! So far we have our base and Top surface complete, we just laid out our Fire bricks now Jason I want to ask you again about your opening please! My plan is to make pizza and bread inside Plus other items. Plus we will have a removable front door. What do think is a good size door opening for our oven. Thanks again Bless your Heart Thomas

[@ArtisanMade]

Hello, my name is Alessandro. I explain the math near the end of the video. Do some research as well. Getting this right is very important.

[@thomasj.fulnecky4547]

Hello Jason. I have one other question please what type or Morter did you use to lay your Fire Bricks on top of your slab? Thanks

[@richsellskc]

AR, thanks for the vids. Wondering why the inside of the oven is so clean...looks new/unused. Can you explain how it is looking so clean/ new? My best guess is that high temp cooks will naturally clean the interior dome quite well. Please comment and, again, thanks

[@ArtisanMade]

Thank You! You are correct. Once the oven reaches 800F, the soot starts to burn away

[@fitnessnoob2271]

My regret, not using more perlite floor insulation. My insulation is 2.5 in. I can still cook a mean pizza though!!!

[@RealRuralJapan]

Biggest mistake with most pizza oven floors is that they aren’t double thickness. Double the floor and also use 5 inches of perlite/vermiculite under it.

[@rubo1964]

how did you construct the bottom cooking surface.And whatever you did how does it perform and if anything else you would do differently.Thank you

[@ArtisanMade]

I have a bunch of videos covering this. Links are in the description

[@jimflask1164]

Do you raise the floor? or deal with it?

[@mikevee4218]

So what do you recommend to lower the height of the dome using this tool? Use it to point then what? wing it or use a ball or something. I'm working up its's doming and will be huge, but I see your point like a turtle with a flat top. maybe cut the stones like the arch and go in. gravity doesn't help. what's your recommended idea

[@ArtisanMade]

I would make a form with styrofoam sheets with a more aggressive curve for the upper portion of the dome.

[@27photogger]

Any videos of you using the oven to the right of your pizza oven? How, & What for etc?

[@ArtisanMade]

Coming soon

[@apuz13]

I wish I could hire you to build my backyard kitchen.

[@daniellewissmiller3318]

me too lol

[@chipsdad5861]

New to your channel, Do you have a door for your opening. Isn't there a fitted "PLUG" for the entrance of the oven?

[@ArtisanMade]

Yes I have a door. Not sure what you mean by a fitted plug?

[@daniellanzotti2391]

Did you put this just on a c9ncrete slab? Any video on that or reinforcing it?

[@ArtisanMade]

Reinforced with rebar and footing

[@anderssundstrom7182]

Nice ovens! How many fire bricks for a 40 inch oven?

[@ArtisanMade]

About 250

[@abdullahalbuzilfah615]

The oven hight is the biggest issue for me.

[@gungadinn]

From an ergonomic standpoint, appliances like stoves and conventional ovens should be at elbow height when standing. Counter tops should be just above waist height off the floor The problem comes into play when you have a tall and short couple. I'm tall, do most of the cooking, so my counter tops are 42" My stove has a built in oven, so the oven requires me to bend over to tend food cooking. Overly tall counters and appliances become scalding hazards. I love the idea of a outdoor pizza oven and cooking center, I just don't like the price.

[@mariatorres9789]

It's cheap, if you consider you'll never have to buy an oven again in your lifetime.

[@anthonyrinella9852]

Bar height is 42” seems to be good, also 30” barstool is the rite height for the 42”…

[@fre1102]

So...use the indispensable tool to build the dome or not?

[@ArtisanMade]

Yes but on the larger sized ovens you will only use it for the lower half. Then you will need to use a form to more aggressively curve the dome so it doesn’t get to high

[@WonderDownUnder]

Just raise your floor Builder man!

[@ArtisanMade]

What about the counter and bbq height?

[@ShopperPlug]

4:03 - good point, that looks so silly take out the pizza at your face level, im sure it would be easy to loose control coordination maneuvering at that level and drop the pizza at the floor when taken out from the oven. lol I prefer having the pizza oven at the face level but taking it out below the chest level, I guess automatic hydraulics is the solution to level the oven when needed.

[@ArtisanMade]

I’m ordering my hydraulics tomorrow! 😂

[@JingoLoBa57]

My mistake would be to build it myself. A big no no.

[@Assyrian_Orthodox]

Hello Please I wanna know how many bricks do I need to build a 42 inch oven Thank you

[@ArtisanMade]

About 250 for my 40 inch

[@thomasj.fulnecky4547]

I have a question why didn't you put a door on your pizza oven? Please explain

[@ArtisanMade]

I do have a door but if you are talking about a permanently mounted one, there is no need unless the oven is indoors. The door is used as a damper and to trap retained heat.

[@user-wy6ky9jt4j]

How much wood is needed for this oven to get it at 1000 degrees

[@ArtisanMade]

It takes about 2.5 hours. Depends on the wood. Hardwood is best. Same as keeping a fireplace going for that amount of time.

[@arunapizzaria3647]

I have Problem with Haigh dome to tall will be not perfect hit

[@BuckOwens-eo6ie]

On the next episode , husband build 8" step in front of his ovens. Enjoys meal made by happy wife.

[@JoshuaFinancialPL]

ive built several and owned commercial. stage and go through all the motions before you break ground. everything problem is people don't have experience and quickly learn on first few uses. otherwise pretty looking. i prefer useful and mine are ugly dogs compared to your build. love the covered space. zoning prevents me,frustrating

[@uawsux]

once you get started you're going to find out that 36 in is big a lot of bricks a lot of fire mortar a lot of weight I plan for 32 I ended up with 30 in with a fudge 15 inch radius bar

[@teeramvlogs2738]

How many bricks did it take for your build?

[@ArtisanMade]

About 250

[@mariatorres9789]

I'm 5'11", and I was just thinking, how perfect that height is for the oven. Haha. Ok, so about 48" would be nice.

[@sumitagarwal3788]

Bradley Cooper secret job makes pizza oven

[@db92]

Don't get worked up with the height just build up a step infront of the oven or raise the whole floor

[@ArtisanMade]

Thank man! That’s what I’m going to do eventually.

[@Rustie_za]

@@ArtisanMade I already made this mistake with my build. I don't have space for a permanent step, so a small sturdy step bench stowed under the oven is my ace in the hole.

[@ArtisanMade]

@@Rustie_za thanks for sharing. I am going to do the same.

[@skrudzasss]

+

[@Runb4ithitsu]

Bruh Im watching your video, don't tell me to do my research. This is my research.

[@ArtisanMade]

Good luck Bruh

[@summittaedae2323]

The medieval measurements are just confusing to the modern world. Great oven but please evolve with the rest of the world

[@ArtisanMade]

I completely agree!

[@choongachangachoongachanga556]

100%. All points should be calculated beforehand.

[@salvatoregiordano4665]

JUST RACE THE FLOOR OF THE AREA OF YOUR EXISTING FLOOR.

[@ArtisanMade]

Then counters will be too low.

[@salvatoregiordano4665]

@@ArtisanMade I am 71 years old. I was a Bricklayer for 50 years. What would I do ? If I was there I would Calculete the Weight of the Oven including the concrete slab. I would rent to 2 jacks Prop the slab , free the Oven from side walls and take one course of Block off. If slab as steel and is over 4 inches you will be fine. The oven and the brick work is one unit, it will not fall apart. Only thing is you need to lower the jacks slowly at the same time. Prectes first with the Jack on your car or tuck so you know what to do. Sorry about my Spelling I was born in Sicily and lived in Detroit.

[@ArtisanMade]

@@salvatoregiordano4665 Grazie amico! if I did that, it would become a very popular KZbin video.