How to light and manage a wood-fired pizza oven

How a wood-fired oven works

Air enters through an intake near the fire, feeds the flame and leaves through the chimney or the mouth. As the fire burns hot and clean, the flame rolls over the dome and heats the pizza from above. The stone is heated both by the fire and by radiant heat from the dome, and stores that heat to cook the base.

This is why airflow matters as much as fuel. Blocking the intake or overloading the fire tray cuts air, produces smoke and lowers the temperature. Our gas or wood-fired pizza oven comparison covers how this differs from gas.

Choose the right fuel

Use dry, kiln-dried hardwood such as oak, ash, beech or birch, cut small enough for your oven's fire tray. Wet or green wood smoulders, smokes and struggles to get hot. Never burn treated, painted or pallet wood. Pellet ovens need food-grade hardwood pellets made for cooking, not heating pellets.

For lighting, use natural firelighters such as wood wool rather than paraffin-based blocks, which can taint food. See best wood for pizza ovens for more on choosing logs.

Lighting the fire step by step

Portable wood ovens often need 20 to 30 minutes from lighting, and larger masonry ovens can take an hour or more. Look for the dome turning from black soot to clean and pale, a sign it is properly hot. Our heat-up times guide has typical ranges.

1. 1

   Open any air vents or chimney caps fully, as the manual describes.

2. 2

   Place one or two natural firelighters at the back or in the fire tray.

3. 3

   Build a small criss-cross of thin kindling over them, leaving gaps for air.

4. 4

   Light the firelighters and leave the oven open so the fire can draw.

5. 5

   Once the kindling is burning well, add two or three small hardwood pieces.

6. 6

   Keep adding small logs every few minutes until the flame rolls up and over the dome.

7. 7

   Heat until the stone reaches cooking temperature, then check it with an infrared thermometer.

Note:Fire safety: use the oven outdoors only, on a stable non-flammable surface with clearance from fences, sheds and overhanging branches. Fuel-burning ovens produce carbon monoxide, so keep them in open air and away from doors and windows. Never use petrol or accelerants, never leave a lit oven unattended, keep children and pets away and wear heat-proof gloves.

Keeping a rolling flame

Once hot, feed the fire little and often. Add one small log when the flame starts to drop, ideally a minute or two before you launch a pizza, so the new wood has caught and the flame is rolling across the dome when the pizza goes in. Adding a large log just before launching produces smoke and a cooler flame at the worst moment.

If the flame turns lazy and yellow with lots of smoke, the fire is short of air or the wood is damp. Clear ash from the tray if your oven allows it, open the vents and use smaller, drier pieces.

Keeping the stone hot between pizzas

Each pizza draws heat out of the stone, and the front of the stone cools faster than the back. Wait a minute or two between pizzas and check the temperature. Some cooks push embers briefly towards the cooler area, or launch slightly closer to the fire, to balance things out. Keep turning each pizza with a turning peel so the side nearest the flame does not burn.

If the base is burning but the top is pale, the stone is too hot compared with the flame: add a small log to boost the flame and wait a moment. The burnt bottom, raw top guide explains this balance. For a range of ovens built for wood, see our best wood-fired pizza ovens.

Shutting down safely

Stop adding fuel and let the fire burn out completely in the oven. Never douse it with water, as the sudden temperature change can crack the stone and damage the oven. Once fully cold, remove ash into a metal container and leave it outdoors for a day before disposal, as ash can hold heat for a long time. Then cover and store the oven dry.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a wood-fired pizza oven take to heat up? Portable wood ovens often need around 20 to 30 minutes, while larger built-in ovens may need an hour or more. Check the stone with an infrared thermometer.

Why is my wood-fired oven so smoky? Damp wood, too much wood at once or not enough air. Use kiln-dried hardwood in small pieces and keep vents open.

Can I use charcoal in a wood-fired pizza oven? Some ovens allow charcoal and some do not. Check the manual for your model before trying.

How often should I add wood? Little and often, usually one small piece every few minutes, timed so it is burning well before each pizza goes in.