Buying guide
Best Wood for a Pizza Oven
Kiln-dried hardwood, such as oak, beech or ash, at 20% moisture or less and cut small enough for your oven. Alfa, Gozney and Ooni all say hardwood, and Alfa and Gozney warn against softwoods like pine, which give off too much smoke and leave residue. Never burn painted, treated or pallet wood, and never light the oven with petrol.
The Logs Local team Kiln-dried logs from our yard in Keighley
In this guide
Which wood do pizza oven makers recommend?
| Maker | Wood | Moisture |
|---|---|---|
| Alfa | Oak, beech, ash or olive. Beech and olive for pizza, oak or ash for roasts and bread. | Less than 20% |
| Gozney Roccbox manual | Ash, alder, oak, beech, hickory and fruitwoods such as apple and pear | 16% is best; 10 to 20% is good |
| Gozney Dome Wood | Kiln-dried ash and beech | 15% |
| Ooni | Kiln-dried oak (its own logs) | 15 to 20% |
Our oak and beech logs are kiln dried below 20% moisture, which is within what Alfa and the Roccbox manual ask for. See oak firewood and beech firewood.
Why not softwood?
Alfa says softwoods such as pine, fir, cedar and spruce produce too much smoke and leave sticky residues that can alter the flavour of your food. The Roccbox manual says sappy woods and softwoods like pine tend to produce creosote, which builds up in the burner and oven.
What size should the wood be?
| Oven | Size the maker gives |
|---|---|
| Ooni Karu 12 | Up to 20 cm long and 4 cm across |
| Gozney Dome | 25 to 50 mm thick and up to 150 mm long |
| Gozney Roccbox wood burner | Small pieces, about 5.5 by 1 by 1 inches |
| Alfa | No size given: start with small dry kindling, then add larger logs gradually |
Our logs are cut for stoves and open fires, so split them down to suit a small oven. Check your oven's manual for its exact size.
How long does a pizza oven take to heat up?
- Alfa: about 30 minutes to reach 400 to 500°C, says Alfa. It gives an ideal range of 370 to 430°C.
- Gozney Dome Gen 2: ready for Neapolitan pizza in about 40 to 45 minutes, Gozney says.
- Ooni Karu 12: about 15 minutes to reach 950°F, around 500°C, Ooni says. Its manual suggests a 10 to 20 minute preheat.
How much wood will I use?
Alfa says it takes 3 to 5 kg of wood to heat one of its ovens, then 1 to 2 kg an hour to hold the temperature: around 5 to 7 kg for 10 to 15 pizzas. Smaller ovens use less.
How do I light a pizza oven?
- Use a natural firelighter. The Ooni and Roccbox manuals say to use only firelighters that meet EN 1860-3.
- Start small. Light a little kindling, then add larger pieces of hardwood gradually, as Alfa advises.
- Never use spirit or petrol. Both manuals say not to use spirit or petrol for lighting or relighting.
- Keep it fed. Add a piece of hardwood every so often to hold the heat, and let the oven floor recover between pizzas.
What should I never burn in a pizza oven?
- Painted, chemically treated or pallet wood, which Alfa says release harmful toxins.
- Pine, fir, cedar, redwood, spruce, fatwood and sappy wood, which the Roccbox manual lists as do-not-use.
- Lighter fluid or newspaper, which Alfa says may release harmful chemicals.
Questions
Is beech good for a pizza oven?
Yes. Alfa suggests beech for pizza, and Gozney's own Dome Wood is made from ash and beech.
Is oak good for a pizza oven?
Yes. Ooni sells only oak, and Alfa recommends oak, especially for roasts and bread.
Can I use kindling to cook?
Use it to light the oven. Our kindling is softwood, so once the fire is going, cook over hardwood.
Can I use a pizza oven in a smoke control area?
Yes. GOV.UK says you can use outdoor barbecues, chimineas, fireplaces or pizza ovens in smoke control areas. The rules apply only if the oven uses a chimney on a building, such as a summerhouse.
More in our guide to the best wood for outdoor fires.
Logs for this guide
Kiln dried below 20% moisture and ready to burn. Add a bag to your cart, then check out as normal.
Free delivery within 40 miles of our yard
On orders over £75, on weekdays, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Or collect from Farrahs Saw Mill in Keighley.
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Choose your logsNot sure what to order? Call us and we'll help you pick the right logs for your stove and your space.
Call 07435 515639