Pizza ovens are an increasingly popular purchase and installation in gardens across the UK, as people are choosing this method of making pizza rather than a kitchen oven.

To fuel your pizza oven, you’ll need solid fuel and what better choice than wood? However, not all wood is the same and it’s good to know which types work better than others. Let’s examine how you can get the very best from your pizza oven with Homefire.

Types of Wood to Avoid for a Pizza Oven

If you’re new to barbecuing or assembling fires generally, you should know that wet woods are never a good idea. Wet wood is very inefficient and can emit harmful chemicals, like Particulate Matter, into the direct atmosphere – PM.25 has links to respiratory illnesses. This is why, when people go camping, for instance, they should bring their wood supply rather than finding wood on a forest floor.

The same applies to your pizza oven; you shouldn’t expect a good fire when you burn it and it can have negative consequences. Wet wood is also referred to as green wood or unseasoned wood because it contains far too much moisture within it.

Secondly, don’t ever opt for treated wood, such as those that have had a varnish, lamination, or paint applied to it; these chemicals will be burned and not only ruin your food but be extremely bad for the planet and those nearby.

Plywood, driftwood, and chipboard shouldn’t be a consideration either because they perform poorly and aren’t meant to be used for home fires.

Woods to Choose for Your Pizza Oven

Apple and cherry woods can indeed provide nice aromas, as long as they’re properly seasoned, for all to enjoy and potentially complement your pizza, but this isn’t everybody’s preference. Each person tends to have a personal favourite depending on experience.

You could instead opt for kiln-dried wood supplied by Homefire, which has been seasoned at the requisite temperature to remove the majority of moisture, exemplified by its Ready To Burn certification. This product comes in a variety of sizes and bundles depending on the frequency you use your pizza oven or how far in advance you’re planning.

The heat generated from kiln-dried wood can be consistent so that your pizza gets an even cook all over it; just make sure to spread the logs out evenly in the combustion chamber. Using these logs will provide that lovely oaky aroma that can add to your flavour even more without being subjected to an excessive amount of smoke that unseasoned wood produces.

Now that the weather is picking up, it’s time to get everybody together, create your pizza bases, and fire up your pizza oven. 

Marco