A variety of traditional oven kits are available from fully assembled ovens to kits which contain most of the necessary materials and instructions. The type of oven kit chosen will depend on the available builder skill, time, funds, and the location the oven is to be placed. In some localities there may be difficulties in obtaining relevant refractory materials and so the purchase of a kit which contains all necessary materials may ease the process. Due to the economies of scale kits may often be cheaper to purchase than for an individual builder purchasing all of the raw materials separately. Costs may be increased however if purchasing a pre-assembled kit.

Precast oven domes are solid Igloo domes which have been cast out of a refractory material or standard Portland cement based concrete. These domes provide the convenience of creating the main chamber of the oven quickly and easily without expert knowledge. Once the dome has been put in place on the oven hearth the primary remaining steps are the installation of insulation, chimney and cladding, leaving the majority of the construction complete. Additionally the inside of the oven will have a desirable smooth texture when complete, and may have a quicker heat up time. As the dome is often thinner than a fire brick constructed dome, the thermal mass that needs to be brought up to temperature is less and thus will rise in temperature more quickly. This may reduce the amount of fire wood expended and the time from first firing to the first pizza being cooked.

Potential downsides of this method may include cracking or flaking of the internal surface. This may be particularly prevalent if the dome has been constructed from concrete rather than a heat resistant refractory material such as fire clay. For commonly used ovens the frequent expansion and contraction of the dome material may also increase the potential for cracks to form. With ovens constructed of fire bricks the butt joins and created gaps between bricks enables minor movement preventing cracks from forming. For some individuals the visual of fire bricks within the oven rather than a smooth surface may be desired. This will likely come down to personal preference.

Foam Molds

BrickWood Ovens - 28" Mattone Cupola