Fireside • Builder's Guide
DIY Pizza Oven Materials List: What to Buy, Where to Find It & How to Save
Every material and tool our plans call for, grouped the way you'll shop for them, plus the veneer and veneer mortar to finish the outside.
To build a wood-fired pizza oven, you need two shopping lists. The base takes crushed gravel, rebar, concrete, concrete block, mortar, form lumber, a hearth insulation layer, and firebrick for the cooking floor. The oven takes a dome form, firebrick or castable refractory, high-temperature mortar, ceramic fiber blanket, chicken wire, and stucco, plus a chimney and an exterior finish. Add about two dozen common tools, most of which you probably already own.
We've helped thousands of first-time builders gather these exact materials since 2013, and everything below comes straight from the first page of our Mattone Barile, Mattone Barile Grande, Cortile Barile, and 28" Mattone Cupola plan sets. We left out quantities on purpose: they change with every oven, and your model's exact numbers are in the free pizza oven plans.
Pizza Oven Materials: Quick Answers
- Two lists: materials for the insulated base, then materials for the oven on top of it.
- Two build methods: hand-laid firebrick (Mattone Barile and Barile Grande) or poured castable refractory (Cortile Barile and 28" Cupola). The method changes your refractory list and a few tools.
- Specialty items: firebrick, castable, fire clay, high-temp mortar, and ceramic fiber blanket rarely show up at big-box stores. Buy them from a masonry or refractory supplier, or from our store.
- Insulation is not optional: every BrickWood oven gets a ceramic fiber blanket and an insulated hearth.
- The finish is extra: veneer and veneer mortar aren't on the plans' materials page. Budget for brick, stone, or tile veneer, or plan to paint the stucco.
How This Pizza Oven Materials List Is Organized
Every BrickWood build is two projects. First you build the insulated base: a gravel bed, a reinforced concrete slab, a block stand, and a hearth slab with an insulation layer and a firebrick cooking floor. Then you build the oven on top of it. Our plans are split the same way, and it's easiest to shop that way too: gather the base materials, build the base, then shop for the oven.
The base list barely changes between models. The Mattone Barile, Cortile Barile, and 28" Mattone Cupola share the same 47" x 56" insulated base, and the Mattone Barile Grande uses a 47" x 60" version of it. Our guide on how to build a pizza oven base walks through that build step by step.
The oven list depends on how the dome is built:
| Hand-Laid Firebrick | Poured Castable Refractory | |
|---|---|---|
| Ovens | Mattone Barile, Mattone Barile Grande | Cortile Barile, 28" Mattone Cupola |
| Dome material | Firebrick, laid course by course over the foam form | Castable refractory, mixed and poured into a foam mold |
| High-temp mortar | Mixed yourself from silica sand, fire clay, lime, and Portland cement | Premixed, non-water-soluble tub or pail |
| Extra tools | Miter saw with a diamond masonry blade | Cement mixer and miter saw (Cortile), or reciprocating saw and crowbar (Cupola) |
| Shell | Ceramic fiber blanket, chicken wire, stucco or mortar mix | Ceramic fiber blanket, chicken wire, stucco |
Not sure which oven you're building yet? Our pizza oven kit comparison lays the four side by side, and how hard it is to build a pizza oven covers what each method asks of you.
Want the exact numbers? Page one of every BrickWood plan set is a complete shopping list with quantities, already padded for overage. Download the free plans and take that page to your supplier.
Money Saving Suggestions:
Genius tips and recommendations to save money when purchasing materials and scheduling product delivery.
Before you buy anything on this list, find your local suppliers. Most of what you need comes from two kinds of stores, and these two links will help you find both:
Shop around, because prices vary widely
The same bag of castable or the same firebrick can cost very different amounts from one supplier to the next, so call a few before you buy. Split your order if it saves money: buy each item wherever it's cheapest. One builder found the identical firebrick for $2 less per brick at a landscape supply yard than at the refractory manufacturer. On 200 bricks, that's $400 saved. Read the whole story on our builder forum: saving money on castable refractory, dealers, and delivery options.
Save on delivery
- Pick it up yourself: in-store pickup is the least expensive option. A pallet of castable can weigh around 1,000 pounds, so make sure your truck can handle the load.
- Ask about terminal pickup: picking up a pallet at the freight company's local terminal avoids residential delivery and liftgate charges.
- Ship to a business: delivery to a business address costs less than residential delivery, especially if the business has a forklift.
- Bundle your masonry yard order: one delivery of block, gravel, concrete, and brick costs less than several small ones.
- Know what residential delivery includes: freight drivers aren't movers. Expect the pallet at the end of your driveway, and someone has to be home to sign.
- Inspect every pallet: if it arrives damaged, photograph it and have the driver note the damage on the bill of lading before you sign.
- Call ahead, buy local when you can, and borrow or rent the tools you'll only use once.
The Pizza Oven Materials List
Items marked with the red tag are sold in the BrickWood store. Everything else is a standard item from a masonry yard, landscape supply, or home center.
Start Here: Your BrickWood Foam Form
Every build starts with the patented foam form for your model. It gives the dome its shape and its guidelines, so there's no freehand bricklaying or guesswork. It's also the one item you can't pick up at a masonry yard. See all of our BrickWood pizza oven kits.
Refractory Materials (Anything That Touches Fire)
Firebrick goes into every oven's cooking floor, and into the dome on the Barile ovens. Look for low- or medium-duty firebrick between 2.25" and 2.75" thick. Red or tan makes no difference in how it cooks. The Cortile Barile and Cupola domes are poured from castable refractory instead. Our fire brick buyer's guide covers grades and sizes.
The Barile high-temp mortar recipe. For the Mattone Barile and Barile Grande, you mix your own high-temperature mortar in a wheelbarrow until it's about the consistency of oatmeal:
The Cortile Barile and Cupola use a premixed, non-water-soluble high-temp mortar instead. Our refractory mortar guide explains the difference.
Insulation
Insulation is what lets a backyard oven reach cooking temperature and hold it. The dome gets wrapped in ceramic fiber blanket, which is required on every BrickWood oven. The hearth gets its own insulation layer: either 5 parts vermiculite or perlite to 1 part Portland cement (can take up to 6 days to dry), or a bag of insulating castable (dries in about 24 hours). Read more in our pizza oven insulation guide.
Insulating Castable
Hearth insulation (dries in 24 hrs)
EPS Foam Board
Base slab form inserts
Masonry and Concrete
This is the bulk of the base. Use 5000 PSI concrete for the hearth slab, standard concrete for the base slab and block cores, and mortar mix for the block stand. For the oven shell, dry stucco mix is preferred because its fibers add strength. If you can't find it locally, mortar mix works too.
Standard Brick
Hearth frame
CMU Block (8 x 8 x 16)
Block stand
Half Block (8 x 8 x 8)
Block stand
5000 PSI Concrete Mix
Hearth slab
Standard Concrete Mix
Base slab + block core fill
Mortar Mix
Block stand + brick frame
Stucco Mix (Dry)
Oven shell, two coats
All-Purpose Sand
Base and oven
Crushed Gravel (3/4" to 1")
Under the base slab
Lumber, Forms, and Reinforcement
The concrete slabs are poured into simple wood forms, so pick the straightest studs in the pile. A bowed board makes a bowed slab. Use a foam-safe adhesive anywhere it touches foam board, because regular construction adhesive can melt it. Cap every exposed rebar end while you work. Old tennis balls work in a pinch.
2x4 Studs
Slab forms (straight only)
2x6 Studs
Slab forms (straight only)
OSB or Plywood
Slab form panels
Wood Stakes
Bracing forms
Nails (4D and 10D)
Building the forms
Foam-Safe Construction Adhesive
Foam board + forms
Rebar (1/2")
Slabs + block cores
Rebar Tie Wire
Tying rebar + lath
Chicken Wire
Lath for the stucco shell
Rebar Caps
Covers exposed rebar ends
Small Supplies You'll Forget
Cheap, easy to overlook, and annoying to run out for mid-build.
Plastic Sheeting
Covers curing concrete + castable
Lawn and Leaf Bags
Foam cleanup (Cupola)
Marker, Pencil or Chalk
Layout marks
Chimney, Door, and Damper
The plans list the exhaust kit and door as optional, but we recommend an exhaust kit on every oven. Order it with your other materials: its anchor plate is easiest to set while you're building, though it can be added later. A damper gives you up to 90% heat retention when compared to ovens without dampers, which matters for bread and long bakes. Our pizza oven chimney guide explains how draft works.
Finishing the Outside: Veneer and Veneer Mortar
The materials page of every plan set stops at the stucco shell. That shell needs a finish to protect it from the weather, and you have two routes. You can paint it with exterior masonry paint, which is the simplest option. Or you can apply a veneer, which is where most builders make the oven their own.
Almost any veneer works. The ceramic fiber blanket keeps the outside of the oven cool, so you don't need high-temperature mortar. Brick and stone veneer go on with regular mortar (Type S is a good choice for veneer). Tile goes on with a polymer-modified thin-set and gets grouted afterward. A few options:
- Thin brick veneer: half-inch-thick face brick that gives you a classic brick oven look without the weight.
- Manufactured stone: lightweight cast stone in ledgestone, stacked stone, and fieldstone styles.
- Natural stone: river rock, fieldstone, or flagstone pieces for a rustic look.
- Tile: ceramic, porcelain, or a broken-tile mosaic for color.
Pick your finish before you paint
- Mortar won't bond to painted stucco. If you paint first and change your mind, you'll have to strip the paint before you can add veneer.
Take your plans to a local masonry supply and look at their veneer selection in person. The finishing section of the Mattone Barile and Barile Grande plans lists how much veneer to buy. For inspiration, see our pizza oven finish ideas.
Veneer Materials
Thin Brick Veneer
Classic brick look
Manufactured Stone Veneer
Ledgestone + stacked stone
Natural Stone Veneer
River rock, fieldstone
Tile
Ceramic, porcelain, mosaic
Veneer Mortar (Type S)
Sets brick + stone veneer
Polymer-Modified Thin-Set
Sets tile
Grout
Tile joints
Masonry Sealer
Optional water repellent
Exterior Masonry Paint
The no-veneer option
Veneer Tools
On top of the trowel, level, and sponge you'll already have, these make veneer work cleaner.
Grout Bag
Filling stone + brick joints
Notched Trowel
Spreading thin-set
Brick Jointer
Finishing mortar joints
Tile Nippers
Shaping tile pieces
Grout Float
Pressing grout into joints
The Pizza Oven Tools List
Most of these are ordinary garage tools. The ones first-time builders usually don't own are the cement mixer, miter saw, and angle grinder. Borrow or rent those before you buy them. Masonry yards and rental shops rent mixers and saws by the day.
Mixing, Hauling, and Layout
Wheelbarrow
Mixing + hauling
Shovel
Digging + mixing
Cement Mixer (3.5 cu ft)
Cortile pour (rent it)
Buckets (1, 2 and 5 Gallon)
Water + measuring mixes
Hand Tamper
Compacting gravel
4' Level
Keeping everything level
Framing Square
Squaring forms + block
Tape Measure
Every step
Cutting Tools
Circular Saw
Cutting form lumber
Miter Saw
Cutting firebrick
Diamond Masonry Blade
Brick + firebrick cuts
Angle Grinder
Cutting rebar (metal blade)
Reciprocating Saw (12" Blade)
Removing Cupola foam
Hand Tools
Masonry Trowel
Mortar, stucco, castable
Rubber Mallet
Setting firebrick
5 lb Mallet
Setting block + stakes
Hammer
Building the forms
Caulking Gun
Adhesive + mortar
Wire Cutters
Rebar wire + chicken wire
Utility Knife
Foam, blanket, bags
Crowbar
Pulling stakes (Cupola)
Stiff Wire Brush
Cleaning cured surfaces
Construction Sponge
Cleaning brick faces
Safety Gear
These are on every BrickWood plan for a reason. Cutting and mixing silica sand, fire clay, and refractory throws fine dust, and breathing crystalline silica over time is a real health hazard. Spinning blades throw chips. Wet mortar, concrete, and refractory are caustic and can burn skin with repeated contact.
Respirator
Silica + refractory dust
Safety Glasses
Every cut
Rubber Gloves
Wet mortar + concrete
Where to Buy Pizza Oven Materials
Concrete, block, lumber, rebar, and mortar mix are at any home center. The refractory items aren't. For those, you'll want a local masonry or landscape supplier, and for a few of them a refractory dealer. Both tend to price competitively, and you're supporting a local business. Use our landscape and masonry supply locator and our refractory dealer locator to find them near you, and call ahead: castable refractory is sometimes special-ordered and can take a day or two to arrive.
| Masonry or Landscape Supply | Refractory Dealer |
|---|---|
| Firebrick | Firebrick |
| Clay brick | Castable refractory |
| Silica sand, fire clay, lime | Insulating castable |
| Mortar and stucco mix, Portland cement | Ceramic fiber blanket |
| CMU block and rebar | High-temp mortar (bag or pail) |
| Brick, stone, and tile veneer |
If a specialty yard isn't close, you can order firebrick, castable, high-temp mortar, the mortar ingredients, vermiculite, and ceramic fiber blanket from the BrickWood store. Look for the red tags in the lists above. To see what all of it adds up to, read our breakdown of what it costs to build a brick pizza oven.
A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Shop
- Don't trim the quantities: the plan quantities already include overage, so resist cutting them to save a few dollars.
- Use the exact water ratio: too much water in mortar or refractory weakens it and invites cracks.
- Hairline cracks are normal: small surface cracks as the oven heats are cosmetic. Heating slowly the first several times keeps them small. See how to cure a pizza oven.
- Learn from others: our list of DIY pizza oven mistakes covers the most common shopping and building slip-ups.
- Gather the base list, build the base, then shop for the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
What materials do you need to build a pizza oven?
You need base materials (crushed gravel, rebar, concrete, concrete block, mortar, form lumber, hearth insulation, firebrick) and oven materials (a dome form, firebrick or castable refractory, high-temperature mortar, ceramic fiber blanket, chicken wire, and stucco). A chimney, door, and an exterior finish such as veneer or paint complete the build. Exact quantities for each BrickWood oven are in the free plans.
Can I buy pizza oven materials at a big-box home improvement store?
Some of them. Concrete, block, lumber, rebar, and mortar mix are easy to find at a home center. Firebrick, castable refractory, fire clay, high-temperature mortar, and ceramic fiber blanket usually come from a masonry, landscape, or refractory supplier, and BrickWood sells most of them online.
Do I need high-temperature mortar for the whole oven?
No. High-temperature mortar is only needed where the oven faces fire: the firebrick dome and cooking floor. The block stand uses standard mortar mix, and exterior veneer uses regular mortar because the ceramic fiber blanket keeps the outside of the oven cool.
What is the difference between firebrick and castable refractory?
Firebrick is a solid brick laid one at a time with high-temperature mortar, which is how the Mattone Barile and Barile Grande domes are built. Castable refractory is a dry mix you combine with water and pour into a foam mold, which is how the Cortile Barile and 28-inch Mattone Cupola are built. Both handle the same high heat.
What kind of veneer can I put on a pizza oven?
Almost any masonry veneer works over the stucco shell: thin brick, manufactured stone, natural stone such as river rock, or tile. Brick and stone go on with regular Type S mortar, and tile goes on with a polymer-modified thin-set. If you plan to add veneer, do it before you paint, because mortar will not bond to painted stucco.
Is ceramic fiber blanket required?
Yes. Every BrickWood oven is wrapped in ceramic fiber blanket before the stucco shell goes on. It keeps the heat inside the dome, lets the oven reach cooking temperature faster, and keeps the exterior cool enough to finish with ordinary mortar and veneer.
Why doesn't this list include quantities?
Quantities change with each oven model and base size, so a single number would be wrong for most builders. The first page of each BrickWood plan set lists exact quantities for that oven, already adjusted for overage.
Get Your Oven's Exact Shopping List
Every category on this page comes from our real plan sets. Download the free plans for your model and you'll get the exact quantities, the step-by-step instructions, and a materials page you can hand straight to your supplier.
One list for the base, one for the oven, and a few weekends to put them together.
Keep Reading
Written by BrickWood Ovens. Materials and tools are drawn from the BrickWood Mattone Barile, Mattone Barile Grande, Cortile Barile, and 28" Mattone Cupola plan sets. Always follow the plans for your specific model and the instructions on each product you buy.