DIY Network

Personal Pizza Parlor, Part 1: Stone Pizza Oven An all-American family backyard gets a touch of Italy with an outdoor authentic pizza oven. See more outdoor-room creations from DIY's Indoors Out. From "Indoors Out" episode DIND-103

The completed "outdoor pizza parlor" with stone pizza oven, patio and stone wall.

Project Overview

In this Indoors Out outdoor transformation, Dean Marsico and Derek Stearns turn a nondescript back deck and yard into an outdoor Italian pizza parlor.

Mary Anne Hilson and her three kids love relaxing and cooking outdoors. But with a small, plain deck and a large yard that feels like a soccer field, their outdoor space lacks character and focus.

That's where Dean and Derek step in. With the help of expert craftsman and designers, they build an outdoor Italian haven inspired by Mary's heritage and their love of all things Italian — especially food. They open up the deck by adding a custom designed patio enclosed by a two-sided sitting wall. They bring in soft lights, lush plants, and, for the focal point — a genuine Italian pizza oven.

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Phase 1: Authentic Italian Pizza Oven

The pizza oven turns out to be quite a project for the cousins, but provides a stunning focal point for the completed outdoor room. The oven itself is a genuine imported pizza oven from an Italian company, Mugnaini Imports. Dean and Derek build the foundation and supporting structure which serves as a housing for the oven.

Below is a summary of the basic steps as seen in this Indoors Out project, as well as a list of materials and tools used and some installation tips.

Materials:

cinder blocks (6")
standard mortar
heat resistant mortar
rebar
sand
tar paper
slate
copper nails

Tools:

stone cutting saw
level
center punch

Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection and follow proper safety precautions when working with power tools or pneumatic tools.

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

Note: The quantities needed for each of these materials vary with your own particular application. For your specific project, Dean and Derek suggest taking the dimensions to a local materials supplier, where they will calculate the amount of each product needed.

Steps:

• Start by building the base and internal structure of the oven. The first step is to measure the outline for the base and set with cinder blocks (figure A). The key to building the block is to check level often and you use plenty of mortar.

• Once the oven's structure is chest high, saw grooves in the block and cut rebar to lay in a crisscross pattern (figure B). This will create the foundation for the oven floor when the concrete is poured.

• Put in three inches of sand, cover it with tar paper, and pour concrete over.

• Use thinstone veneer to face the oven (figure C). The veneer comes in corners and flats. It goes on easily with mortar, just cover and firmly press in place.

• Set the oven floor using a heat resistant mortar.

• With the floor set, carefully piece together the domed oven. Using the same heat resistant mortar, joint the pieces together. Then build the remaining block work (figure D).

• Cut and attach the ledge and insulate the area around the oven.

• Install the slate roof. Use a center punch to cut or punch holes in the slate and follow with copper nails.

• Your oven is now complete (figure E), and you're ready to make some serious pizza.

RESOURCES :

Resources for Indoors Out, episode 103:

Mugnaini Imports
Website: www.mugnaini.com

Northern Lights Landscape
Website: www.northernlightslandscape.com

South Shore Loam and Mulch
Website: www.ssmulch.com

Bolduc
Website: www.bolduc.ca/

CAST Lighting
Website: www.cast-lighting.com

Evergreen Slate Company
Website: www.evergreenslate.com