The wood you burn in your pizza oven affects everything — how hot it burns, how long it holds heat, how quickly it lights, and subtly, the flavor of your food. Choosing the right fuel isn't complicated, but getting it right makes your cooking sessions faster, cleaner, and more enjoyable. Here's everything you need to know.
The Golden Rule: Always Use Kiln-Dried Hardwood
Whatever species you choose, the single most important factor is moisture content. Wood for pizza ovens should be kiln-dried to below 20% moisture content. Wet or green wood:
- Burns at lower temperatures
- Produces excessive smoke and creosote
- Creates unpleasant flavors in food
- Is harder to light and maintain
Always buy wood labeled as kiln-dried or seasoned. If in doubt, a moisture meter (available for around $15) will tell you exactly what you're working with.
The Best Woods for Pizza Ovens
1. Oak — The Gold Standard
Oak is the most popular wood for pizza ovens for good reason. It burns hot, long, and clean with a neutral flavor that won't overpower your food. It's widely available, consistent in quality, and easy to manage. If you only ever use one wood, make it oak.
- Burn temperature: Very high
- Burn duration: Long
- Flavor: Neutral to mildly smoky
- Best for: All-round pizza oven use
2. Ash
Ash is an excellent alternative to oak — it burns similarly hot and long, lights more easily, and produces very little smoke. Many pizza oven enthusiasts prefer ash for its clean burn and easy management.
- Burn temperature: Very high
- Burn duration: Long
- Flavor: Very neutral
- Best for: Clean, easy cooking sessions
3. Fruitwoods (Apple, Cherry, Plum)
Fruitwoods burn slightly cooler than oak and ash but add a subtle, pleasant sweetness to food. They're particularly good when cooking meat, fish, or vegetables in the oven after the initial pizza cook, when the temperature has dropped to roasting range.
- Burn temperature: Medium-high
- Burn duration: Medium
- Flavor: Mild, sweet, fruity
- Best for: Flavor cooking, roasts, fish
4. Beech
Beech is another excellent hardwood for pizza ovens — hot, long-burning, and widely available in Europe. It has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and burns very cleanly. A strong alternative to oak where availability allows.
- Burn temperature: High
- Burn duration: Long
- Flavor: Mild, slightly nutty
- Best for: General pizza oven use
5. Olive Wood
Olive wood burns extremely hot — hotter than most hardwoods — and produces a distinctive, aromatic smoke that adds a subtle Mediterranean character to food. It's denser and slower to light than oak but rewards patience with excellent performance.
- Burn temperature: Very high
- Burn duration: Very long
- Flavor: Aromatic, distinctive
- Best for: High-heat cooking, flavor enhancement
Woods to Avoid
- ❌ Softwoods (pine, spruce, fir): Burn too fast, produce excessive resin and smoke, and leave a bitter residue on food
- ❌ Treated or painted wood: Releases toxic chemicals when burned — never use
- ❌ MDF, plywood, chipboard: Contain adhesives and chemicals that are harmful when burned
- ❌ Driftwood: Absorbs salt which produces toxic chlorine gas when burned
- ❌ Green or unseasoned wood: Too wet to burn efficiently regardless of species
Log Size and Preparation
Pizza oven logs should be split to approximately 3–5 inches in diameter and 10–12 inches in length. Smaller splits light faster and heat the oven more quickly; larger logs burn longer and sustain temperature during cooking. Having a mix of sizes gives you control over fire management.
Store your wood in a dry, ventilated area off the ground. A covered log store near your oven keeps your fuel dry and conveniently accessible.
How Much Wood Do You Need?
A typical pizza cooking session uses approximately 3–5kg of wood for preheat plus 1–2 additional logs per hour to maintain temperature. Always have more than you think you'll need — running low mid-cook is frustrating.
Browse Pizza Oven Accessories
The right wood is just one part of a great cook. Browse our full range of pizza oven accessories — including log stores, kindling, and fire-starting tools — at Pizza Oven Paradise.
