You can assemble the temporary arched brick pizza oven described by Make: in a day if the site is ready, materials are on hand, and you have help—but its project page estimates 8–16 hours and labels the schedule “A Weekend.” Treat a one-day finish as an ambitious target, not a guarantee. The design uses stacked firebrick, a removable plywood arch form, steel angle, threaded rods, and refractory clay sealing; it is intended to be taken apart after use, not treated as a finished permanent masonry oven.
What this one-day oven is—and what it is not
Mike Senese’s Make: project describes the build as “Simply stack bricks to make this temporary, arched-roof forno a legna.” Its appeal is avoiding a full permanent masonry build: the bricks are stacked into a cooking chamber, the outside joints are sealed with a clay mixture, and the structure can be dismantled once cool.
That simplicity has limits. The project is a particular arrangement of firebrick, angle iron, threaded rod, a flue insert, and clay seal. It is not equivalent to an engineered, insulated permanent oven. The source page displays a schedule of 8–16 hours and calls the project “A Weekend”; even with the parts prepared, a long day is a more realistic framing than a promised quick build. The page’s date line reads September 6, 2016 / February 8, 2023, while the header’s time and difficulty labels do not have a separately stated update date. Make: project and instructions.
Materials and setup to prepare before build day
The Make: materials list calls for 190 firebricks, 16 pavers, angle iron, threaded rod and nuts, plywood, lumber, a clay flue liner, refractory clay, sand, and water. The figure of 190 is specific to this project, not a universal count. Some entries for steel and sheet goods are abbreviated, so use the project drawings and actual brick dimensions to confirm quantities rather than treating the list as a complete takeoff.
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- Firebrick: Use firebrick for the hot chamber; do not substitute ordinary red brick there. Check the manufacturer’s temperature rating and dimensions against the plan.
- Support: Choose a firm, level support capable of carrying the substantial brick load. Make: offers a metal welding table or a sturdy 4-by-4-foot block-and-plywood platform as examples, not as a load rating for every installation.
- Tools and cut pieces: Prepare the plywood arch jig and any needed brick shards or cuts in advance. The project’s dimensions are examples tied to its layout, and the author notes that the arrangement may need adjustment for brick size.
- Site checks: The cited project does not specify local setbacks, permitting, chimney clearances, wind exposure, or the capacity of a particular bench, slab, or patio. Check local requirements and have the support checked for the actual load before stacking.
For this build, the linked Make: materials list and drawings are the primary reference. If buying firebricks for a pizza oven, match both rating and dimensions to the chosen plan.
How to build the temporary arched oven
1. Set a stable base and cooking floor
Make: describes a 4-by-4-foot base with pavers and a centered firebrick floor approximately 10 bricks wide by 5 deep, laid flat and tightly together. These are the project’s layout dimensions; verify the fit with the bricks you actually have and ensure the support is level before adding the heavy walls.
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2. Stack the back and side walls
The project’s back wall is about 4½ bricks wide and 5 bricks tall, with staggered joints. The side walls sit in steel angle iron and are held with threaded rods and nuts. These dimensions and retaining details belong to this design; adjust the layout to the brick dimensions shown in the project drawings, not by assuming every firebrick has the same size.
3. Form the arch on a reusable plywood jig
The example arch form is approximately 32¼ inches long, 5¼ inches high, with about a 27-inch radius. Make: describes building the arch in three sections or depths, using brick shards to fill gaps. The arch is repeated until it is three bricks deep. These measurements describe the source project, not universal oven proportions.
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- 【Ultra-Portable & Ease of Assembly】 The durable and lightweight pizza oven equipped with folding legs, requires minimal assembly without tools, it can quickly come apart for easy cleaning, storage and it weighs just 25lb, ideal for the backyard or outdoor cooking events
- 【Easy Use & Cook Evenly】Slide in your pizza and turn often for consistent results. Little sauce & minimal toppings work best for Neapolitan-style pizza, and switching to gas or electric (sold separately) is simple
- 【Dimension】The overall dimension of this unit is 21.6''L x 14”W x 28''H. Square Pizza Stone dimension: 12''L x 12''W
4. Frame the opening and position the flue
The front is bridged with additional bricks and 24-inch angle iron, and a clay flue insert is centered over the opening. This is the project’s arrangement; it does not establish chimney sizing or site-specific clearance requirements. Check applicable local requirements and the chosen flue product’s installation instructions.
5. Seal exterior joints with the removable clay mixture
Mix refractory clay with sand and water, then cover the outside seams and gaps, especially around the arch. For the project’s clay-sealed version, Make: says no curing is needed. That instruction applies to this removable assembly; it should not be generalized to other mortars, replacement designs, or permanent ovens.
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Can I use regular bricks, and how many firebricks do I need?
Do not use ordinary red bricks in the hot chamber: Make: specifically warns against standard red brick at high temperatures and calls for firebrick. Check the selected firebrick’s rating and size against the plan. The source project lists 190 firebricks, but another oven design, brick size, or adjusted layout can change the count. Confirm quantities from the drawings and a takeoff based on the materials you will actually use.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does this brick pizza oven need a chimney?
The Make: design includes a clay flue insert centered above the front opening. The project’s description does not establish a universal chimney size or resolve clearance and installation requirements for every site. Follow the specific design and flue manufacturer’s directions, and check local rules before building or firing an oven near structures or combustible materials.
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Can you make this oven permanent?
The Make: page says hardening mortar can be used for a permanent fixture, but it does not provide a complete redesign for permanent construction. Simply substituting mortar does not make the temporary arrangement an engineered permanent oven. A permanent build needs a design that specifies its support, refractory materials, insulation, flue, and installation requirements.
For comparison, Forno Bravo’s Pompeii plans describe permanent masonry ovens with 36-inch and 42-inch internal-diameter options, using firebrick, high-temperature mortar, and insulation; the manufacturer cautions that the work requires masonry skill and physical effort. Its kit page lists firebricks, cooking-floor tiles, high-temperature waterproof mortar, dome insulation, and floor insulation. These are separate permanent-build options, not required purchases for the Make: temporary oven. See Forno Bravo’s Pompeii oven plans and Pompeii oven kit components.
Cooling and taking the oven apart
For the removable clay-sealed build, Make: says to let the oven cool for at least a couple of hours, wash off the clay, and unstack the bricks. Do not dismantle it while hot. If the goal is a permanent oven, choose a complete permanent design instead of relying on this teardown method or a mortar substitution.
Optional tools for cooking
A pizza peel and an infrared temperature gauge are optional cooking tools listed on the Forno Bravo kit page; neither is a construction requirement for the temporary oven. The Make: project does not establish a target cooking temperature or performance figure, so use the instructions for the oven design and any tools you choose.
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