These pizza oven stand ideas show you how to display the must-have outdoor cooking gadget of the moment. Whether you’ve got a compact modern tabletop model or a larger, more traditional brick-and-clay oven – and whether you’re hosting a large garden party or simply making pizzas for a family meal alfresco – you’ll need somewhere to stand it.
The ideal pizza oven stand is stable, heatproof and makes the cooking process easier by keeping pizza-making tools, fuel, equipment and ingredients nearby.
The size of your backyard will obviously play a part in the type of stand you go for, but there are an incredible number of options, from purpose-built metal stands and wheeled trollies to more bespoke set-ups such as full outdoor kitchens. It’s even possible to make your own stand for your best pizza oven, using anything from bricks and render to reclaimed wooden pallets!
Perfect your baking station with these pizza oven stand ideas
We’ve rounded up 12 of the best pizza oven stand ideas to help you perfect your pizza making skills this summer…
1. Choose a ready-made pizza oven stand
The simplest way to take your pizza oven ideas to the next level is to invest in purpose-made pizza oven stand. Often constructed with metal, such as rust-proof steel or with a powder-coating, these ready-built tables have been specially designed with pizza-making in mind.
‘Many have space underneath for logs or fuel, as well as hooks for tools such as tongs or pizza paddles, and shelves or arms for accessories and plates, allowing you to keep everything you need close to hand,’ says garden designer Jo Connolly, from Decorbuddi. ‘Choose from a compact model for smaller spaces, or if you have a larger plot, a bigger stand with useful serving space to one side, next to the oven.’
2. Keep it simple and use an existing outdoor table
Part of the joy of making pizzas is that everyone can get involved, which is what makes a pizza party so much fun. If you have a smaller oven with legs, you can stand it on your outdoor dining table so it takes center stage. ‘Pizzas are such a sociable meal, so it can be great fun to place your oven at the center of the action,’ explains Jo.
‘Obviously you’ll need to take sensible precautions – for example if you’re cooking with wood or wood pellets, then a metal or glass-topped table is a better idea than a wooden one; and you’ll need to keep children away from the oven once it gets hot – however, putting it on a tabletop turns pizza-making into theatre, meaning people can create their topping combinations while seated, before watching their pizza cook right in front of them.’
3. Use a wheeled pizza oven trolley
If you’re only using your oven occasionally, a stand on wheels is a great idea. ‘Putting your pizza oven on a trolley gives you far more flexibility,’ says Dan Hart, founder of Home Pizza Ovens.
‘You can wheel it into the middle of the patio as a focal point when entertaining, then push it out of the way when you’re finished. From a practical point of view, you can move it around depending on whether you want to be cooking in or out of the sun; or nearer the dining area to make it easier to serve straight from the oven to your guests’ plates.’
Unlike fixed stands, a trolley will ensure your oven doesn’t have to dominate your garden when it’s not in use. Look for one with locking wheels and handy shelves or storage underneath for your best pizza oven accessories.
4. Build a bespoke brick stand
Bricks and stone are the ideal materials for the area around your pizza oven stand ideas as they are heat and flame-proof, making them perfect for withstanding the high pizza oven temperature. They must be weatherproof, and capable of supporting even the heaviest of brick and clay-built ovens.
‘One of the important things to consider when choosing where and how to place a wood-fired pizza oven is that the material your oven sits on ideally shouldn’t be combustible, in case of stray embers from the flames, or scorch marks from piping hot trays or metal pizza paddles,’ says Jo Connolly.
‘Not only is a brick or stone stand a fuss-free, safety-conscious decision, but if you have a rustic, country-style look to your garden, these materials will look right at home.’
Depending on your oven size, budget and DIY skills, you can build a stand fairly easily, by laying bricks with mortar and then adding a slab of stone or pavers to act as a tabletop. ‘Just make sure any structure is stable and the top is level,’ says Jo, as this is a key factor in how to use a pizza oven safely.
5. Incorporate your pizza oven into an outdoor kitchen
We’re increasingly using our backyards as extensions of our homes. A big part of this trend, outdoor kitchens are an excellent way to create an extra cooking, dining and entertaining space, blurring the edges between inside and outside – and your pizza oven stand can play a starring role in your outdoor kitchen ideas.
From stylish, high-end specially designed spaces with bespoke storage, worksurfaces, coolers and even outdoor basins; to modular or freestanding kitchens and hand-built rendered, wooden or concrete units, your pizza oven can sit on an alfresco countertop all year-round.
‘When planning an outdoor kitchen, the same rules apply as for an indoor layout,’ explains Dan Hart. ‘For instance, think about having a preparation area – such as a clear countertop – near your pizza oven; and consider where you’ll store fuel such as logs. You’ll also want a layout that makes it easy to move hot pizza oven recipes from the oven to your outdoor dining table.’
6. Be a smooth operator with a rendered finish
Give built-in pizza oven stand ideas a professional-looking finish by plastering a wooden, brick, stone or blockwork frame with render, such as cement or micro-cement. This can then be painted the color of your choice – consider white or cream for a clean, Mediterranean garden look, a warm terracotta for a rustic feel, or charcoal gray to suit more modern garden ideas.
Building your own pizza oven stand in this way means you can design something that suits your backyard and the way you cook – leaving spaces for logs, storage shelves and your best BBQ as well as your pizza oven.
7. Go for a modular stand for your pizza oven
Tailor your cooking set-up to suit your garden – rather than the other way around – by choosing a modular unit for your pizza oven stand ideas.
‘With a modular outdoor furniture system, you can choose from a range of different sized units, serving different functions. The beauty of this is that there’s a configuration to suit your garden size, cooking style and lifestyle,’ says Ced Wells, Creative Director from modular kitchen experts Vlaze.
‘One module can be used for your pizza oven, while others can act as a pizza prep area, hold a BBQ grill, serve as a drinks station idea or double as an outdoor island for group entertaining,’ explains Ced.
Putting several modules together means the layout can be reconfigured if you fancy a change. Most modular systems include plenty of storage; plus, if you choose a lightweight modular system – such as those made of steel or wood – with castor feet, it can easily move around your garden as needed with minimum fuss.
‘Freestanding modular furniture can be wheeled outside after food prep in the kitchen or moved indoors or under a cover if the weather turns,’ says Ced.
8. Double up and use your BBQ as a pizza oven stand
Squeezed for space in your backyard? Do away with the need for an individual pizza oven stand and place your pizza oven on your BBQ as part of your outdoor grill station ideas.
Rectangular in shape, it’s possible to buy pizza ovens which have been specially designed to sit on a good-sized charcoal or gas BBQ. Made of steel and often with built-in thermometers and double insulation for quick and even heat distribution, there’s no need for separate fuel – the ceramic pizza stone inside simply heats up when positioned on top of a hot grill, baking a pizza in around ten minutes. Clever!
9. Clad your pizza stand with tiles for a stylish look
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Hardwearing, wipe-clean, reasonably priced and easy to lay, tiles are a fantastic way to clad your pizza oven area. ‘The really great thing about tiles, however, is that you can go for different colors and patterns – bright, muted, traditional or contemporary – to tie in with the color scheme and décor you’re using elsewhere in your home or garden,’ says Jo Connolly.
It’s possible to tile almost any kind of surface, from wood to stone or render, creating an attractive yet practical spot to sit your pizza oven. ‘Choose tiles that are suited to being used outdoors as patio materials, such as porcelain, terracotta, concrete. Or ‘vitrified tiles’ such as glazed ceramic tiles, which are water and frost-resistant,’ says Jo.
‘As to where to use them, you can create a worktop effect by tiling just the surface the pizza oven sits on; or tile the area behind it, as you would do a kitchen splashback.’
10. Turn up the heat... in the garage!
A pizza oven stand can be set up in a garage
Don’t let bad weather spoil your pizza-making plans – you can house your pizza oven stand in your garage. It may sound slightly bonkers, but while you’d think fire and enclosed buildings shouldn’t go together, believe it or not, it is possible with a smaller oven, given a few precautions, of course.
‘It really depends on the fuel you use,' says Dan. 'For example, you wouldn't put a wood-fired pizza oven or one that uses wooden pellets in a wooden building because of the risk of stray flaming embers. However, a stone or corrugated metal outbuilding is fine, and you could potentially do it with a gas-fired pizza oven,’ says Dan.
‘Most tabletop-style ovens have little feet, so they’re elevated off whatever they’re sitting on, and if you pick one that’s well-insulated, the outside of it won’t get hot. You’ll still need really good ventilation though, particularly with gas or charcoal, so always cook with the garage doors and any windows open, and if your pizza oven is going to sit in a garage long-term, consider a flue extension – available from pizza oven retailers – that attaches to the flue (chimney) of your pizza oven and draws any smoke outside,’ Dan suggests.
11. Place your oven on a stone worktop
Stone is a good surface for a pizza oven stand
Whether you’re creating a full outdoor BBQ area to accommodate a large oven, or simply looking for a sturdy, fireproof material to use on top of a smaller pizza oven stand, take a tip from the pizza pros and use a slab of granite, marble or honed stone, as used for indoor kitchen worktops. This can be measured up and fitted by a professional, or you can visit a stone yard for an offcut to place on top of a DIY pizza oven stand.
‘If you choose a slab bigger than the footprint of your pizza oven, you’ll have enough room to create a little preparation area beside it,’ suggests Dan Hart. ‘Granite or marble is the perfect surface for rolling out pizza dough, as it’s super-smooth, hygienic and easy to clean.’
12. Make your own pizza oven stand from reclaimed wood
Embrace the trend for upcycling by making your own pizza oven stand using leftover decking planks or even wood from discarded wooden pallets.
When it comes to DIY outdoor furniture ideas, wood is an easy material to work with and great for those on a budget. A wooden stand can be tailor-made to fit even the most awkward space in your backyard, and there’s no limit to the features it can include, from log store ideas to herb planters and troughs made to fit your favorite tubs, bottles and jars of pizza toppings. If you’re using a wood-fired rather than a gas pizza oven, you can add a piece of sheet metal, a worktop saver or some tiles to create a more fireproof worksurface.
‘The most important thing when building your own stand is the quality of the timber; for example, decking planks are ideal as they’re designed to sit outside all year round,’ says Chris Hicks from The Outdoor Kitchen Makers. ‘Pallet wood planks can give you a nice rustic look, but they’ll have a much shorter lifespan, so if you’re using those, treat your stand with an exterior wood paint to help protect it, and store your stand inside a shed or garage for the winter.’
Not confident with tools? Commissioning a carpenter to build a wooden stand for you can be surprisingly reasonable. ‘Bespoke stands are becoming incredibly popular,’ says Chris. ‘Professional woodworkers can work to your own design, and use new high-quality grade decking timber, braces and fixings for a sturdy stand that will last for years.’
How tall should a pizza oven stand be?
When it comes to the height of your pizza oven stand, consider both safety and comfort. ‘While a flat pizza paddle will help, you want to ensure it’s easy to slide large pizzas in and out of your oven without either stooping or straining, so an average kitchen countertop height of around 3ft (90cm) is a good bet,’ advises Jo Connolly.
If you regularly make lots of pizzas, you may even want to go a little higher. ‘When hosting a pizza-themed garden party, you don’t want to have to bend down dozens of times during the cooking process,’ says Chris Hicks. ‘So, in this case, I always advise people to have their oven sitting higher than their waist or at chest-height, so that they can look inside comfortably.’
How do you build a pizza oven stand?
Building your own pizza oven stand will mean you get something completely bespoke, tailored to your particular oven dimensions and the size of your backyard.
- Start by deciding on materials – wood, bricks and stone are the most common choices – and think about whether you want a worktop, such as one made of stone, tiles or sheet metal.
- Measure the space you have available; and check the weight of your pizza oven – heavier models will need a sturdier base than lightweight steel tabletop versions.
- Next, think about what else you’d like the stand to include – as well as housing your oven, do you need storage for logs or a gas canister; a food prep area; hooks for tools; shelves for plates and trays; pots for herbs or pizza topping ingredients?
- Sketch out your design on paper. A good tip is to mark out the footprint of the stand in your backyard using masking tape or chalk on the floor, to make sure it will fit your space.
- Finally, get building. Whether you assemble your stand yourself or call in the professionals, you’ll be cooking up a storm in no time!
