The wood pizza oven temperature for baking is about 700°F (371°C) at the air and floor. Fontana Forni, a wood-fired oven maker, gives this level as the point to reach before a pizza goes in. Some pizza and dough need more heat, so the right number depends on what you are cooking.
The floor, the dome and the chimney damper each change the wood pizza oven temperature that the crust sees. Treat the number as a starting point, then check the stone before you bake. For other oven types, see our pizza oven temperature guide.
What is the wood pizza oven temperature for baking?
Aim for about 700°F (371°C) at the air and floor before you bake, according to Fontana Forni. That figure is the starting point for most wood-fired pizza.
Both the air and the floor need to reach that wood pizza oven temperature before the first pizza goes in. Fontana Forni notes that some pizza and dough call for more heat, up to 1000°F (538°C) depending on the pizza and dough. Check your dough recipe to see whether the higher range applies, and see how hot a pizza oven gets for the full range by oven type.
Ooni gives a slightly different target for its Karu 16 oven. Its Karu 16 manual says to preheat to 750°F (400°C) in the center of the stone for pizza.
The figures differ because each maker measures a different spot. Fontana Forni’s 700°F is a general level for the air and the floor together, while its stone targets are higher and depend on the stone type. Ooni’s 750°F is read at the center of the stone. None of these numbers is wrong, so compare like with like when you set your wood pizza oven temperature: a stone reading against a stone target, and an air reading against an air target. When two guides seem to disagree, check which surface each one measured before you change your fire.
- Standard target: about 700°F (371°C) at the air and floor, according to Fontana Forni.
- Ooni target: 750°F (400°C) in the center of the stone, according to the Karu 16 manual.
- Upper range: up to 1000°F (538°C), depending on the pizza and dough.
How long does a wood pizza oven take to heat up?
A Fontana oven reaches about 700°F in around 30 minutes, while a traditional ceramic oven takes two to four hours, according to Fontana Forni. Reaching a wood pizza oven temperature of 700°F depends heavily on the oven design.
| Oven | Heat-up figure from the maker |
|---|---|
| Fontana Forni wood-fired oven | Around 30 minutes to about 700°F |
| Traditional ceramic oven | Two to four hours to the same level |
| Ooni Karu 16 | Ready for Neapolitan-style pizza in about 15 minutes |
The wide gap between oven designs is the main reason to treat heat-up times as a planning guide only. A modern oven built to heat fast can be ready in about the time it takes to prepare the dough, while a traditional ceramic oven is an afternoon project. Start the fire early the first few times, and note how long your own wood pizza oven takes to reach the floor target.
Once the oven reaches heat, let the fire burn down to embers before you cook. Fontana Forni says this step can take anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes, so add that time to your plan.
If you burn wood pellets instead of logs, our guide on how to use wood pellets in a pizza oven covers lighting and refilling for one model.
Should you measure the floor or the dome?
Measure the floor, where the pizza sits, because that is where the wood pizza oven temperature matters most for the crust. Fontana Forni sets its stone targets there, at about 750°F (399°C) for standard stones and 850°F (453°C) for Saputo stones.
| Stone type | Floor target |
|---|---|
| Standard stones | Around 750°F (about 399°C) |
| Saputo stones | Around 850°F (about 453°C) |
This is why a reading taken in the air can look ready while the stone is still catching up. Fontana Forni fits a thermometer to the outside of its ovens to gauge the stone, and a handheld infrared thermometer lets you check the floor at several spots. Read the stone just before each pizza, because the floor loses heat each time a pizza bakes.
The chamber air usually reaches the target before the stone floor, because heat rises. The dome reflects heat from the fire back down from several directions, which cooks the toppings, but it does not replace a floor reading.
Ooni’s Karu 16 guide agrees on the stone. It recommends an infrared thermometer to read the stone floor.
How do you measure the wood pizza oven temperature?
Fontana Forni reads stone temperature with a digital infrared thermometer and fits a thermometer to the outside of its ovens. Ooni’s Karu 16 guide also recommends an infrared thermometer to read the stone.
- Let the fire burn down to embers, which Fontana Forni says can take 20 to 45 minutes.
- Aim a digital infrared thermometer at the stone floor, where the pizza sits.
- Compare that reading with the oven’s built-in thermometer, which mostly reads the air.
Before the first cook, Ooni recommends running the oven at top temperature for 30 minutes to season it. Let it cool completely, then wipe it down with dry paper towels to remove oils left from manufacturing.
How do you lower or raise the temperature?
The chimney damper controls the wood pizza oven temperature, or how hot the oven gets. According to Fontana Forni, an open damper lowers the interior temperature, so adjust it once the fire catches. Its temperature control guide describes the start-up steps.
- At start-up, keep the door slightly open and the chimney damper fully open.
- Once the fire catches, close the damper about halfway.
- Add wood at a steady pace so the fire neither dies out nor grows too large.
Damper changes take a little time to show up on the stone, so make one adjustment and wait before you make another. If the wood pizza oven temperature drifts down between pizzas, add a little wood and let it catch rather than loading the oven in one go. Opening the damper is the first tool when your wood pizza oven temperature runs hotter than your target.
What if the oven runs too hot?
Ooni lists 950°F (500°C) as the design maximum for its Karu 16, and says to switch off the flame if the oven exceeds it. The same figure is a limit, not a target, so keep your wood pizza oven temperature below your own oven’s stated maximum.
Match the target to the pizza you want to make. Fontana Forni notes that some pizza and dough call for more heat than the standard level, and others for less, so test one pizza first. Charcoal ovens behave differently again, as the charcoal pizza oven heat guide shows.
When you finish, stop adding fuel and let the oven cool completely before you move, clean or store it. Check your manual for its own cool-down steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the floor read lower than the air?
Heat rises, so the chamber air in a wood pizza oven usually reaches the target before the stone floor does, according to Fontana Forni. Wait for the floor to catch up before you bake, and check it with an infrared thermometer rather than relying on the air alone.
Can an infrared thermometer read the air temperature?
No. Measuring a wood pizza oven temperature with infrared gives a floor reading, and Fontana Forni and Ooni both use it for the stone. Ooni reads ambient air with the oven’s inbuilt thermometer, so treat an infrared reading as a floor reading.
How long does a wood pizza oven take to heat up?
A Fontana oven reaches a wood pizza oven temperature of about 700°F in around 30 minutes. A traditional ceramic oven takes two to four hours, and the wait for the fire to die to embers can add another 20 to 45 minutes before you cook.
Should you measure the dome or the floor?
Measure the floor for the wood pizza oven temperature, since Fontana Forni sets its stone targets at about 750°F for standard stones and 850°F for Saputo stones. The dome reflects heat down onto the food, so it can read differently from the stone.
What is the highest temperature an Ooni oven should reach?
The Ooni Karu 16 is designed to run at up to 950°F (500°C), according to its manual, and the manual says to switch off the flame if it goes above that. Other ovens have their own limits, so check yours.
Do you need to season a new oven?
Yes, according to Ooni. Run the Karu 16 at top temperature for 30 minutes before the first cook, let it cool completely, then wipe it down with dry paper towels to remove manufacturing oils.
Start by heating the oven until the wood pizza oven temperature at the stone floor reaches your target, not just until the air feels hot. Use the damper to hold that level, and give the embers time to settle before you bake.