Enjoy a perfect slice of backyard life by making a DIY pizza oven stand.
No day full of family, friends, and fun is complete without a great dinner to close out the night — and pizza makes for the perfect topping to any backyard party.
Follow along with Doug Scott, landscape designer and host of Exmark’s Done-In-A-Weekend project series, to learn how to build a DIY pizza oven station.
This DIY outdoor pizza oven stand will complement any grilling area. (Exmark)
Pressure-treated boards will stand up to the outdoor elements. (Exmark)
Materials
Legs
(4) 2 inch x 2 inch x 32 inch pressure-treated boards
Frames
(4) 1-inch x 4-inch x 26 1/4 in. pressure-treated boards
(4) 1 in. x 4 in. x 34 1/2 in. pressure-treated boards
(1) 1 in. x 4 in. x 24 1/2 in. pressure-treated board
Cleats
(2) 1 in. x 2 in. x 31 1/2 in. pressure-treated boards
(2) 2 in. x 2 in. x 21 3/4 in. pressure-treated boards
Top
(5) 2 in. x 6 in. x 48 in. pressure-treated boards
Shelf
(10) 1 in. x 4 in. x 24 1/2 in. pressure-treated boards
Riser
(7) 1 in. x 4 in. x 21 in. pressure-treated boards
(2) 1 in. x 4 in. x 24 1/2 in. pressure-treated boards
Backboard
(9) 1 in. x 4 in. x 24 in. pressure-treated boards
(2) 1 in. x 4 in. x 53 1/2 in. pressure-treated boards
How to Build a Pizza Oven Station
The two 1-inch x 4-inch boards give the legs extra support. (Exmark)
1. Take two of the 2-inch x 2-inch leg boards and one of the 1-inch x 4-inch x 34 1/2-inch frame boards. Place the 2-inch x 2-inch boards on both ends of the 1-inch x 4-inch board, making sure to align the edges and corners.
Then, take the other 1-inch x 4-inch board and repeat the step above for the other end of the 2-inch x 2-inch leg boards, but instead align it about five inches from the end of the leg board.
This 1-inch x 2-inch cleat will hold up the bottom shelf boards. (Exmark)
2. Screw a 1-inch x 2-inch cleat horizontally along this second 1-inch x 4-inch board, making sure it’s aligned between the 2-inch x 2-inch leg boards.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the second pair of legs.
The 1-inch x 4-inch x 26 1/4-inch frame boards complete the frame for the top. (Exmark)
4. Stand up both sets of legs, making sure the ends with the 1-inch x 4-inch boards are flush with the ground, and that the sides with the cleats are pointed inwards. Take the 1-inch x 4-inch x 26 1/4-inch frame boards and use them to connect the two sets of legs, screwing them into the corners of all four frame boards.
5. Flip the build over.
These notches make the bottom shelf line up flush with the frame boards (Exmark)
6. Next, take two of the 1-inch x 4-inch shelf boards and cut out a 2-inch x 2-inch square on the corner of each end of both boards. These squares should be on the same side of the boards.
Screw the newly cut board onto the cleat. (Exmark)
7. Take your newly cut boards and nest them in between the top frame boards, making sure the square you just cut out is flush with the leg boards, and screwing them into the 1-inch x 2-inch cleats.
The bottom boards should be spaces enough for water to drain. (Exmark)
8. Then, take the remainder of the shelf boards and screw them in between the two you just placed.
This middle board gives the top more support. (Exmark)
9. Screw the 1-inch x 4-inch x 24 1/2-inch frame board, aligned horizontally, into the middle of the top 1-inch x 4-inch x 34 1/2-inch boards.
The top boards will be screwed into these front and back cleat boards. (Exmark)
10. Screw 1-inch x 2-inch cleat boards on the front and back of the very top of the build.
Just like on the bottom shelf, the top shelf boards should have some space between them. (Exmark)
11. Take all five of the top boards and screw them into place, using the cleats you just installed.
The backboard support boards should be spaced about 5 or 6 inches apart. (Exmark)
12. Take the 1-inch x 4-inch x 53 1/2-inch backboards and screw one to line up vertically with the back left corner of the build. Screw the next board in, spaced out about five or six inches to the right of the first.
The riser boards should extend 1 inch off of the inner backboard. (Exmark)
13. Take the other 1-inch x 4-inch x 21-inch riser boards and screw them horizontally in front of the vertical boards you just installed, aligning them so the right vertical support is one inch off the end of the 1-inch x 4-inch x 24-inch boards.
The oven platform creates space for utensils under the pizza oven. (Exmark)
14. Finally, put together the oven platform by placing the 1-inch x 4-inch x 24 1/2-inch boards on their sides (long ways) and screwing the 1-inch x 4-inch x 21-inch boards to adjoin them, making sure all the corners are flush.
Watch the video to see how it’s built!
Of course, no build is complete without the paint or stain to match your backyard aesthetic, and the necessary sealer to help it withstand everything Mother Nature will throw at it.
Once your DIY outdoor pizza oven stand is assembled, all that’s left to do is invite your friends and family over, buy the ingredients and bake away!
Looking to breathe new life into your outdoor spaces? Look no further than simple, cost-effective DIY projects. Exmark’s Done-In-A-Weekend project series will help you enjoy a better backyard life!
That said, there have been plenty of tasks that have come as a surprise since becoming a homeowner — things I used to leave to a landlord or, more often, leave totally unattended because I didn’t realize they even needed to be done.
But when I was working on redoing our bathroom last fall, I hit a snag that came with a pricey lesson. I had hoped to replace our standard-issue low-neck faucet with something more modern and stylish, which the internet assured me I could totally do. I assembled my tools, I pulled up my YouTube videos, and I slid myself underneath the vanity to get to work.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get far. I knew that step one to any project involving plumbing was to turn off the water locally. That meant reaching under the sink to turn two shutoff valves — one for hot, one for cold — so that they were completely blocked and no water would make its way from the main water line to the sink. I turned on the water at the sink so I had real-time feedback on my progress. I turned the handle that controlled the left valve, which turned off without issue. Then, I turned the handle for the right valve until I couldn’t any more. I looked up to the sink, and the water was still running. Huh.
Over two hours, I fussed and futzed over the two handles, using my hands, my hands plus grippy rubber bands, my hands plus pliers, and my hands plus WD-40 to try to get the valve to close. And while I was able to turn the actual handle, the valve housed inside of it would. not. close. Nothing worked. Finally, I gave up and called a plumber.
Backup was thankfully fast to arrive, and even faster to fix the issue. It turns out the shutoff valves in my 65-year-old house had become sticky over time, a common issue among older homes. My bill came to around $200 to have the plumber replace the old valves with new ones that would effectively open and close when you turned them, allowing me to (hours later) finish my full remodel.
While he was working, my plumber told me a secret: This pricey visit could have been avoided by giving the shutoff valves under the vanity a little workout by fully closing and opening them a couple times about once a month — a chore that takes literal seconds. Giving those valves a bit of a stretch helps prevent mineral buildup that can lead to them sticking in the future.
Functional shutoff valves aren’t just important for doing DIY home upgrades like I was. In the event of an emergency — an overflowing toilet, a clogged sink — the shutoff valves help you to cut off the water supply to the affected fixture. If you’ve ever tried to staunch an overflowing toilet, you know how important that can be.
Since my plumber’s visit, I’ve been periodically giving all the valves in my house a little twist. It’s not always once a month; usually it’s just when I remember to do it, but that’s better than nothing. When you think of it, try to give yours a stretch, too. It could save you from paying hundreds of dollars for a plumber visit — or even thousands for repairing avoidable water damage.
Megan is a writer and editor who specializes in home upgrades, DIY projects, hacks, and design. Before Apartment Therapy, she was an editor at HGTV Magazine and This Old House Magazine. Megan has a degree in Magazine Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She is a self-taught weighted blanket connoisseur.
Britt is a stargazer and sunrise-chaser with a collection of magic erasers, and a fascination with the fantastic. A storyteller at heart, she finds inspiration in all the small things, and can likely be found singing show tunes, catching up on K-dramas, or going on adventures to satiate her natural-born wanderlust. (Sometimes even all at the same time.)
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
My cat, housemate, and I live in a small apartment in a questionably secure walk-up — cue the violins. Since you’re either a regular here and are familiar with our city living conundrums or you’re here for help working through your own, let me cut to the chase: The Floyd Sectional was custom-made to fit my space perfectly, hand-delivered directly into my living room, and survived (nay, thrived) through a month’s worth of red wine spills and my cat’s incessant scratching. It has proved itself to be the sofa to end all modern, modular, customizable, pet- and mess-friendly upholstered sofas. Plus, now through July 4, you can get it for 15 percent off!
It took me all of 10 minutes with a tape measure and Floyd’s Sectional Builder to design my own perfect sofa — admittedly one of the quickest decisions I’ve ever made. Because there isn’t a Cheesecake Factory menu-amount of options when you’re choosing your modules, colors, and add-ons, the experience isn’t overwhelming. That said, everything you could need, from neutral off-white and rich green upholstery options to multiple right, left, and middle sections, give you more than enough customization possibilities. I opted for the off-white fabric in order to really put it to the mess test.
Supply chain issues gave my anticipation for delivery a few weeks to build, but instead of delivery day being expectedly chaotic, it didn’t involve breaking a sweat carrying boxes nor did it involve breaking any down afterward. The Sectional was carried in pieces and placed exactly where I wanted it in a matter of minutes. I was instantly able to toss some throws on it and get right to the best part: lounging. And, boy, does this sofa suit the job. The Sectional is designed to be wider than your average sofa, and since those few extra inches don’t feel like they actually take up much more room, the difference in terms of comfort is drastic. It’s not the kind of couch you sink down into, which is very much my preference. I can sit, lay, and even sleep supported on the Sectional, and it’s not challenging to get up from (and I’m certainly not groggy or sore when I do).
Yes, the Sectional is certainly handsome and ideal for most every decor style and home size, but I was concerned by how much it looked like a beacon for my cat’s restless paws when it arrived. It’s now been a month of unregulated scratching and claw-assisted stretching, and only a single thread on the Sectional’s upholstery has managed to come loose. It was easily snipped to reveal the sofa just as it was the day I got it. My concern soon shifted from my cat to myself: How long would it take for me to totally ruin this off-white sofa?
The good news is that multiple red wine spills, acrylic paint splatters, and mysterious stains haven’t been any match for the coated and stain-resistant Floyd upholstery. The best part about this is that the Sectional doesn’t have the look or feel of coated polyester, but it gives you all of the material’s easy-to-clean benefits. Plus, it’s thousands of dollars less than others we’ve seen of its quality and caliber (especially now that it’s on sale). This sofa is truly everything I’ve been looking for, and for now, at least one of my city life conundrums has been resolved.
Heather Bien is a Washington, D.C.-based freelance writer whose work has appeared on MyDomaine, The Knot, Martha Stewart Weddings, HelloGiggles, and more. You’ll often find her making pitstops for roadside antique shops, drooling over original hardwood floors, or perfecting her latte recipe.
