There are two basic ways to build a wood fired oven:
Both solutions have advantages and disadvantages. With prefabricated wood fired ovens, you are relying on the experience and competence of the manufacturer and your local retailer. Similar model ovens purchased from the same retailer can function very differently simply because they are situated in different locations. When building a wood fired oven, an important consideration is the altitude and position of the oven relative to the direction of prevailing breezes and the location of objects such as plants and buildings. These factors have a major impact on the functioning of the individual ovens, and an oven that works well in one location may not function well in elsewhere.
If on the other hand you choose to build a wood fired oven yourself (or have one built for you), the oven can be custom built to your particular requirements and can be more closely adapted to its architectural environment. Depending on your requirements, a custom built oven can be more expensive depending on its location, method of construction and the types of materials used.
The first question to address is where to locate the wood fired oven: inside the house, outside in the open air or perhaps under a roof, verandah or pergola of some kind?
In colder climates it is probably best to locate the oven inside the house or a dedicated structure in order to facilitate the leavening process and to avoid excessive fluctuations in temperature. The obvious place to locate the oven is the kitchen, if sufficient space is available, as that where food is most easily prepared. In more temperate climates, a wood fired oven can be located outdoors, in the garden or perhaps under some type of canopy affording protection from the rain.
Having identified a suitable location, the next question is which materials to use for construction of the wood fired oven. One of the best materials is hand made bricks which, compared to factory pressed bricks, have a greater resistance to high temperatures. Hand made bricks warm up more slowly and retain heat longer. Factory pressed bricks typically suffer from excessive compression during the manufacturing process, resulting in a limited capacity for thermal expansion which can cause splitting and cracking in the brick. Another good material for wood fired ovens is refractory or fire bricks, which are designed to withstand temperatures up to 1600°C, but have the disadvantage of dissipating heat more quickly.