A wood fired pizza oven kit is a set of pre-formed components that you assemble on site instead of laying individual bricks. According to WebstaurantStore (2026), the Chicago Brick Oven CBO-500 ships with an oven, door, thermometer and several accessories, while the WPPO DIY Tuscany WPPO AD70 is a cast refractory body with a stainless steel flue and black door. Neither kit includes the concrete base, which is sold separately.
What is included in a wood fired pizza oven kit?
The CBO-500 is the fuller package, with accessories and insulation. The AD70 centres on the oven structure itself.
CBO-500 contents
According to WebstaurantStore (2026), the CBO-500 kit includes:
- The oven and a decorative door
- An infrared thermometer
- An anchor plate and an 18 gauge steel plate
- An insulating blanket and three insulating boards
- Mortar and ten bolts
- A pizza peel and a cleaning brush
The mortar and bolts are what join the parts during assembly, so keep them with the rest of the kit until you start work.
AD70 contents
The AD70 is cast from refractory cement. Its listed components are a 28” x 33” firebrick cooking space, a stainless steel flue and a black door. Check the supplier’s parts list before ordering for accessories, a thermometer or fixings.
Side-by-side specifications
| Feature | CBO-500 | WPPO AD70 |
|---|---|---|
| Door | Decorative door | Black door |
| Cooking surface | 22” x 27” | 28” x 33” firebrick |
| Shipping weight | 410 lb | 396 lb |
Which patio pizza oven kit size fits your space?
Choosing a kit comes down to two numbers: the cooking area where pizzas sit, and the overall footprint the oven occupies on your patio. The two kits compared here differ mainly in scale. The Chicago Brick Oven CBO-500 has a 22” wide by 27” deep cooking surface. The WPPO DIY Tuscany WDIY-AD70 has a 28” by 33” firebrick cooking space inside a body measuring 37” x 38” x 23”. Both kits require a 4-inch thick, level concrete slab.
Cooking surface compared
| Measurement | Chicago Brick Oven CBO-500 | WPPO DIY Tuscany WDIY-AD70 |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking surface width | 22” | 28” |
| Cooking surface depth | 27” | 33” |
| Cooking area (width × depth) | 594 square inches | 924 square inches |
The cooking area figures are calculated from the listed dimensions. On that basis, the WDIY-AD70 offers roughly 56% more cooking area than the CBO-500.
Overall footprint against your patio
The WDIY-AD70 body measures 37” x 38” (23” high), so its footprint works out to about 1,406 square inches, or roughly 9.8 square feet, before any surrounding clearance. The consulted retailer listings do not state the CBO-500’s overall footprint, so check the manufacturer’s drawing before measuring a slab. Measure the patio, then leave margin on every side for the slab edge and your working space around the oven.
Pizza fit per cooking surface
The consulted listings do not give recommended pizza diameters, so judge fit by geometry. For a round pizza, the diameter should be smaller than the shorter side of the cooking surface, with enough room left to slide a peel in and out. The shorter side is 22” on the CBO-500 and 28” on the WDIY-AD70. Measure your peel and the diameter you intend to bake, then compare those figures against the shorter side.
How much space and what base does a kit need?
Both kits need a dedicated base before anything else arrives. The Chicago Brick Oven CBO-500 must sit on a 4-inch (10 cm) thick, level, steel-reinforced concrete slab, and that slab is sold separately, so it must be planned and budgeted from the start. The WPPO DIY Tuscany WDIY-AD70 (the WPPO AD70) also requires a 4-inch thick, level concrete slab, with the slab and finish sold separately. According to WebstaurantStore (2026), the retailer page carrying the manufacturer’s specifications, these are the base requirements for both models.
Footprint and slab sizing
The listed dimensions show what the slab has to carry and how much room the oven occupies:
| Model | Listed dimensions | Shipping weight | Base requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Brick Oven CBO-500 | Cooking surface 22 in × 27 in | 410 lb | 4 in (10 cm) thick, level, steel-reinforced concrete, sold separately |
| WPPO DIY Tuscany WDIY-AD70 | Overall 37 in × 38 in × 23 in; firebrick cooking space 28 in × 33 in | 396 lb (≈180 kg) | 4 in (10 cm) thick, level concrete, sold separately |
Size the slab from the manufacturer’s overall dimensions for your chosen kit, plus working room around the oven.
Clearance and level ground
Check the manufacturer’s installation documentation before choosing a location. The ground must be level, because both kits require a level slab.
What the weight figures mean
The shipping weight is the number to plan around for delivery. The sources do not state an installed or operating weight, so do not use the shipping figure as a verified load rating for the slab.
Is a wood fired pizza oven kit hard to assemble?
A wood fired pizza oven kit is a masonry-style project rather than flat-pack furniture. How hard the build is depends on your experience with heavy materials and on how closely you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Because the parts are heavy, plan to have help, and check the manufacturer’s instructions for the assembly time, the tools and the number of helpers required.
Build sequence
Kits in this category are assembled in layers, and each layer depends on the one below it. According to WebstaurantStore (2026), the Chicago Brick Oven CBO-500 kit includes an anchor plate, an 18 gauge steel plate, and three insulating boards, along with the oven body itself. The retailer listing does not give an assembly sequence, so follow the manufacturer’s manual for the order in which the anchor plate, steel plate, insulating boards and oven body go together.
Handling mortar and refractory cement
Kits use different bonding materials. The CBO-500 includes mortar, while the WPPO DIY Tuscany WDIY-AD70 is cast from refractory cement. Mix only the amount you can place within the working time stated on the product packaging, and keep the material covered to prevent it from drying out before use. Clean tools and surfaces promptly, since set material is difficult to remove.
Weight, helpers, and lifting
The shipping weights show why extra hands matter:
| Kit | Shipping weight | Overall size | Cooking surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Brick Oven CBO-500 | 410 lb | Not listed in the retailer data | 22” wide x 27” deep |
| WPPO DIY Tuscany WDIY-AD70 | 396 lb | 37” x 38” x 23” | 28” x 33” firebrick space |
Both figures are from WebstaurantStore (2026). Components of this weight should be moved with a hand truck, a lifting aid, or at least two or three adults.
WebstaurantStore (2026) states that the CBO-500 is UL 2162 and ULC C2162 compliant when properly installed.
Do codes and safety rules apply to a patio oven?
Yes. A patio oven is a permanent wood-burning appliance, so checking the rules before you buy or install is worthwhile. Three areas matter: listed product standards, local ventilation requirements, and clearance to combustible materials. Confirm the listed standards for each kit you are considering.
Listed standards
The Chicago Brick Oven CBO-500 DIY kit is described as fully compliant with UL 2162 and ULC C2162 when properly installed (WebstaurantStore, 2026). The qualifier matters: the claim depends on how the oven is built on site, so the listing alone does not confirm that a finished installation meets the standards.
Do not assume the WPPO DIY Tuscany WDIY-AD70 kit carries the same listing.
Ventilation and local authority checks
The same CBO-500 listing advises buyers to consult a local authority about ventilation codes for wood-fired ovens (WebstaurantStore, 2026). Ventilation rules are set locally.
Before you pour a base or choose a location, contact your local building or fire authority. Give them the model name and the planned position of the oven, then ask about ventilation requirements for a wood-fired oven at that address. Request the answer in writing so you have a record for your files.
Clearance to combustibles
Do not borrow a figure from another product.
Which wood fired kit suits your pizza style?
The right kit depends on how much cooking floor you need and how well the oven holds a high, steady heat. The two kits in this comparison differ mainly in floor size. The Chicago Brick Oven CBO-500 has a 22” wide by 27” deep cooking surface, while the WPPO DIY Tuscany WDIY-AD70 has a 28” by 33” firebrick cooking space. The AD70’s listed maximum temperature is 600-800°F, according to WebstaurantStore (2026).
Floor size: room for larger pies
| Kit | Cooking floor | Floor area (calculated) |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Brick Oven CBO-500 | 22” × 27” | 594 sq in |
| WPPO DIY Tuscany WDIY-AD70 | 28” × 33” firebrick | 924 sq in |
In practice, the AD70 lets you slide a larger pie onto the floor without the crust hanging over the edges, or bake two smaller pies side by side.
Heat ceiling and what the listed range means
The 600-800°F figure is the maximum listed for the AD70. It describes the top of the range, not a target for every bake. Before you choose a kit, match your pizza style to the heat you can actually reach and hold on the floor, then check the oven’s listed limit.
Neapolitan versus New York style
- Neapolitan pies are small and are normally baked fast at very high heat. They suit a smaller floor.
- New York style pies are wider and are usually baked somewhat longer at a more moderate heat.
Measure the floor temperature yourself with the infrared thermometer or your own probe before baking.
Choosing your kit
- Choose the CBO-500 if you bake one or two pies at a time and have limited space.
- Choose the AD70 if you want a larger cooking floor, for bigger pies or several pies per session.
- The sources list a maximum temperature only for the AD70 (600-800°F) and none for the CBO-500, so confirm heat performance with the manufacturer for your pizza style.
- Compare your largest pie’s diameter with the floor width of each kit before you buy.
Fuel, heat-up and first fires
Fuel choice and the first few fires decide whether a new wood fired pizza oven kit dries and cures without damage. Use seasoned hardwood, keep its moisture content low, and build the heat in small steps across several sessions rather than lighting one large fire. The mortar and insulating layers hold water from installation, and that water must leave slowly before the oven can take sustained high heat.
Choosing and preparing hardwood
Hardwood is the usual choice for a pizza oven, and the species matters less than how dry the wood is. Seasoned logs, split and stored under cover for a long period, burn with less smoke. Green or wet wood smoulders, produces heavy smoke and deposits soot on the dome. Before use, check that each piece feels light for its size, has cracks at the ends, and sounds hollow when two pieces are knocked together. Keep the stock off the ground and protected from rain.
Gradual drying schedule for new mortar
Fresh mortar and insulation need a gradual drying process. Heating too fast can crack joints and trap steam inside the structure. Work through these stages:
| Stage | Fire | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Initial drying | Small kindling fire, door open | Let surface moisture escape |
| 2. Gentle build | Small fires repeated over several sessions, door partly open | Drive moisture out of deeper layers |
| 3. Heat-up | Progressively larger fires, door closed for longer periods | Bring the cooking floor to working temperature |
| 4. Stabilising | Normal fires once readings stop changing | Confirm the structure holds heat |
Let the oven cool fully between sessions during the early stages, since repeated rapid heating and cooling stresses fresh joints.
Reading the infrared thermometer
The CBO-500 kit includes an infrared thermometer, which measures the surface temperature it is aimed at, not the air inside the oven. Aim it at the centre of the cooking floor and at the inner walls, never at the flames. Take readings after the surface has stopped changing for a while. Compare the floor reading with the dome reading: a large difference means heat is still moving through the structure, so keep the next fire gentle.
Frequently asked questions
Does a wood fired pizza oven kit come with its base?
Neither kit includes a foundation, so you need to prepare one yourself. The CBO-500 needs a 4” thick, level slab with steel reinforcement, and the AD70 needs a 4” thick, level concrete slab, with both slabs sold separately.
Which kit gives me more room to cook?
The WPPO AD70 has the larger cooking surface, a 28” x 33” firebrick floor, compared with 22” x 27” on the Chicago Brick Oven CBO-500. Confirm the CBO-500’s overall footprint with the supplier before you check whether it fits your patio.
What maximum temperature can each kit reach?
The listed maximum temperature for the WPPO AD70 is 600-800°F. Ask the manufacturer for the CBO-500’s heat limit before you choose which pizza style to bake.
