Getting Your Valoriani Wood-Fired Oven Ready for Spring

As spring really starts to blossom, it’s time to bring your wood-fired oven out of hibernation. After months of disuse, your oven may needs a little check-up, before it’s ready to fire up again. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get your wood-fired pizza oven back into action for a season of great outdoor cooking.

1. Inspecting Your Oven

Before lighting your first fire of the year, check your pizza oven for any signs of wear and tear:

• Cracks or damage: A Valoriani wood-fired oven should not have cracks or damage, unless some external force has damaged the oven.  However, other pizza ovens are not constructed of the same robust and fit-for-purpose materials, so you should inspect any such oven carefully.  If damaged – or crumbling – why not give us a call and see how you could upgrade to a Valoriani wood-fired oven?  
• Moisture build-up: If your oven has been exposed to rain or damp conditions, it may have absorbed moisture, and need to be carefully dried out. This could be the case, if you have applied render to the dome of a DIY pizza oven – something we do not recommend in the UK, due to our heavy rainfall and lack of strong sunny days to dry render out.
• Flue and chimney check: Make sure there are no obstructions, such as debris, bird nests, or soot build-up.

2. Cleaning Your Oven

A good clean-up ensures optimal performance. Follow these steps:

• Sweep out old ash and soot, using a stiff brush or vacuum designed for fine ash.  You may have left soot in there, following your last fire-up of 2024.
• Wipe down the exterior of your oven with warm, soapy water to remove dirt and stains.
• Clean the chimney with a brush if there’s noticeable soot accumulation.

3. Drying Out Your Oven

If your oven has absorbed moisture, lighting a high-temperature fire immediately can cause damage. Instead, follow a slow drying-out process:

• Start with a small fire using dry kindling and let it burn for 2-3 hours.
• Gradually increase the fire size over several days to fully dry the oven walls.
• If you see steam or moisture escaping, continue with small fires until that stops appearing.

4. Heating Up Your Oven Properly

Once your oven is fully dried out, you’re ready to bring your oven up to cooking temperature:

• Stay compliant with woodburning regulations, by using only kiln-dried/ready to burn wood in your oven.
• Start with a small fire and let it build gradually to around 300-400°C.
• Allow the heat to distribute evenly before you start cooking, to ensure a consistent temperature.

5. Maintaining Your Oven Throughout the Season

• Regularly remove ash to prevent airflow blockages and maintain efficiency.
• Consider keeping the oven covered, when not in use, to protect it from rain and dirt.
• Inspect the chimney and flue on a monthly basis, to ensure proper ventilation.
• Use a damp cloth to wipe down the oven door and exterior, if applicable, to keep the oven looking great.

6. Fire It Up and Start Cooking!

With your Valoriani oven cleaned, dried, and heated, it’s time to start cooking! Whether it’s incredible Neapolitan pizzas, roasted meats, or flavoursome vegetables that you want to turn out, you now have an oven in peak condition for a season of incredible wood-fired meals.

Whether you have a fully built-in wood-fired oven in your garden, or a ready-to-go Fornino oven, you’ll ensure your Valoriani it is ready to deliver top-quality cooking all spring and summer long, if you follow these steps.

Call us on 07743 847647, if you need to upgrade your oven and buy one that will last for many springs to come.

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Editors notes

Orchard Ovens is the domestic and commercial pizza oven supplier in the UK of Valoriani, based in Reggello, Tuscany - the manufacturer of Italy's hugely respected Valoriani pizza ovens, known as the Maserati of pizza ovens and the kings of clay. These ovens are made from superb refractory clay - cotto clay - found in the family's quarry and unique, thanks to having just the right alumina. This allows Valoriani ovens to heat up quickly and retain heat superbly, bring huge advantages to homeowners, as well as restaurant owners, hotels, pubs, mobile caterers, pizzerias, takeaways and more.

Orchard Ovens supplies some of Britain's best-known restaurants and chefs, whilst it is also a specialist creator of outdoor kitchens and wood-fired oven builds for the rich and famous, as well as everyday homeowners wishing to add value to their home and enjoy an outdoor lifestyle to the full.