What are the pros and cons of an indoor vs. outdoor vs. sunroom wood oven?

[Snoochers]

I'm likely having a house built this year. I like the idea of having a wood-fired oven because I will likely be harvesting my own wood and the like. I could have the pizza oven indoors (i.e., within the thermal envelope of the house), but this would cost about $7000 in additional square footage (builder charges ~250$ a square foot). Alternatively, I could have the pizza oven outdoors and build it down the road, which is nice since this offers some flexibility. Another option I'm tempted by is to have the wood oven connected to a screened patio, which would allow me to use it 3 seasons a year (cold winters here) without worry of precipitation.

What are the pros and cons of an indoor vs. outdoor vs. sunroom wood oven? I'm not looking for specific build instructions yet, more so the big picture variables I should consider when making this decision. How do I decide?

EDIT: actually I just thought of another option which might be great. What if the pizza oven was outdoors and only the door to the oven breached the thermal envelope of the house? In other words, I'd have this 5x5x5 oven (or whatever) right next to an exterior wall and the opening would go into the kitchen. Thoughts?

[DanielF]

I can't speak to the pros and cons since I'm in the same boat as you to some extent, although I'm building my own house myself and made allowances for a pizza oven, so financially it's a bit different for me. But as a Stone Mason with some experience with fireplaces I can say that - depending on your climate location - building and oven or fireplace with the mass of masonry bridging the thermal envelope of the house is never a good idea - especially if you're building new with attention to efficiency.

From a cost of construction standpoint outdoors is going to be significantly less expensive, but you'll have to also weigh convenience of use and how much the climate where you live will allow you to utilize the oven outdoors. If I lived in Arizona there's no doubt I'd have one outdoors. Here in northern NY between the cold, rain, and terrible mosquitoes where I live, having an oven outdoors means me having to build a screened in structure at the very least.

[Snoochers]

I can't speak to the pros and cons since I'm in the same boat as you to some extent, although I'm building my own house myself and made allowances for a pizza oven, so financially it's a bit different for me. But as a Stone Mason with some experience with fireplaces I can say that - depending on your climate location - building and oven or fireplace with the mass of masonry bridging the thermal envelope of the house is never a good idea - especially if you're building new with attention to efficiency.

From a cost of construction standpoint outdoors is going to be significantly less expensive, but you'll have to also weigh convenience of use and how much the climate where you live will allow you to utilize the oven outdoors. If I lived in Arizona there's no doubt I'd have one outdoors. Here in northern NY between the cold, rain, and terrible mosquitoes where I live, having an oven outdoors means me having to build a screened in structure at the very least.

Thank you for this! I would also be in the north so climate would significantly limit my ability to use an exterior wood oven. But building it inside would cost a helluvalot, and building outside, as you say, would breach the thermal envelop. So, perhaps having it in a three-season sunroom is the way to go and perhaps with the fire from a stove it would keep the place usable 300 days a year.

[UtahBeehiver]

Look at SableSprings outbuilding. He did a very nice outbuilding for his pizza oven. I have not seen him post lately but his build thread is on the forum.

[Gulf]

Hi Snoochers,

It looks like that you are leaning toward a seasonal type room for tje oven. It personally think that is the best option for a Northern climate. Here is a link to a recent and similar thread about an indoor oven that may have some things for you to consider before the build. Indoor pizza oven feasibility

[Snoochers]

Thanks for the thoughts Gulf! Perhaps building in a sunroom is the best bet. I'll think on this for a while!