Can You Make A Pizza Stone From Clay?

What is a Pizza Stone?

A pizza stone is a baking stone used to create crispier crusts when making pizza at home. Unlike baking pizzas directly on metal pans, the porous material of a pizza stone absorbs moisture from the dough, resulting in a crisper crust. The stone also holds and distributes heat evenly, allowing the crust to cook through fully without burning.

Pizza stones are usually made from ceramic, stoneware, or cordierite. Ceramic and stoneware stones provide great heat retention and distribution. Cordierite stones can withstand rapid temperature changes without cracking. The material and thickness affect heat conduction. A thicker stone conducts less heat initially but retains heat well, while a thinner stone conducts heat quicker but may not retain it as long.

Benefits of a Pizza Stone

A pizza stone provides several advantages when baking pizza in a home oven:

• It prevents soggy crust by allowing air to circulate under the pizza, keeping the bottom crisp.

• The stone cooks the bottom of the pizza evenly so it gets nicely browned without burning.

• A pizza stone can be preheated in the oven, then the pizza is placed directly onto the hot surface for faster baking time.

With a quality pizza stone, you can achieve pizza shop-quality results right at home. The stone mimics the effects of a brick oven by absorbing moisture and distributing the heat evenly across the crust.

Can You Make a DIY Pizza Stone?

Yes, you can absolutely make your own pizza stone from clay at home. The key requirements are using a high-fire clay that can withstand the high temperatures inside an oven or grill, and properly shaping and firing the clay into a durable stone.

For a DIY pizza stone, you’ll want to choose a clay body rated for cone 10 (at least 2232°F) firing. Many pottery clays sold for handbuilding projects melt at much lower temperatures and won’t hold up as pizza stones. But high-fire clays, often used by ceramic artists for sculptural work, can be formed into the shape of a pizza stone and fired to create a customized baking surface.

Be sure to pound and compress the clay very thoroughly so there are no air pockets that could explode in the kiln. Smooth and flatten the clay into a circle or rectangle about 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Allow adequate drying time before firing to cone 10 according to the clay manufacturer’s instructions.

With proper high-fire clay and firing, it is possible to create a fully functional and durable homemade pizza stone with some effort. But not all clays are suitable, so choose carefully when opting for a DIY clay pizza stone versus purchasing a pre-made ceramic pizza stone.

Choosing the Right Clay

When making your own DIY pizza stone, it’s important to choose the right type of clay. The clay must be able to withstand the high temperatures inside an oven without cracking or exploding. The best clays to use are stoneware, fire clay, or porcelain:

• Stoneware or fire clay that fire to cone 6 or higher are good options. These clays become vitrified and dense when fired to higher temperatures, making them durable and resistant to thermal shock.
• Porcelain can also be used to make a pizza stone. Porcelain clays are extremely fine and fire to very high temperatures, resulting in a smooth, strong tile.
• Avoid using earthenware clays that fire to lower cone temperatures. Earthenware clays contain higher amounts of impurities and organic matter, making them prone to cracking if exposed to the high heat of an oven.

Be sure to check the specifications of any clay you purchase to ensure it reaches an adequate firing temperature for use as a baking stone. Using the proper high-fire clay will result in a hard, durable pizza stone that lasts for years.

Shaping and Firing the Clay

Once you have chosen the appropriate clay for your pizza stone, it’s time to shape it into the desired thickness and size. A typical pizza stone is usually around 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick. The thicker the stone, the more heat it can hold and radiate for better baking. For a standard home oven, a rectangle or circle shape between 14 to 16 inches works well.

Use your hands to form the clay into the preferred shape, smoothing out any cracks or uneven surfaces. You can use basic pottery tools like ribs or loop tools to further refine the shape. Allow your shaped clay to dry completely before firing. Firing hardens the clay by vitrifying it into ceramic material through exposure to high heat.

For pizza stones, the clay must be fired to a minimum temperature of 2100°F. This ensures the clay is hardened and can withstand the high heat of ovens during baking without cracking. Slowly ramp up the kiln temperature to 2100°F over several hours, hold it at that peak temperature for a period of time, then allow it to cool back down slowly. The firing and cooling process can take 24 hours or more. Once fired, your homemade pizza stone will be ready for use.

Testing the Pizza Stone

Once your DIY pizza stone has been fired and cooled completely, it’s important to test it out before using it to bake pizza from scratch. The best way to test your pizza stone is by doing a trial run with a frozen pizza.

Start by preheating your oven to the temperature recommended on the frozen pizza packaging, usually around 400°F. Place the frozen pizza directly on the clay pizza stone on the center oven rack. Check on the pizza at the minimum cook time, although you may need to bake it a little longer since the clay stone retains more heat.

Pay attention to how evenly the pizza bakes on the clay stone. Check the bottom and make sure it’s crispy and browned without any pale or uncooked spots. This will tell you if your clay pizza stone is distributing heat evenly. An uneven bake can indicate cracks or fissures in the clay.

After baking, turn off the oven and allow the pizza stone to cool completely inside. Then carefully inspect the surface for any cracks that may have formed during the initial firing. Small hairline cracks are generally not an issue, but large cracks across the surface can impact performance. If major cracking occurred, the clay stone may need to be remade.

With a successful test bake showing even pizza heating and no major cracks, your homemade clay pizza stone is ready for baking pizza dough from scratch!

Applying a Finish

After firing the homemade pizza stone, you may want to apply a food-safe sealant or glaze for extra protection and easier cleaning. However, an unglazed pizza stone surface provides better heat transfer from the oven to the pizza. The porous clay absorbs moisture from the dough, resulting in a crispy crust.

If opting to apply a finish, choose a glaze or sealant made specifically for high-heat cooking surfaces. A thick layer of glaze can inhibit heat transfer. Opt for a thin, smooth coat. Allow proper drying time before using the sealed pizza stone. Test on a small area first to ensure the finish withstands high temperatures without cracking or changing texture.

An unsealed, unglazed clay pizza stone will naturally darken and season with use. The porous surface will absorb oils and fats from the pizza over time. While this helps prevent sticking, it can make cleaning more difficult. Proper maintenance is required. An occasional deep cleaning to remove buildup is recommended to restore the stone’s performance.

Tips for Baking

To get the best results with your homemade pizza stone, follow these tips when baking pizzas:

Fully preheat the stone: Place the pizza stone in your oven on the center rack and allow the oven and stone to heat up completely to the desired baking temperature before adding pizza. This allows the stone to get hot evenly throughout to prevent hot spots or cold spots. For best results, preheat for at least 30-45 minutes prior to baking.

Sprinkle cornmeal: Lightly sprinkle cornmeal over the preheated pizza stone before you slide the pizza on to help prevent sticking. The cornmeal will also add some crispiness to the crust. Use just a small amount, about 1-2 tablespoons. Too much can burn and get smokey.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Allow the pizza stone to fully cool before cleaning. It is important not to run water over a hot pizza stone, as this can crack or break it. Let it cool completely, usually for at least a couple of hours.

Use a non-abrasive scrubber and mild dish soap to clean the surface. Avoid using anything too rough or abrasive that could scratch the surface. Stick to soft scrub brushes, sponges, or cloth rags.

Avoid soaking the pizza stone for extended periods of time. While a quick scrub with dish soap is fine, prolonged soaking can start to break down the material over time. Rinse thoroughly after washing and allow to air dry completely before storing or using again.

The Bottom Line

With the proper high-fire clay and firing temperatures, you can absolutely create your own DIY pizza stone at home. The key is choosing a clay that can withstand extremely high temperatures in order to crisp up pizza crusts nicely. Preparing the clay properly and firing it at the right heat will result in a durable, quality pizza stone.

A homemade pizza stone, when used correctly, can produce delicious pizza after pizza in your own oven. Let the stone preheat completely before baking, sprinkle it with cornmeal or semolina flour, and avoid any sudden temperature changes. With some care and effort upfront, your homemade pizza stone will function just as well as a store-bought one for years to come. Now you can enjoy homemade pizza any night of the week!