2026 Oven Building Challenge

October 6–11 | Your Build Site

This fall, Unbound Earth School and The Wood-Fired Community are bringing community members together for an Earth Oven Build Challenge!

We’re encouraging people to form teams of 5–10 individuals and gather during our first annual Hearth & Hands Convergence, (October 6-11) to build a wood-fired pizza oven together.

Each team will build a 20–32 inch wood-fired oven using one of the most abundant natural materials in our region: clay-rich earth.

Build as a Team

Every team will need a team captain to help organize the group, coordinate materials, and oversee the build from start to finish.

You don’t need to be an experienced builder to participate. The challenge is designed to be a hands-on learning experience where people can learn from one another, experiment with natural building techniques, and have fun building something together.

Find a Place to Build

Every oven will need a suitable foundation and a roof or shelter.

The shelter can be as simple as a small roof designed to protect the oven from rain, or it can become part of something larger—a future outdoor kitchen or gathering space.

If you’re local to Seneca, SC and if your team doesn’t have a build site, we’re currently networking with several local nonprofits and community organizations that may be able to host teams.

Build on a Budget

One of the goals of the challenge is to demonstrate how affordable an earthen oven can be.

We estimate that a basic oven can be built for around $300, depending on how many materials your team can source inexpensively or obtain through friends, local resources, Marketplace, salvage, or donations.

The foundation, chimney, tools, and especially a larger roof or outdoor kitchen structure can increase the overall cost.

More Than an Oven

The goal isn’t simply to build a pizza oven.

It’s about building together.

Throughout the week, teams will have an opportunity to share ideas, learn natural building techniques, experiment with different approaches, and connect with other people interested in clay, fire, food, and community.

At the end of the challenge, you can bring everyone together to fire up the ovens, cook some food, and celebrate what we’ve built.

We’ll Help You Get Ready

You don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

Unbound Earth School will be releasing a free oven-building course in the coming weeks to serve as your guide to designing and building your own wood-fired earth oven.

Over the next couple of months, there will also be plenty of opportunities through The Wood-Fired Community to join the conversation, ask questions, share ideas, and work together to plan your build.

We’ll also be hosting hands-on oven-building workshops where you can get your hands in the mud, learn the techniques, and gain some practical experience before taking on your team’s build.

The goal is to create a support network around the challenge so that no team has to build alone.

Gather a team. Find some clay. Build something together.

Teams can partner with one of our local nonprofit organizations that would like to host an oven during the Convergence, or a team captain can organize and build at a site of their choosing. Challenge winners will receive recognition in the following categories: -Best Overall Construction & Design

-Best Use of Salvaged Materials

-Best Hand Sculpting

-Best Community Engagement The easiest way to get involved is by joining our free community on Skool here and get ready to dive in! Digital course begins rolling out on August 15th. Please send any questions to unboundearthschool@gmail.com

Thanks for your support and interest!