Homemade Pizza Peel

Pizza peels are helpful in removing a pizza from the oven.

Any good pizza chef or pizza enthusiast can use a pizza peel to pull pizza in and out of the oven without creating a mess. A pizza peel can also be used with breads or other baked goods. Creating your own pizza peel is a fun and easy project that will save you the time and money it would take to purchase a professional grade peel. It also saves you the work of cleaning pans when a pizza sticks.

Things You'll Need

• Large piece of 3/8 inch or 1/2 inch plywood
• Pencil
• Table saw
• Belt sander
• Drill
• 1/4 inch T-nuts
• Bolts
• Finishing oil

Instructions

1. Use a pencil to outline a square on the plywood measuring 14-by-14 inches and a small strip measuring 10 inches long. Cut the shapes using a table saw.

2. Use the 10 inch scrap to outline and cut a strip the same size for the other side of the handle. Cut a notch on the end of both strips to measure the width of the piece of wood you are using for the paddle to ensure the handle will attach securely to the paddle.

3. Sand the edges of the paddle to make them smooth and rounded. Sand the handle pieces except where you will attach the handle to the plywood paddle.

4. Connect the paddle with the handle and drill two holes into the handle and paddle. Put the T-nuts into the holes.

5. Turn the paddle over and insert the bolts on the top side and tighten the bolts securely. Take the paddle apart and finish it with a finishing oil if desired. Let the paddle dry before reassembling.

Tips & Warnings

• Pizza ingredients might work better with a peel that isn't finished with a finishing oil, but it won't damage the pizza.

• Do not tighten bolts too much or the wood will split.

• You can also use a drum disk or a flap grind to sand your peel.

References

• Mike Senese: Make your own Pizza Peel
• Grampa's Workshop: More than just a Pizza Paddle