How to Make a Pizza Peel

Watch this video and learn how to make a pizza peel (the big wooden spatula you’ve seen at wood-fired pizza restaurants) This useful, attractive, sturdy, Pin-worthy and giftable project is simple enough for beginners and would make a fun family project. Techniques discussed and demonstrated by WWGOA’s master woodworker George Vondriska include cutting wood with a band saw, gluing, clamping, planing, and sanding.

The easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for how to make a pizza peel include:

Materials and Sizing

Find out which hardwoods to use (maple, walnut and cherry were used in project shown in the video), how to lay out the wood and the tools that make this project a snap.

Assembly and Glue-Up

Learn what kind of glue to use and how to keep the glued-up pieces lined up. Kids will enjoy brushing on the glue.

Flattening the Peel and Adding the Handle

Discover a new tool! A cabinet scraper makes flattening the wood a cinch. Next you build up the handle and cut it to a comfortable length.

Shaping the Peel

Learn how to make curves with everyday items like washers and cans, plus a trammel point.

Cut the Peel to Shape

Choose from a hand-tool or power-tool method for how to make a pizza peel’s beveled edge. Then it’s more sanding and finishing before you test out your peel on your favorite pizza pie!

After you’ve made a pizza peel for everyone on your gift list, get inspired with more woodworking project ideas from WWGOA.