Understanding Firing

Firing is the process of heating clay until it transforms from a soft material into hard ceramic. The firing process happens in two stages, meaning you’ll have to fire your work twice:

Bisque Firing: Around 950°C/1800°F. It strengthens the clay and prepares it for glazing.

Glaze Firing: In between 1150°C/2100°F and 2300°C/4150°F, depending on the glaze and clay body. This firing melts the glaze into a finished surface.

Please remember: the clay must be completely dry before going into the kiln. Trapped moisture can cause cracking or explosions during firing!

Where to fire

If you don’t own a kiln, firing your work at a community studios is a great alternative. No community studio nearby? Check out Kiln Share for a list of friendly potters renting out theirs!

Make sure to ask about the following when contacting a studio or fellow ceramicists:

- how they work: do they fire per oven, per item or per weight, and how much they charge
- to what temperatures are they firing to (make sure to let them know what clay and glaze you used!)
- the turnaround time 
- if you're making big pieces, the dimensions of their kiln

If you're firing outside your home, make sure to be careful with your greenware (unfired clay) items when transporting. Greenware is extremely fragile, it would be a shame to have a breakage!

The glazing process isn't just art or decoration, it's part science - different glazes will behave differently on different clay bodies and firing temperatures. Keep notes and don’t be afraid to experiment! You can always use our printable glaze sheets to easily record the process.