How to fire clay at home

Like many of you I started my pottery adventures by painting a ceramic piece. It was fun to be able to decorate something that you could use later on.

After that, I became curious…

How can I fire pottery?
Can I do it at home?

To my initial disappointment, no, you cannot fire your ceramic pieces at home in your conventional oven, you need a kiln.

A kiln is a special oven that fires at very high temperatures to curate your clay and transform it.
Ceramic pieces usually require two firings:

• Bisque: It’s the process where the firing extracts all moisture from the clay leaving it hard.

• Glaze: It’s the process where the firing transforms the glazed piece into shiny glass.

The pieces that you might have painted at a ceramics shop are usually bisqued pieces. What you are adding when you paint it’s underglaze or maybe even glaze, meaning, there’s a second firing (glaze) that needs to be done to have your piece finished.

Bisque temperatures range from 1728 F to 1945 F. The temperature is determined by the type of clay you use. If you use an inadequate temperature when firing, your piece might desintegrate.

When glazing, same factors apply. Depending on your clay you will fire at one temperature or at another. During a glaze firing the kiln usually goes up in temperature compared to a bisque firing.

If you still want to make ceramics at home, without a kiln, you always have the option to bring your pieces to your local pottery studio and ask prices on firings.

You can also do ceramics and do not fire them in a kiln but then you won’t be able to use them other than for decor and you won’t be able to glaze them.

It always depends on what you are looking for!