Ceramic Clay Firing Temperatures

Firing converts ceramic work from weak clay into a strong durable crystalline glasslike form.

Ceramic clay firing temperatures. Cone temperature conversion chart. The clay goes from this soft totally fragile substance to one which is rock hard impervious to water wind and time. Between the range of cone 8 and cone 12 high fire stoneware will mature. Stoneware glaze some decals fire to cone 10.

By cone 08 the ware is sintered and has become a ceramic material. First it is important to know that the maximum cone rating of a stoneware or porcelain clay is the temperature at which it vitrifies. For success a potter must know the correct temperature range at which their glaze becomes mature. Ware and glaze types.

People want to know if they can fire a certain clay to a certain cone. The goal of bisque firing is to convert greenware to a durable semi vitrified porous stage where it can be safely handled during the glazing and decorating process. It is bisque fired and then glaze fired. The three most commonly used clay bodies are earthenware clay bodies mid fire stoneware clay bodies and high fire stoneware clay bodies.

Ceramic work is typically fired twice. The temperature needed to transform soft clay into hard ceramic is extremely high and is usually provided by a kiln. Firing clay from mud to ceramic. We get many questions about clay firing temperatures.

If the temperature goes too high the glaze will become too melted and run off the surface of the pottery. Clay can be divided into several classes based on its characteristics and at what temperature the clay must be fired in order for it to become mature or reach its optimum hardness and durability. This is the hardening tightening and finally the partial glassification of the clay. Generally bisque firing is done between cone 08 and cone 04 no matter what the maturation temperature of the clay and of the glazes that will be used later.

However anywhere from 2305 to 2336 1263 to 1326 may be appropriate depending on the specific clay used and desired effect. Each ceramic glaze should be fired to a specific temperature range. The average firing temperature for high fire stoneware is 2381 1305.