There are 3 main types of clay for pottery: stoneware, earthenware and porcelain clay. They are all used for different purposes and have different characteristics and properties.
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Stoneware clay is the most versatile and easiest to work with. If you are a beginner who's trying pottery making at home for the first time, we recommend you to get stoneware clay. It comes in a variety of colors from white to dark brown. Once fired, pottery made out of stoneware clay is very durable, strong and non-porous, which means it will be capable of holding liquid without having to glaze it.
It has a firing temperature range of °C ( °F) to °C ( °F) and it can be fired more than once.
Stoneware clay is ideal for making objects of any size, from small plates to big vases. You can use it on a pottery wheel or to make items using handbuilding techniques.
Earthenware clay tends to be thicker and heavier, but weaker than stoneware. The most common kind is Terracotta, it has a rich red color and is commonly used to make tiles and flower pots.
Earthenware clay is known to be a low-fire clay as it only needs to be fired at approximately °C ( °F). Items made out of this kind of clay are naturally porous, which means that they are not capable of holding any liquids; if you want them to be permeable, you’d need to glaze them and fire them a second time. This extra step requires extra time and materials, which might not be ideal for beginners.
Porcelain clay is very soft and more flexible than the other kinds of clay but it's quite difficult to shape. It requires a lot of water that needs to be strategically added to the mix while shaping it; if you don’t add enough water it quickly dries out and if you add too much water it can easily lose its shape and collapse. Learning how to work with porcelain clay takes time and a lot of practice, so it might not be the best option for those who want to try pottery making at home for the very first time.
Porcelain clay has the highest firing temperatures of the list, which varies between 1,200 °C (2,200 °F) to 1,400 °C (2,550 °F). Such high temperatures are quite difficult to achieve without a kiln.
Porcelain pottery looks beautiful. However, you might want to wait until you’re more experienced to give it a try.
What’s the best clay for pottery wheels? Well, all stoneware, earthenware and porcelain clays work well on pottery wheels. As we explained before, some are easier to shape than others, but they are all suitable for wheel throwing.
Further Reading: The Best Pottery Wheels: A Buyer's Guide.
Making pottery clay at home is quite an easy process. There are a few techniques you can use to process clay, of which the easiest and most popular technique is known as “the wet method”.
Making pottery clay from dirt or soil using the wet method consists of mixing soil and water in a big container and letting the mix sit for a few minutes to let gravity pull down the bigger rocks and sand to the bottom of the container, leaving just water mixed with clay on top. This water is then filtered using a fine cloth, leaving nothing but wet, smooth clay that can be used immediately or saved for later.
You can buy clay for pottery in different places depending on the quantity and type of clay you need.
If you are looking to buy small quantities for making pottery at home just as a hobby, you can get them in most art supply stores or online suppliers.
If you are looking to buy more specific types of pottery clay, or if you want to buy over 20 lbs of it, we advise you to get it directly from a local supplier as it’s going to be cheaper than getting it online. Also, by going to a local supplier, you will get all the help you might need to buy the right kind of clay for your projects. Most suppliers make their very own clay so you will be supporting a local business too!
To dry pottery clay, you’ll need a kiln.
A kiln is an oven used to fire clay and melt glass.
There are gas kilns and electric kilns.
Gas kilns work with natural gas or propane. They give ceramics a darker color and a rustic, aged look. Electric kilns are easier to install and operate than gas kilns. They work with heating elements that are basically pieces of wire designed to resist the passage of electricity, similar to most heating appliances.
Electric kilns are definitely the best option for both beginners and professionals. They come in a variety of sizes and prices that fit anyones’ needs.
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At Soul Ceramics, we are experts on electric kilns. We know everything about them! If you want to take a look at our catalogue, you can check our electric kilns page. If you want more information about them, here is an entire guide that will tell you everything you need to know about kilns and firing pottery.
No, you cannot fire pottery clay in a regular kitchen oven simply because it doesn’t reach the high temperatures clay needs to be fired to (at least °C or °F).
If you don't want to buy a kiln, you can always pit fire clay at home, but that’s complicated to set up and achieving the specific temperature needed for specific kinds of clay is even more difficult. If it’s too hot your clay will melt and if it’s not hot enough it won’t dry properly. So, if you want to fire pottery the right way, you’ll definitely need to buy a kiln.
In ceramics, there’s always a need to sand something. Whether it is cleaning the foot of a pot or dealing with a massive glaze run on a kiln shelf, there are a few different tools that will really take care of these problems in effective, safe, and economical ways. This post will cover the best abrasives, sandpaper, and grinding blocks, as well as how to use them. You probably won’t need every single one of these tools, but they’re covered here so that you can find what will work best in your studio.
Safety note: Keep in mind that any sort of sanding or grinding can produce dust. Wear a dust mask or respirator, or when possible, sand wet.
Most Used / Top Pick: The thing I reach for the most is the plastic-backed, purple, pro-grade sandpaper made by 3M. (Pictured at top) It is economical, long lasting, and can be used wet. It’s a simple, versatile tool that has a place in any studio.
3M Pro Grade Sandpaper
The purple, plastic-backed 3M Pro Grade Sandpaper is the main tool in my sanding arsenal. It lasts longer than other sandpapers and can be used wet or dry. The plastic backing is advertised as “no-slip grip” and it is easy to hold and control, even when wet.
The paper measures 9 x 11 inches and is available in a variety of grits. I generally stock 80 and 150 grit, but a range of 4 grits from 60 to 220 would probably cover most needs.
The sandpaper can be found in smaller packs ranging from 3 to 6 sheets, or bulk packs with 20 or 100 sheets. 20 sheets will last a long time for individual use, or around 6 months for a busy academic or community studio.
Silicon carbide blocks can be used wet, which is a plus for me because I’m always looking for ways to minimize dust in a studio.
A downside of these rubbing blocks is they are prone to cracking if dropped. This is especially a problem if you crack one with a handle. But don’t despair, the pieces are good until they are ground down to the last bit.
Another downside is they are typically on the rough side, around 20 to 60 grit. This is fine for kiln shelves, but you’ll want to follow up with something a bit finer, such as sandpaper or emory cloth, if you’re sanding the bottom of a pot.
The block with handles are typically 6” x 3” x 1”, but these sizes vary by manufacturer.
If you have a bench grinder or angle grinder, you should get silicon carbide stones that fit these tools. Silicon carbide will grind through material such as glaze and ceramic without producing excess heat, and it’s the appropriate material to use with non-metallic materials including ceramic, stone, and concrete.
This especially comes in to play with using a bench grinder to clean up glaze drips. If it are not using silicon carbide, the wheel and glaze may get too hot, resulting in potentially dangerous melted bits of glaze. Stick with silicon carbide wheels that are properly dressed and kept in shape. (If you don’t have a dressing tool to keep your wheel even, definitely get one of those too.)
Rather than an angle grinder, which definitely make a lot of dust, consider a wet grinder for quickly dealing with bad glaze runs or cleaning kiln shelves. A wet grinder has a water feed that keeps a stream of water flowing out of the center arbor hole on the grinder. They can spray water and sanded bits all over,, but if you have a tub or large sink to catch the water, it is not that bad.
It’s best to go with a quality wet grinder, such as a Makita or Flex. (I’ve personally been using a Flex brand grinder for about 7 years). If you carefully read reviews, the cheaper wet grinders can give small electric shocks or stop working after some use. For an electric tool that uses water, you definitely want a quality machine that won’t shock you! And while using, be sure to follow every safety protocol. Personally, in my years of using a Flex variable speed grinder, I’ve never felt one tiny shock.
A variable speed wet grinder is the way to go, as that allows you to control the speed. Slower speeds don’t whip as much water around. Wet grinders are generally used with diamond pads. As with hand pads, in my experience a range of grits from 40 or 60 to around 400 get the job done. I’ve had good luck with Stadea pads (shop at Amazon), both the 4 and 5 inch sizes. The lower grits can wear out quickly, depending on use, so you may want to order a few of those. I originally purchased an entire set that goes all the way up to and buff, but for cleaning up glaze drips, 400 suits me, so I prefer to purchase individual pads to use with the wet grinder.
One drawback with wet grinders is figuring out the right hose connection. Expect to make a few trips to the hardware store to find the right fittings to connect your wet grinder to a hose or faucet.
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