Salt Firing Ceramics

Sodium from the salt reacts with silica in the clay body to form a glassy coating of sodium silicate the glaze may be colourless or may be.

Salt firing ceramics. The salt kiln must be prepared for the firing often involving repairs to the brick walls and arch and always extensive work preparing the refractory kiln shelves shelf props fire boxes burners door lagging clay wadding clay and clay discs to sit the pots on. Formulating your own clay body being able to mix your own clay body and glaze from native materials might seem ridiculous yet covid 19 taught us about the need for independence. Removing them leaves sharp fragments glued to the shelf. Salt glaze or salt glaze pottery is pottery usually stoneware with a glaze of glossy translucent and slightly orange peel like texture which was formed by throwing common salt into the kiln during the higher temperature part of the firing process.

Yet since the invention of electric and gas kilns wood firing was pushed aside by many. We also have the best handmade goods from seattle and the pacific northwest specializing in ceramics but supporting artists in a range of media. We are a seattle based artist owned and artist operated ceramics studio and gallery. Salt firing is a vapor glazing process where salt sodium chloride is introduced into kiln firebox at high temperature.

The result is a piece with an active complex surface. The salt reacts to the surface clay and glazes in different ways leaving matte sheen and some runny glazed areas. These segments are glazed by the salt during the firing process. When firing a salt kiln salt is put directly into the kiln through special ports over the flame.

We offer classes workshops and facilities for aspiring ceramicists to call home. The japanese have always held wood fired ceramics in high. The salt vaporizes and sodium vapor combines with silica in clay surface forming extremely hard sodium silicate glaze. In salt firing and soda firing tips and techniques you will learn to go further bringing the form and surface of your work together into a signature style using a variety of carving tools in combination with carving techniques like sgraffito etching wire cutting relief carving and more.

Once again a big thanks to rob hunter and his inspired ceramics in america 2014 top ten issue. Salt and soda firings can really affect any underglazes or slips you use on your ware and the results can be very varied and interesting. The benefits of doing a salt firing. Humans have been enamoured of wood fired ceramics for thousands of years.

Fortunately the unique beauty of wood fired pottery is again becoming a highly appreciated art form throughout the world.