As a kiln is firing up and cooling down the changes in temperature make some profound changes in the clay.
Ceramic clay firing temperatures.
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.
Firing clay from mud to ceramic.
Each ceramic glaze should be fired to a specific temperature range.
People want to know if they can fire a certain clay to a certain cone.
Between the range of cone 8 and cone 12 high fire stoneware will mature.
Ceramic work is typically fired twice.
The clay goes from this soft totally fragile substance to one which is rock hard impervious to water wind and time.
For success a potter must know the correct temperature range at which their glaze becomes mature.
However anywhere from 2305 to 2336 1263 to 1326 may be appropriate depending on the specific clay used and desired effect.
The temperature needed to transform soft clay into hard ceramic is extremely high and is usually provided by a kiln.
By cone 08 the ware is sintered and has become a ceramic material.
The average firing temperature for high fire stoneware is 2381 1305.
Stoneware glaze some decals fire to cone 10.
If the temperature goes too high the glaze will become too melted and run off the surface of the pottery.
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.
It is bisque fired and then glaze fired.
This is the hardening tightening and finally the partial glassification of the clay.
Firing converts ceramic work from weak clay into a strong durable crystalline glasslike form.
Ware and glaze types.
If fired at too low a temperature the glaze will not mature.
First it is important to know that the maximum cone rating of a stoneware or porcelain clay is the temperature at which it vitrifies.
We get many questions about clay firing temperatures.
Cone temperature conversion chart.