Salt Firing Ceramics

The chlorine leaves the kiln in its gas form through the kiln chimney.

Salt firing ceramics. The salt vaporizes and sodium vapor combines with silica in clay surface forming extremely hard sodium silicate glaze. Salt glazing also adds a brilliant texture to the ceramics from the building up of layers to the running of salt vapors. This is done close to the end of the firing process when the. Salt firing is an older version of soda firing.

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. When firing a salt kiln salt is put directly into the kiln through special ports over the flame. 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. 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.

An important difference between salt and soda firing is what happens when the mixture vaporizes. 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. 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 result is a piece with an active complex surface. Pieces of pottery have survived for thousands of years all because clay met fire. Firing clay transforms it from its humble soft beginnings into a new durable substance. Ceramics are tough and strong and similar in some ways to stone.

Salt firing is a vapor glazing process where salt sodium chloride is introduced into kiln firebox at high temperature. The salt reacts to the surface clay and glazes in different ways leaving matte sheen and some runny glazed areas. If my hit parade were to be about looks alone i might have included the creative slip applications of english mocha ware or the bizarre twisted explorations of george orr or the brilliant cobalt blues of german westerwald salt fired stoneware or the wood fired stoneware of richard. The benefits of doing a salt firing.