Kiln firing guides
Everything behind the schedule builder: what a ramp and a hold actually do, which cone to fire to, and how cooling shapes the finished surface.
How kiln firing schedules work
A clear guide to kiln firing schedules: what a ramp rate and a hold are, why cones measure heat-work, and how the final ramp sets the peak temperature.
Read the guide 02Orton cone temperature chart
Orton pyrometric cone chart in Fahrenheit and Celsius, cone 022 to 10, at standard and fast heating rates. A cone is heat-work, not a fixed temperature.
Read the guide 03Bisque vs glaze firing
Bisque vs glaze firing, side by side: the cones each uses, why bisque ramps slower for organics, and how glaze schedules add a hold to smooth the melt.
Read the guide 04Ceramics vs pottery: what is the difference?
Ceramics vs pottery: all pottery is ceramic, the reverse is not. Compare earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain by cone, then build your schedule.
Read the guide 05Cone 6 glaze firing schedule and temperature
A cone 6 glaze firing schedule with all five ramps to 2232 F (1222 C), cone 6 temperatures at three speeds, and a drop-and-hold. Build yours free.
Read the guide 06Bisque firing schedule explained
A bisque firing schedule, step by step: what burns out at each temperature, slow vs fast ramps, and which cone to stop at. Build yours free.
Read the guide 07Slow cooling a glaze firing for matte and crystal effects
Slow cooling a glaze from 1900 to 1400 F grows matte and satin crystals. See tested rates, a full cone 6 program, and build your schedule free.
Read the guide 08How hot does a kiln get?
How hot does a kiln get? A pottery kiln runs about 1087 F to 2491 F across the Orton cone scale. See the temperature at every cone and build your schedule.
Read the guide 09Underglaze vs glaze: what is the difference?
Underglaze vs glaze, explained: underglaze is colored clay that stays put, glaze melts to glass. See what each does, and when a pot needs both.
Read the guide 10Clay vs porcelain: what makes porcelain different
Clay vs porcelain: porcelain is clay that fires tighter. Compare absorption, shrinkage, and cone across three bodies, then build your schedule.
Read the guide 11Stoneware vs earthenware: how the cone changes the pot
Stoneware vs earthenware: stoneware fires to cone 5 to 10 and holds under 3% water, earthenware to cone 04 and up to 18%. See what that means for use.
Read the guide 12Where to find clay, and how to test it before you fire it
Where to find clay: creek banks, road cuts, and the subsoil under your yard. Learn the coil test, how to clean it, and how to fire a first test tile.
Read the guide 13How long does it take to fire pottery?
How long does it take to fire pottery? Bisque runs 7 to 13 hours, glaze 6 to 11, then the kiln cools for as long again. See the hours by cone and speed.
Read the guide 14Candling and preheating to prevent blowups
Candling holds the kiln near 200 F so water leaves the clay as steam, not a blowup. How long to candle bisque, thick work, and damp ware, with safe ramps.
Read the guide 15How to fire clay without a kiln
How to fire clay without a kiln: a pit or barrel fire reaches 1000 to 1860 F, enough to harden clay but not to glaze it. Get the steps and safe temps.
Read the guideMore kiln firing guides
Deeper articles on firing schedules, cones, glaze faults, and kiln practice.
Firing Problems
Seven common firing faults, the band where each begins, and the segment to change first.
Read the guideCone Ranges Compared
The three common firing ranges side by side, with temperatures quoted at a stated heating rate.
Read the guideCooling Schedules
Why free-fall cooling is not always right, and how to write the segments that replace it.
Read the guideElectric vs Gas
What changes and what stays the same when the same cone is fired in two different kilns.
Read the guideWitness Cones
Place them, read the bend, and let the cones edit the schedule your controller ran.
Read the guideSafety and Ventilation
What comes off a firing kiln, when, and the ventilation and clearances that deal with it.
Read the guide