These cups have way too much glaze on them. I’ve never done this before on purpose, so I’m going to load the glaze onto both of these so it will drip off. We’ve got some serious drippage right there.

What’s up, guys? We have a new addition to the studio, which is super exciting. Today we’re talking about kilns. This video is sponsored by Advancer kiln shelves, and I’ll talk more about them later.

Thank you for joining me in the studio today. I want to do a video all about kilns, because kilns are what bring life to clay. Without kilns, we wouldn’t be able to do the things that we do or get the results we get. There are lots of different kinds of kilns, so this will be a brief overview.

Since we just got a new Skutt 818 kiln, I thought it would be a good time to talk about the different sizes of electric kilns and the different types of fuel used for kilns. I get this question a lot: no, you cannot use your kitchen oven to fire ceramics. It does not get hot enough. There are some materials you can heat slightly in an oven, but they are not suitable for functional ceramics and they really limit your possibilities.

So let’s talk about kilns. A kiln is an insulated vessel that gets extremely hot. There are three basic types of fuel used to reach firing temperatures: electric, gas, and wood.

Electric kilns are the most common and the most affordable way to get started. We have three electric kilns in our studio. Gas kilns, usually fueled by propane, are commonly used for high-fire work, especially cone 10 firings. They allow for reduction atmospheres, which I’ll explain shortly. The third type is wood kilns. These are the least common, usually custom-built rather than purchased, and they require a lot of effort and a team of people to fire.

There are also two main firing atmospheres: oxidation and reduction. Oxidation firings occur when oxygen is present throughout the firing, which is typical for electric kilns. Reduction firings occur when oxygen is limited, and these are usually done in gas or wood kilns. Other kiln types, such as soda kilns and raku kilns, introduce additional atmospheric effects or involve shorter, lower-temperature firings.

This video is meant to be introductory. If you’re thinking about buying your first kiln, I want you to finish with a general idea of what might work for you.

Another key difference between electric, gas, and wood kilns is temperature. Electric kilns usually top out around cone 8. Firing higher than that is very hard on the kiln elements. Gas and wood kilns commonly fire to cone 10 and can reach high temperatures more efficiently. This is one advantage of gas and wood firing.

Electric kilns are most commonly found in schools and production studios because they’re relatively affordable, easy to use, and don’t require special buildings or fuel systems. That’s why I want to focus mainly on electric kilns.

Let’s take a look at the kilns in my studio. We have three kilns here: a Skutt 1027, a Skutt 818, and a Skutt 1218. The numbers refer to the shape and height. For example, the 1027 is a ten-sided kiln that is 27 inches tall, while the 818 is eight-sided and 18 inches tall.

There are many good kiln brands available. I’ve always used Skutt, and I’ve had good experiences with their customer service and maintenance. I especially like their touchscreen controller because it offers a lot of firing options.

I use the larger kilns mainly for bisque and glaze firings. The 1218 can hold around 100 small pieces for a bisque firing. The 1027 is typically used for glaze firings and can hold around 50 to 60 mugs. However, firing large kilns requires a lot of work to fill them efficiently.

That’s why I wanted a smaller test kiln. It allows me to fire more often with fewer pieces, which is useful for testing glazes and firing schedules. Smaller kilns give you more flexibility, especially when you’re learning or experimenting.

If you’re just starting out, a large kiln like a 1027 or 1218 may feel overwhelming. It can take a long time to produce enough work to fill it. Smaller kilns allow more frequent firings and quicker feedback.

I want to briefly thank Advancer kiln shelves. They’re lightweight, durable, and easier to clean. When glaze drips onto these shelves, pots are much easier to remove, which can save a lot of work and prevent damage.

For this firing, I loaded two cups with intentionally heavy glaze so it would drip off. One was fired on a standard kiln shelf, and the other on an Advancer shelf. We used a slow-cool firing schedule to cone 7.

After firing, you can clearly see the difference. The cup on the regular shelf stuck badly and damaged the base. The cup on the Advancer shelf popped right off, leaving the clay intact and much easier to clean.

That’s one of the reasons I like these shelves so much. They allow for more experimentation with less risk.

To wrap up, kilns come in many shapes, sizes, and firing styles. Electric kilns are the most common and accessible. In the future, I’d love to explore gas, wood, and reduction firings to expand the possibilities in my studio.

Thanks so much for watching, and thanks to everyone who supports the channel. If you enjoyed this, feel free to like, subscribe, and share. I’ll see you in the next video.