One thing all ceramic artists have in common is that if they want their work to last, they must fire it in a ceramic kiln. Sure, many contemporary potters create raw clay sculptures specifically to let them erode to explore concepts of permanence and fragility, but that is the exception rather than the rule. The rest of them require a kiln for ceramics.

A kiln is a chamber built of refractory or no melting materials. In this chamber, the ceramist arranges objects. As a result of being contained, the heat produced in it or a nearby firebox increases to high temperatures. The ceramic items go through the cooling and firing processes.

Even though clay can be burnt in an open flame without a kiln, high temperatures call for the usage of this chamber. Additionally, they safeguard the ware during the rigours of the fire and give the ceramist superior control overheat rise and fall.

What Should You Be on Lookout for in a Ceramic Kiln?

Simply put shop for efficient and reliable pottery kilns to fire your clay and porcelain objects and make them last. However, the search for any essential art supplies including kilns requires you to take into account many important factors when shopping.

Electric or Gas Kilns

Whether you decide to purchase a gas or electric pottery kiln will ultimately depend on the type of art you want to create. In gas kilns, some materials and designs work better than in electric ones.

For household usage only, the vast majority of kilns on the market today are electric. This is due to several factors, chief among them the superior quality of electric kiln-produced finished pottery, which is renowned for its vivid colours. Gas-sourced types, on the other hand, typically need licenses for fire safety, which might add extra obstacles to use.

However, gas burning frequently yields earthy hues like dark browns, giving the finished piece a more rustic, worn appearance. Moreover, gas kilns have the benefit of allowing for “reduction” firing, which is one of their benefits. Raku pottery is traditionally fired using gas, but because of recent technological advancements, electric raku kilns are now readily available.

Temperature

The maximum temperature required will ultimately determine the type of kiln you should purchase. That being said, the product you choose will depend on what your project or emphasis is and the necessary temperature level.

Glass is frequently the material that requires the lowest temperatures. Consequently, pottery kilns with a high, medium-high, or medium-low temperature range would be excellent for ceramic and pottery work.

Additionally, it’s crucial to choose a kiln with a higher temperature capability than what you’ll require for your work. Kilns’ output of energy and heat will diminish over time as their power does.

Kiln capacity is also impacted by voltage consumption. A kiln with a higher temperature capability will help ensure that the product can still reach the necessary temperature if voltage use is low.

Cones and Their Importance

One of the reasons why potters continue to refer to temperature in terms of cones rather than in degrees Fahrenheit is that the term cones both measures energy and temperature over time.

Cone numbers describe the colour of the clay, the highest temperature attained, the final state of the material—maturity, melting, starting, burning out, etc.—as well as the kinds of wares and glazes that can be employed with that particular cone number.

Lower cone temperatures appear with a 0 in front, such as 019, 020, or 021, while higher cone temperatures are labelled as 13, 14, and so on. Concerning cone temperatures, zero denotes a negative number.

Additionally, cone location within a ceramics kiln aid in determining heat uniformity. Cone placement takes place at several levels of the kiln to measure temperature variation, and the number of cones placed there can vary.

Sizes

The size of the art pieces you plan to make will determine the size of the kiln you purchase. Although they are easy to run at any size, some first-time kiln buyers may decide to start with a small electric kiln or a home electric kiln.

Small items work best with small kiln sizes whereas large items require large kilns. However, things can get a bit complicated when additional variables that help buyers differentiate between different kiln sizes, come into play.

Therefore, if you’re just starting pottery a small size is the safest bet for your first project. But if your project requires larger items then you should opt for larger sizes. Larger scales, on the other hand, will be more advantageous for larger, more intricate items as a potter develops. In this regard, more experienced potters who are designing larger pieces are more likely to employ large models.

The area in which the kiln will be placed should also be taken into account when deciding on its size. Don’t buy a product for which you don’t have enough area to give it proper ventilation because the kiln will need at least two feet on each side for ventilation.

Electricity and Voltage

Last but not least factor you should consider is the voltage of the kiln you’re about to get. Most kilns for industrial settings come with higher voltage capacity whereas kilns for domestic use have smaller voltage power of 120V.

Additional resources, including the assistance of an electrician, can be required depending on the voltage of the kiln. Given that the majority of Australian homes are wired for 220 to 240V, an electrician will certainly be needed if you decide to purchase a higher-voltage kiln.  Additionally, a higher-voltage kiln will require a dedicated line.