In need of kiln tips? Here you go!
“Kathy, guess what – you’re getting a Skutt kiln for your home studio!”
UPDATE: Check out my newest kiln post here!
These are the words that came out of my team leader’s mouth. Honestly, she said a few other sentences, but I didn’t intake those because I was still processing her first.
Me? My very own Skutt kiln? What kind of craziness is this?
Let me back it up a bit. Skutt is THE brand of kilns on the market. It makes you totally legit to have one in your studio. Now I was about to own one, for reals? No more driving across town like a mad woman to my friend’s art studio to fire my goods? Me, carefully hustling across the parking lots, arms loaded with a heavy box of stylized bisque…no more of that?
When you should invest in a kiln
If you’ve been reading my blog for the past eight years, you know I’ve taken up the hobby of ceramics, mostly painting bisque. I’m self-taught, but I have been taking classes from professionals over the years.
I’m heavy-handed with my technique, but that’s a good thing because it shows that I have a signature style to my pieces. All I know is I love to underglaze on anything and everything that can be fired.
Click here to see all my ceramic tutorials!
Here are some of my first pieces from long ago:
Embracing the ceramic arts community
Here’s the deal about the world of ceramic arts – it’s a very tight knit, proud group. From the folks who throw clay on the wheel to owners of paint your own pottery studios and lots in between.
That’s because there is a lot involved – underglazes, greenware, bisque, etc. And then the whole firing process, it can all be so intimidating.
It takes passion and patience. But the payoff is so worth it!
Something happened to me a couple years ago, I began to REALLY fall in love with ceramics.
I looked up the hashtag #ceramics on Instagram and found out I was not alone at all. Once considered a craft of the past by the general market, this genre is picking up steam with younger creatives, fast!
It’s the ultimate “big reveal” craft, and there is something so special about a solid piece of fired art.
So I started going down the ceramics rabbit hole further and further until I had to redo my studio cabinets to hold all my supplies.
That year I cranked out more than 300+ mugs during the holiday season.
I’d become an expert in my own studio of one
I started posting pictures of my work on Instagram and received happy feedback. I couldn’t wait to show and tell everyone at iLoveToCreate, even though all of them love ceramics too, LOL. They made me feel super special anyway!
But then my team leader presented the amazing idea I mentioned earlier.
She and the team really appreciated that I had found my own way into this high fired world. They liked that I made the craft look accessible and doable for people of all ages.
They knew I loved it!
Going without a kiln – ugh.
My only glitch that I never saw as a glitch was that I didn’t have a kiln. Instead, I drove all over town to fire all my pieces. You know how it goes, I started with three or four mugs, then 12, then 60! It was all starting to get a bit out of control.
Never in my wildest dreams did I EVER consider investing in a kiln. It seemed sooooo high end and scary. I didn’t feel qualified or good enough or worthy enough.
But my team leader did. She wanted me to have a kiln so I could continue on the path and share it with all of you! So now, I’m the proud owner of a Skutt kiln.
Not only will I be sharing behind the scenes of stuff I make, I’ll also share tutorials as well!
Special delivery
Here is the delivery driver when it arrived. Gulp. Both Patrick and I stared at each other nervously as we accepted our new reality. How in the heck would we do this? Could it blow up the house? Start a fire?
Were we qualified to run this thing? Talk about unnecessary paranoia! You’d think we were building a timed generator to light up the White House on election night!
I had my Skutt kiln for two months before I mustered up the courage to use it.
My turning point was when I demoed at the CCSA Conference in September and asked studio owners for their tips for my “first fire.”
Click here to see all my ceramic tutorials!
Some of kiln tips for beginners:
“Don’t try to dry your sneakers on top while the kiln is on, it will melt your shoes to the lid.”
“Never confuse Cone 06 with Cone 6! They are very different firing levels!”
“Learn about the thermocouple. Respect the thermocouple.”
“Make sure to let your kiln cool down to room temperature before opening the lid, the items inside will be very hot!”
“Always, always use stilts on anything you glaze. Trust me.”
All of that kinda freaked me out even more. But I did it! I’m now on our fifth fire, and each one was 100% success! Ahhh, a girl will never forget her first fire. The anticipation, the exhilaration, the nervousness, the moment of truth… the PAYOFF! Score!
Bottom line? Super easy, gobs of fun. I feel silly that I got all worked up for nothing!
Click here to see all my ceramic tutorials!
Here are ten kiln tips for newbies I’ve learned so far:
1. It’s not as scary as it seems. Now that I use it often, it’s really just like a big oven!
2. There are kilns for every type of ceramist – from part-time dabbler (a small home kiln) to a working artist (medium-to-large). Don’t think that you would have to invest in a huge kiln for a gazllion dollars! You can buy a sturdy, brand-new compact kiln for about the same price as a Mac laptop. And if you are using your kiln to make art to sell, it will easily pay for itself and then some.
3. Electricity is not as expensive as you think. On a regular electric schedule it runs about $7.50 a fire. However, I have our household on a time-of-use plan, so my nightly fires are about $4 a fire. As long as you save up a lot of items, you can fire them all at once and keep the bill manageable.
4. Set up is relatively easy, and there is help! Skutt has videos for all of these, but here is my short version.
– Before you choose your kiln, have an electrician check out your outlets in your garage or laundry room (or where you want to have your kiln) and find out the amperage. We had a 30 amp outlet, and our kiln was 27.5, so we installed a new outlet and switch that was 40 amp to give some room. It cost us about $100 to have this done.
– Make sure to get a vent, they sell them along with your kiln.
– You will need to get a furniture kit that matches the size of your kiln (shelves, posts, stilts).
– Before you fire, you’ll have to ‘kiln wash’ your shelves. You get the powdered mixture, add water, mix and use a paint brush to apply two even coats. This prevents glaze drips from permanently sticking to the shelves, thus making them uneven. Think of it as baking spray!
– Do a test fire with the cone before you fire any pieces. I was told this sets your kiln, and you can see the cone after the firing. It should be bended over to look like it is kissing the shelf.
– In the manual that comes with the kiln, it has a quick start guide to operating the kiln. Just punch a few buttons, if I can do it so can you!
– When it starts, it’ll rev up and make some clicking noises. I fire my underglazed bisque at cone 06 on medium speed (seven hours). If I work with greenware, I make my items, let them dry completely then fire them at cone 04 at slow speed. Then it becomes bisque!
– Never leave your kiln on unattended. Don’t leave to the movies, don’t go on a day trip. Make sure you or someone else is home at all times while it is on.
– Keep in mind that after firing is complete, the kiln will take about 6-8 hours to cool. Wait until it is at room temperature to open the lids and remove your items.
– Make sure to stilt all glazed pieces so they don’t stick to the shelves during firing. You don’t have to stilt unglazed bisque.
– Be aware of the thermocouple, and make sure not to hit it while loading the kiln.
– Use cones during firing to see how your kiln is working. It should bend over and kiss the shelf. If it doesn’t bend, your kiln didn’t fire hot enough, if it melts too much, it is too hot.
5. You can fix mistakes! What I love about ceramics, is there is almost always a way to fix things. If you smear your underglaze, you can use a small knife or lightly sand it (wear a mask) to remove it after it dries. Even after firing, I’ve heard of people using a Dremel to remove unwanted glazed areas, then redoing, refiring.
6. You can make pieces big and small – and mix and match them! So far I’ve painted large bisque vases and cut my own small pendants from white clay.
7. You can make your own molds! Use silicone mold makers and a bit of cornstarch to make multiples. You can also use candy making molds too. I’ll have a tutorial on this soon.
8. Once you have a kiln and get used to it, you can host your own private pottery studio and charge friends and family to fire! Maybe you and a neighbor can go halfers.
9. Keep all your kiln supplies in the same area. If you use a standing rack for pieces to dry, don’t put it too close to where you’ll be walking around and loading the kiln. My big butt once knocked over an artist’s drying rack! I could have died, I was so embarrassed, but then I realized that rack was so close to the kiln, it’s no wonder! Even skinny Kelly Ripa could have bumped into it!
10. Get excited! You can do this! I did!
UPDATED KILN TIPS:
I’ve had this same kiln for several years now and it is still going strong, I really love this model. Here are some other things I’ve learned!
- If the power goes out in the middle of a fire – say there is a thunderstorm – just restart the kiln and let it run through again.
- I’ve been working with clay now a lot. I do mostly small pieces and fire these to bisque at cone 06, medium speed.
- Always check your stilts to see if they need to be retired. After a lot of uses, they will get gunked up and cause your pieces to topple over.
- Keep in mind the kiln cools as long as it takes to heat up. On average I’ve found my kiln cools about 300 degrees per hour.
- Use a vacuum to clean debris from your kiln or those pesky specs can land on your pieces.
- If you glaze the bottom of your pieces, use a nail file to sand off the stilt marks, they can be very sharp!
Where can I use a kiln?
This is probably one of the most asked questions. Again, if you do not have a kiln, you can check with a local paint on pottery or ceramic studio and use theirs. Even take a ceramics class.
Ready to buy a kiln for your home? We have ours in the garage.
On the concrete ground, next to an air vent.
Then we attached the vent from the kiln to easily flow outside the wall vent. Make sure there is nothing around your kiln for safety reasons. Keep the area clear and clean.
Keep in mind, the kiln will make whatever room it is in super hot, which is why we have ours in the garage. But I have seen other artists keep their kiln in an enclosed studio.
Best kilns for beginners
Before you choose a kiln, think about how much you plan to fire and what sizes. If you are making smaller pieces, maybe start with a smaller kiln.
I have a Skutt KMT-818, I’ve been using it for years for low-fire bisque and clay. It’s a sturdy medium-sized kiln, were I can fire a a couple dozen mugs at a time, and standard dinner plates.
Here are other kilns you can check out, they come in a variety of sizes.
How much to do kilns cost?
Mine cost around $2,000, but it didn’t take long to make that back because I paint and sell a lot of mugs. If you are buying a kiln strictly for occasional recreational use, go with something smaller. But if you are like me and want to make it a big part of your business plan, it’s worth it to make the investment.
I plan to buy a second kiln, and i’m excited to buy brand new so I can make use of the latest technology. These days, the kilns come with apps so you can track the firing process from your smartphone!
Congrats Kathy! Just gotta say (I’m actually shouting this out), I love your ceramics artwork. I’ve been addicted to ceramic and porcelain art for too many years to mention! You are spot on with all the info you posted. Having your own kiln is soooo convenient. Continue having fun and thanks for your posts!
P.S. I purchased the Dia de los Muertos sugar skull stamp…guess what I’m doing with it…yep a ceramic pendant 🙂
Interesting!
Hi Kathy, I stumbled upon your blog and I am so glad I did. I’m a newly divorced, newly retired social worker, new home owner, new grandmother and a beginning massage therapist. I finally have time to do whatever I want to do. I realize I’ve lost touch with my creative soul and have decided that ceramics is where I need to be. I live in a small town and there’s not much of a ceramics community here, no classes nearby and none of my friends do ceramics. I recently started dating a guy who has space for a ceramics studio, but I’ve decided to build one for myself in my garage, (and be more independent). I met a retired ceramics artist who is going to sell me one of her kilns along with all the fixin’s. All I need to do now is start preparing my garage. I’m very excited and a little nervous. I really appreciate what I’ve learned from you so far. I look forward to staying connected to you and learning more.
I just stumbled across your post. I have been creating with clay for about six years. I currently live in Maui and attend a senior citizen pottery studio. We are only allowed to create in the studio, not at home. Selling our creations is strongly discouraged but I must admit to having a shop Etsy. My husband wants to move back to the mainland, North Carolina. To make this move more appealing he has promised me my own kiln and a fully supplied studio. Well, I said YES. But for the last month, while my husband readies our home for sale, I have panicked at the thought of operating my own kiln. Delighted to discover I am not alone in this apprehension. We plan on being in N.C. by early spring and start our house/studio hunting. I am still nervous but not as panicked.
Thank you
Hello! I came across this post via pinterest! I just took over a new classroom that has the larger version of the kiln you have pictured. I had used an old fashioned kiln in a previous classroom….but am terrified of this one! 🙁 I keep thinking knowing my luck, I will burn down the school! :'( I am in no way a ceramics expert…so I have been putting off the firing of our pieces this year….any chance we could chat via email?? lol I have a few questions! 😉
Yes, I’d love to! Also, you can call the Skutt hotline (I’ve done it many times) they are AWESOME!!
It is fun fun fun to have your own kiln. I have a Skutt and it is really easy to use.
thanks for the tips!
I am just in the process of buying a kiln after much thought and hesitation … Does the space get really hot when firing starts ? .. I have two kids and I am really worried about it.
Hi! It gets up to 1850 degrees, think of it like a bbq, keep clear of it. We have ours in the garage. Try to get one of the ones, they have a lot of awesome features!
I just inherited an older Paragon High Fire Kiln. The switch goes to Low, High, Off, that’s it.
1. Don’t know if it works (belonged to my grandmother)
2. Should I keep it or sell it?
3. Don’t have a garage, where to keep it/use it/store it?
I was thinking of making a space for it, out of cinder blocks, but what to use for flooring (without having to pour concrete)? Shouldn’t it be covered?
I really want to use it. I like making anything with my hands. In a class once, I use to get the pieces from the trash that were not perfect. They had not been fired yet, so they were greenware? I carved into them then had them fired. I loved this. It was like drawing.
Thank you so much for this post. You are Awesome ????????????????
Hi Michelle! You know what I would do, I would call Paragon and talk to their customer service rep. If you do sell it, maybe you can use the money for a newer model. Or maybe it is good to go! I bet if you tell them the make and model, they will have the info you need. How exciting, though! I hope it works for you! and yes, that is greenware! Excited to see what you make!
Hi! I came across your blog and wanted to thank you for all the great tips! I’ve been wanting to get a kiln and wanted to ask which model did you purchase as I was looking into getting the Skutt KM614-3. Do you recommend getting that one as a beginners to doing ceramics?
Great post! I’m a jewelry designer in the market for my first kiln! They’re so expensive I want to be sure to get a good one perfect for my needs.
Hey guys. I saw this posted on FB, and was curious so I clicked through. A few thoughts:
1. Don’t refire glazed pieces. Because of something called vitrification, those pieces are VERY likely to explode and will stick to and break nearby pieces and could hurt your kiln, too. As I always say, ceramics will break your heart, just get used to it:)
2. The paragon kiln talked about by a commenter is a manual kiln. The new skutts (well, most new kilns) are programmable. The manuals are fine.. the low/high just means you have to actually turn them on. Here’s how a kiln works: inside, there is a little tripod mounted to the wall. You put a cone in there. A cone is a piece of material, cone shaped, meant to melt at a very specific temperature. If you’re firing to cone 06, you put an 06 cone in there. When it melts, meaning the kiln has hit a temperature, a manual kiln shuts off. Turn the kiln on to low, after a few hours to high, and it will just power until it hits the temp of the cone. The paragon doesn’t need anything special… your garage floor is fine. Give it a few feet of clearance from walls, and ensure it can vent out of the garage.
Programmable kilns work differently- you can walk away from them because a computer controls them. Which is great. But not necessary.
3. Stilts are only needed if you glaze the bottom. Pro potters don’t use stilts, we just don’t glaze the bottom of pieces.
4. Most potters won’t buy new kilns. They’re like cars… they work for a very long time and lose a lot of value as soon as they leave the lot. I’ve never bought new. Try craigslist for kilns…. a new skutt can be 2-5k. A used one would reasonably sell for 1k. Its a big difference, specially when starting out.
Thanks, great tips! Wonderful!!! I must admit, I have fired glazed pieces successfully, but now I’m going to aim not to do that!
Hi Kathy, I still remember “My first time”. I started with an old used kiln. I was definitely happy when my hubby said that it was too small and I should pick out a bigger new one (yes he is wonderful). Over the past few years I only had one major panick attack. During a firing, the power all over the city went out for a few hours. I decided to look inside before deciding what to do. OH NO! Everything was black. The pieces, the shelves around each piece. I was in tears with no idea what was going on. I got on the phone, called a few others. Finally one lady who had done pottery for years told me no big deal, it always does that mid fire. To just restart it and all would come out fine. Wow, she was right. A few years later, I was the one who got the call from someone, in tears just like I had been. Her kiln had stopped working.I think this is a good thing to tell others so if it happens, don’t panic, it is ok.
Colleen Fleury, The Pottery Playhouse
North Battleford, SK.
What a great story, thank you for sharing! I didn’t know that! I’m glad I do now! 🙂
Love seeing all you’ve done since getcrafty!
<3 sarabell
I did my first Raku firing today I think it may have been a fail, did not get temp high enough to melt glaze so kinda disappointed but not giving up going to try again with two propane torches one on each end of the homemade kiln and then going to fire them again and see what I get. I am going to start looking for a used electric kiln
Yes, you will love an electric kiln! I have a Skutt and it has never failed me!
Hi Kathy!, I have a question!.
What skutt kiln do you have?.
Tx in advance!.
Hi Friend!
I have been looking all over the internet trying to find the best kiln for a beginner. I have decided on a skutt but I don’t know which model to get. Can u tell me which one u have?
Your post to beginners is very encouraging! Thank u!
years ago I did ceramics with molds and slip…this was at a classroom at a ladies home in Wisconsin….I have since moved to North Carolina and cannot find anyone down here to go to…I’ve been down in NC for 15 years and now I can’t drive so it doesn’t matter that I can’t find a place to go…..But I still love to play in clay…I haven’t ever had the opportunity to work with a wheel since I was in High School….and that’s ages ago…..My question is, what type of material do you use to mold or carve your pieces ? and what Kiln do you suggest I invest in…. Keep in mind that I am 90 now so it’s not likely that I’ll be using anything for very long. but I do have a daughter that would enjoy the things I accumulate….So, I need to know what type of clay material do I use and would a kiln about the size of yours do the trick ? I intend to make things that may measure about 4 x 8,,,,,I can put the kiln in my garage..
Hi! I love that you love ceramics!! I have a medium-size Skutt kiln and love it and I use low fire clay (cone 06)!
Hello! What region of NC are you in? I am here too, and looking to learn more about the process! If you were in the Raleigh area, I would love to get a coffee with you! (Once COVID is over of course)
Hi! I’m in Phoenix, but I travel to Belmont, NC to visit Bisque Imports!
Hi Kathy!!! I am so thrilled to have found your website! Like several other people here I have always been interested in pottery, though mostly collecting it, but the thought of creating is so much more appealing because I can make exactly what I need! I am just a couple of years away from retirement and I’m so excited about spending my time being creative. I actually bought a Skutt kiln from an auction and just started checking it out to see what it might need. The fact that I know so little about them is concerning but I do know something about machines and I feel like as long as I can purchase parts, perhaps it’s salvageable? Just curious if in your interactions with the manufacturer are they helpful with used kilns? I would appreciate any information you’re willing to share and can’t wait to check out this website more!!
Hi Cindy!
I’m pretty sure most of the kiln manufacturers have info booklets on their kilns, I would reach out to them on FB messenger to ask. I’ve found them to be very helpful!
Hi, I love your posts! I purchased a used small Paragon kiln from a friend and it is In my rec room that has linoleum on the floor. What can I do to protect the linoleum From melting or burning? I am excited to start but I am fearful of the floor. Thanks, Priscilla
If it were me, I would create a base of tile or brick underneath, it will certainly damage the linoleum floor. To be safe, contact Paragon and see what they suggest. Best of luck, and congrats on your new kiln!
Thank you, I will contact Paragon.
Is there an equivalent for glass fusion? Thank you
Hi! Thank you for all of this VERY helpful information! I’ve taken several ceramics classes and am really falling in love with the craft. I’m a full time elementary teacher with kids of my own, so although I love the idea of using open studios, sometimes being sure I can get in before they “fill up”, the timing not being ideal, etc. is making me consider having my own (super, super small) studio in my basement.
I would love if you could answer one question for me — I’m looking at Skutt as one brand of kilns, but I see Olympic is also common. I’m super confused about SIZE for the kiln. I would make basic bowls, plates, vases, flowerpots, etc. What size would you recommend for a beginning/hobbyist such as me, who would want to be able to have a decently tall vase but wouldn’t be doing dozens of mugs in any way!
Appreciate anything you can share. Thank you again. Your work is BEAUTIFUL, and I’ll be back on this blog often!
Hi1 how exciting! I have a Skutt KM Series Kilnmaster Automatic Kiln – KM-818 – it is in my garage and perfect for a working cermaicist like myself. I’d say if you are planning to use it a lot, get one around this size. But they do have smaller versions for smaller batches! Hope this helps! – Kathy 🙂
Hi Kathy,
Love this post on getting a new kiln – so many great and relevant nuggets in here. The struggle is so real with driving delicate greenware all over in order to get it fired haha!
I finally got a kiln last year after years of relying on others but I recently moved across the country and had to leave it behind so I am back to square one!
But tons of your points really resonated with me! Buying a kiln is really intimidating but once you get the hang of it, the world is your oyster!