Idea Lab – Glazing Basics

Once your item has come out of it’s first kiln firing, the bisque fire, your piece is ready to be glazed. Follow the steps below to complete the glazing step. Once you’ve applied glaze, it will go through one more kiln firing, and then be ready for pickup.

1. Optional: buff and smooth any burrs or imperfections on your piece using sandpaper. Focus on areas that feel rough to the touch.

2. Wipe away any dust from your piece with a damp sponge. There is no need to saturate the piece.

3. Dip a clean paintbrush into the wax resist and coat the bottom of your piece. Anywhere your clay touches the table, a layer of wax resist needs to be applied.

   • Wax Resist serves as a protective layer between the library kiln shelves & pottery pieces.
   • NOTE: anywhere the wax resist touches the pot glaze will NOT adhere so be careful to smudge fingerprints on your pot or drip anywhere.
   • Pieces without wax resist will not be fired in the kiln.

4. Select your glaze colors. When using multiple colors of glaze, simply layer one color over the other; do not mix the liquids like you would acrylic paints.

   • Use no more than 2 layers of glaze at a time.
   • View the glaze chart here

5. Shake your glaze as they can separate.

6. To apply glaze to a pottery piece, dip a new, clean paintbrush into the bottle. Apply long, even strokes on the inside of your piece. Once you have coated the inside thoroughly, apply the second coat. Once you have completed the inside colors, begin coating the outside.

   • If using 2 different colors, be sure to use 1 brush per color or to rinse your brush under a faucet until the water runs clear.

7. Sponge away any glaze left on the bottom of the piece. Because there is a layer of wax resist on the bottom, it will easily wipe away.

8. Drop your piece off for firing at the Bob Kirby Branch. A WCPL staff member will contact you when your piece is ready for pickup.