Essential Firing Info

Please read before firing with us!

Firing Fees:

            By the Piece:

• Bisque firing: $.03 per cubic inch

• Glaze firing: $.04 per cubic inch.

• 2-inch height minimum. Minimum cost is $2 per piece

Full Kiln Rental (Skutt 1027, 7 cubic foot):

• Bisque firing only: $60

• Bisque and glaze firing: $150

• Kiln disassembly + reassembly fee (for large sculptures): $50

• Pieces requiring extended pre-heat or firing programs will incur extra charges, determined on a case-by-case basis.

What’s included in firing fees:

• Loading, firing, and unloading of your pieces

• Use of our studio glazes for glaze firing. Note: Glazing instruction is not provided. Kiln renters must know how to glaze.

Firing temperatures:

• We bisque fire to Cone 06, and glaze fire to Cone 6.

• We preheat for 8-12 hours, depending on work thickness and moisture level.

• For full kiln rentals, we can accommodate firing temperatures from Cone 06 to Cone 6.

Firing Limitations:

• Maximum dimensions:

• We do not fire clay purchased outside of Claymakers.

• We do not accept work to be once-fired up to Cone 6; all work must be bisqued first.

• We do not fire glazes containing lead, barium, or unencapsulated cadmium.

• We encourage experimentation and creativity, but because our kilns are a shared resource, we do not take risks with them. We will not fire foreign material embedded in clay, such as textiles, metals (except nichrome wire), glass, paper, or dry chemicals.

Dropping off work:

• If firing by the piece, you can drop off your work during supply store hours, Tuesday-Saturday, 1-6 pm.

• If you need to rent half of a kiln or more, please contact us two weeks prior to your desired firing.

• Kiln renters are not permitted to load the kiln themselves, unless specifically requested by staff.

• We do not store packing materials.

Condition of work:

• All bottoms must be free of glaze with at least a ¼” margin on glaze-covered pieces.

• Any work not meeting these guidelines will not be fired. Note: We do not stilt pieces.

Picking up fired work:

•  PIckup is available during supply store hours (Tuesday-Saturday, 1-6 pm).

• Fired work is not tracked by our staff: kiln renters must locate pieces themselves.

• All fired work must be picked up within 30 days.

Payment and Refunds:
Firing fees are non-refundable and must be paid as the work arrives for firing.

Breakage and unwanted results:
Firing at a community studio comes with inherent risks, as other people will handle your work and kilns may malfunction. While we take great care in loading and unloading, Claymakers is not responsible for breakage, or for unsatisfactory results due to glazing errors. By using our services, you acknowledge these risks. We do not offer free refires.

Damages and fees:
Kiln renters are responsible for any damage caused by glaze drips, runs, or incorrect firing temperatures. Damage fees include:

• Single piece melted to shelf: $15

• Extensive half-shelf damage: $50

• Extensive full-shelf damage: $100

Damage fees must be paid before your work can be taken home.

Firing turnaround times:

• Student work is our top priority: outside firings are accepted on a space-available basis. During busy periods, we may not be able to accommodate all requests.

• Firing for outside makers can take up to 2 weeks per firing, depending on the time of year and the status of our kilns.

• We do not offer priority firings: please plan ahead if you have a specific deadline.

For more information, contact manager@claymakers.org.