I’ve read that the light-weight silicon carbide shelves are bad for electric kilns.
Silicon carbide shelves are used mostly in gas kilns instead of electric ones because silicon carbide shelves can conduct electricity. But they do not damage el...
Do you recommend 3 or 4 posts under a shelf?
Support shelves with three posts instead of four. Four posts cause the shelves to wobble unless the bottom of the kiln is even, the shelves are flat, and the po...
How do you load the top shelf so that the ware fires to the correct temperature?
On top-loading kilns, placing a shelf too close to the top of the firing chamber can lead to over- or under-firing. Suggestions for placement of the top kiln s...
How does one prevent posts from sticking to the kiln shelves
Dip the ends of the posts in a mixture of kiln wash. Only a thin coat of kiln wash is needed. Dip the posts about 1/8” – 1/4” into the kiln wash. That will prev...
How important is placement of posts inside a kiln?
When possible, the posts should line up vertically from one shelf to another throughout the kiln, especially with large kilns and heavy loads. Vertically aligne...
I want to make a bead rod with high temperature wire. Is adhesive needed to hold the wire?
You do not need adhesive. Place each end of a bead rod inside the hollow part of a 1" post. Then lay the 1" posts on top of two longer vertical posts. The heavi...
I was instructed years ago to fire my top-loading ceramic kiln
A shelf placed on the top of the kiln will prevent brick particles from falling onto glazed ware. This is useful if the lid is cracked. It would not be necessar...
I would like to wear gloves when I handle kiln shelves
Wear batter’s gloves. You can also find thin, leather-lined mechanic’s gloves at home improvement centers. Mechanic’s gloves are thin enough for you to load and...
Is it okay to continue using cracked kiln shelves?
You should not fire cracked shelves. They could break during a firing and ruin a load of ware by causing other shelves to collapse.
Is it possible for glaze to splatter from a piece of ware onto the kiln wall at high temperatures?
Yes. Glaze can bubble and splatter onto the kiln walls and shelves. For this reason, keep ware at least 1” away from element grooves. Periodically check your ki...
Is there a way to repair a broken kiln shelf?
No, there is no way to repair a broken kiln shelf. However, you can still use the shelf pieces. Several ideas: Use a tile saw to slice the shelf into horizon...
Should I fire the kiln shelves by themselves after cleaning them
It is okay to fire bisque or glazed ware on the freshly kiln-washed shelves. Allow the shelves to dry before firing them.
What is the difference between loading ceramics in a front-loading kiln and a top-loading kiln?
Smaller, lighter pieces are usually loaded in the front of the kiln near the door or on the bottom. This is because these are the cooler areas of the front-load...
