SkitzoidLady Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Just a little bit of background since this is my first time posting. My daughter has been working in ceramics and pottery for over 10 years. I just took up the art form. We are long time Florida residents and this past week-end had a show in Crystal River, FL. A gentleman bought one of my pieces, and made comment that he hoped his wife would like it. Keep in mind that many people in Florida come down for the winter as snow birds, then head back up north for the summer. After we left the event, the gentleman called my cell phone and asked how my piece would handle -25 F temperatures in his cabin up north. My daughter and I were completely stumped. We are Floridians. We don't think about this kind of stuff! I've Googled his question and came up with nothing. We bisque fired at cone 04 and glaze fired at cone 6. I want to respond to him, but have no clue what to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEP Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Welcome to the forum and thank you for posting! I moved your thread to the "Studio" section of the forum, where it will get more views and hopefully more responses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayaldridge Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 If your clay is a vitrified stoneware with low absorption, there will be no problem. The only risk to clay objects in extreme cold is if they contain enough water to freeze and expand. I once lost an entire studio full of leatherhard pots... probably 500 pieces... because I let the studio freeze overnight. That was a sad morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Ceramics are good about tolerating the extremes, so even that cold shouldn't caude a problem. The issue arises,when ceramics have dramatic temperature changes. So if the customer took that incredibly cold item, and rapidly heated it. The oppositie is also true. If you take a hot ceramic it, and quickly cool it. In both causes you can get thermal shick, and the ware can crack. Also, unless they are keeping the item outside, I don't see how it wouldmget to -25F inside. My garage doesn't get below 0 F, even when it gets that cold. In any case, they will be fine, unless they do the aforementioned quick heating and cooling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Reed Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 I have had the same discussion with my clay club up here is Washington. We concluded that the question is about how porous your work is when it is completed. If fully vitrified and non-porous (so some extent all ceramic is porous) the better it will survive freezing temps. It all has to do with the moisture that is trapped in the ceramic. When ice is formed in these areas it will crack the ceramic. Not sure testing in a freezer would work, because it needs all the environment variables present in something outdoors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayaldridge Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Our little cabin in NY got down to 40 below last winter... inside. We turn the power off and drain the water system when we leave in the fall. But most Cone 6 midrange stoneware is vitreous enough that unless water is standing in the piece when it freezes, it should be okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatthewV Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 A bisqued piece will break down with time in the freeze/thaw cycles if left outside. But not quickly. The temperature reached doesn't matter; the cycling of freeze and thaw is what breaks rocks apart. Wet clay does not freeze well and will fall apart like a greenware piece in water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 The cold doesn't matter. It's moisture that is the problem during freeze. Water expands as it freezes, so if it freezes inside the wall of the pot it will break it apart. Vitrified work is of little worry since it likely contains virtually no moisture, especially if it's been indoors. Even porous low fire work can handle the freeze just fine if it's indoors and dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkitzoidLady Posted February 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 Thanks for all the responses. This is exactly the information I need for my customer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerdry Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 Something that hasn't been mentioned is that you should check whether your clay is rated to be vitrified at cone 6. There are clays listed as cone 6 - 10, which means they won't be fully vitrified at cone 6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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