Will my kiln be happy outside?

[Girl on Fire]

I am in the process of buying my first kiln (probably an L&L easy fire) and am narrowing down how to install it.  It will be outside, behind my garage (I live in Southern California).  I want to build a shed for it and am contemplating a few choices. I plan on using metal siding and either metal or wood studs depending on the design.

1. Having the roof and sides on hinges so everything is open during use (no wheels)

2. Making the shed larger and taller with no moveable roof and sides (except for the door). How far from the kiln should the walls be?  Would 12" be enough? Three feet clearance for the roof? (no wheels)

3. Having a simple frame with a hinged top and canvas walls which can be removed as needed (no wheels)

4.Puttin the kiln on wheels and building a shed just to cover when not in use and rolling it out when needed.

Will I need a vent system if it is outside? It will utilize a plug (not hard wired), will a normal outdoor rated/covered receptacle work? I assume it should be 12" from the stuccoed garage wall.  What about from a wall made of cement blocks?

 

Thank you.

[neilestrick]

No, no, no. If you wouldn't leave your computer there, you shouldn't leave your kiln there. Don't try to shim-sham this and do it on the cheap. Do it right, do it safely. It must be covered from the weather, and be able to be covered even when it's hot. A firing cycle can take up to 36 hours with cooling, and you cannot guarantee the weather won't change in that long a time period. If a storm rolls in during a firing, you'll have to be able to protect it. Build a proper shed.

Kilns need to be placed on a fireproof floor, and 16" from combustible surfaces (walls). You can put down 2 layers of cement board on the floor if yo have a wood floor, and cement board on the walls is also a good idea. You can go 12" from cement walls. I would go with a 6x6 shed minimum, with a large door that can be open during firings. With the door open and a vent cap in the roof, you should have enough ventilation to keep it cool enough during firing that the controller won't freak out.  You probably won't need a vent from a health standpoint since you won't be spending any time in the space, but a vent will make your elements last longer, slow down corrosion of the kiln's metal parts, and make your glazes look better.

L&L does make a rolling stand, but it's only for use on sooth floors. The metal caster won't roll smoothly on rough concrete or over cracks.

[hitchmss]

Neil nailed all the points regarding the kiln. From experience on a different project, if you're gonna have larger (over 2-3') hinged sections of this building to open up, put a castor on the suspended end. Unless you use beefy hinges, anchored into super solid beams, then the doors will sag, and eventually not close. A castor helps bear the weight of the door. Needs to be on a flat surface to work; if not on concrete, use a pneumatic tire at least 6" in dia. If wheels on doors wont work, then use a beefy piano hinge for extra large doors.

   One other thing not mentioned, maybe thought about though. You're gonna be running electric there anyways, so put in at least one extra 15-20 amp circuit for at least one(id do a couple of fluoro housings, or leds if budget-able) overhead light (god knows you'll be loading the kiln in the middle of the night at some point in your life), and if you need power tools to work on kiln shelves, pots, etc.

[Stephen]

Neil, any reason why she can't do as she mentioned if she added a large covered area that would protect the kiln from weather should a storm roll in while she's firing?

I am in Texas and I am considering  a large covered area with a smallish storage shed underneath to hold some things but prob leave the kilns and glaze counters open air. It get's really, really hot in Texas (and the OP's Southern CA) and working in non air-conditioned sheds is almost impossible for months on end.  

 

[neilestrick]

1 hour ago, Stephen said:

Neil, any reason why she can't do as she mentioned if she added a large covered area that would protect the kiln from weather should a storm roll in while she's firing?

I am in Texas and I am considering  a large covered area with a smallish storage shed underneath to hold some things but prob leave the kilns and glaze counters open air. It get's really, really hot in Texas (and the OP's Southern CA) and working in non air-conditioned sheds is almost impossible for months on end.  

 

As long as it can stay dry during storms it'll be fine, but it has to be protected while the kiln is hot. And whatever is protecting it needs to be vented to get out all the heat coming off the kiln, otherwise it will get too hot for the kiln controller.