sdwolff989 Posted August 22, 2022 Report Share Posted August 22, 2022 Hi there yall, My wife and I are installing an olympic kiln into her pottery studio and I had some questions about insulating the walls around the kiln? Without insulation it has to be 36 inches from the wall which is a problem in the shop due to limited space. What works best to insulate the walls around the kiln? Thanks Sean Wolff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted August 23, 2022 Report Share Posted August 23, 2022 Is this a gas kiln or an electric kiln? Electric kilns need to be 16-18 from the wall. I've never heard of insulation in the wall making a difference in the clearances. Can you post the specs you're reading? Pres 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyK Posted August 23, 2022 Report Share Posted August 23, 2022 I've gone 2 ways in the past for wood-burning fireplaces which put out a lot more heat than a kiln. The first is a brick wall which was done for fire protection as well as aesthetics. The second was for functionality. Here, I used 3/8" hardibacker cement board installed with 1" metal tube spacers. The best thing for you to do would be to contact your local building dept. and find out what they require for the installation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Eberle Posted August 24, 2022 Report Share Posted August 24, 2022 Hey Sean - Yeah, we need a little more info here. Gas kiln or electric? If it's electric, you're in luck: 12" from any combustible surface has been the manufacturer's spec for a long time. That for any kiln looking to go to cone 6 or 10. I have two in my 1850's New England home...in a small auxiliary room with a window for venting. I even taken wall temp readings while the kiln is up at temp...and the walls are never more than 80-90 degrees, max. The bigger issue, I believe, that often gets overlooked is the FLOOR. I can't tell you how many old kilns I've moved from firing rooms where there's just a piece of cement board underneath....and...oh - what's that??! A BLACK semi-charred halo underneath. Now - was the house ready to go up in flames? Nope....but...good grief, pretty scary. I always consult with folks to at least put a layer of soft brick under the kiln ON TOP of the cement board. Game over with that setup. Sounds like you're trying to install a gas kiln, though....give us more specs and hopefully we can help ya out, man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdwolff989 Posted August 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2022 https://www.soulceramics.com/collections/olympic-kilns/products/olympic-kiln-3023he Hi Ben, Electric 240v kiln not a gas one. We have a small pottery studio we built on our property. Concrete floor 4inch thick slab. Walls are 2x4 studs with hardbieboard exterior. Will get some pictures this afternoon sir. Getting all this prepped before we setup the kiln lol its uncrated at the moment. Thanks Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdwolff989 Posted August 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2022 Wife is planning on cone 6-10 firings. Am I saying that right. This is my wifes hobby stuff lol. Me give me an old car and or truck to fix and I can rattle off details all day l9ng. Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted August 24, 2022 Report Share Posted August 24, 2022 See HERE. Olympic recommends at least 12" clearance from the wall. Simple as that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdwolff989 Posted August 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2022 Hi Neil, Thanks that helps alot. Pottery shop is people that mentioned the 18 inch distance. Thank you all for the guidance!! Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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