Kiln location/studio flow help!

[Amelia]

We are moving and I finally have a outbuilding fit for a studio! It is heated and has electric (need to put in 240 plug). I need some advice on where to put the kiln and any other suggestions on the overall studio flow. No water…considering getting that put in- please share your experiences with that/if you’re glad you did/etc.

I am a full time potter- make roughly about 2000 pots a year. Midrange dinnerware. Have taken some time off for maternity leave but will be getting back to it soon-ish. My old basement studio worked well for the last 5 yrs, but very grateful to be above ground again!

You can see the space is divided into two- with a thick sliding door in between. Thinking the right will be for clay work/kiln and the left will be shipping/packing/desk/ maybeeee glazing too?? Upstairs will be my husbands music studio. The right side of the garage is about 380 sq ft.

Located in Vermont- so cold winters!

how would you set this space up!? Mostly stumped on kiln and wheel location in regards to the garage doors (kiln closer to let heat out when firing or wheel closer to be by fresh air when it’s open??)

[Mark C.]

The best way to think about this is clay comes in and flows thru the work system and out the door in a loop. That is the most efficient flow.

I do not like the glaze table (which glazing is the most messy ( other than throwing) next to desk and pack table in yiour layout

I would store clay insdie the door on left working to wedging ,throwing then drying. Then on to glazing and last packing. The kiln can be central in an indoors space.

Glaze areas  are not clean space .

The pack space and desk is a clean space. kiln space is also a clean space.I would put them all in the right hand space and 

Keep thge circle idea in whole layout. clay is finished work out. The wheel is not in a good spot either for me

[Amelia]

@Mark C.thank you so much! Great tips and points to consider. Any tips on venting the kiln of its in the center of an indoor space?? Perhaps could also go in front of garage door 1 and be vented in between the two doors. Kinda awkward, but would be out of the way of my husband going up the stairs…

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I propose this layout below. You may want to adjust it, but here’s the logic:

1) Put as many things on wheels as you can for ease of cleaning, and so you could maybe shift things if necessary. The orientation of the large work table on the right side may be changed, but the table should have bucket/material storage underneath. Additional materials/small items/tests/work in progress can be stored on adjustable shelves in that awkward between post area. 

1a) I strongly suggest adding more lighting, and perhaps paint the walls white. I had a similar paneling system in my studio, and found it very depressing, especially in the winter. 

2) You’ll probably want a small rolling cart to transfer finished work from the kiln to the office side, where you’ll photograph, make listings  and pack it. I’m assuming the closet will hold packing or other office supplies.

3) Clay comes in through garage door #2, and travels the farthest distance. It gets stacked close to the wheel working area on the end of the work table. 

4) Pots get made in the back left corner. You may wish to have a small wedging table or some low shelves in front of you to hold work as you make it, or put some adjustable shelving on the walls for ware-in-progress storage that works around the heater. You could enclose this in plastic for a damp cabinet, or not. There’s no measurements to work with, so I didn’t get too specific.

5) Pots go into the kiln for bisque, and out onto the work table for glazing, and back into the kiln. Minimize your steps. I’m basing kiln placement at least in part on visible electrical outlets. This room isn’t so large that venting couldn’t easily be run out the small back window from wherever it is. You will want to get some form of fireproofing to line the walls behind the kiln. Check local building code, but we’ve had cement board and sheet metal suggested for this. 

6) Pots get moved into the office area for final storage before you either take them to a market or packed and shipped. 

Neither you or your husband wants clay or glaze dust getting into any electronic equipment, and foot traffic could drag that upstairs. I would strongly suggest having a pair of shoes that you put on when you go into the “dirty” side on the right, but that never cross the threshold going the other way. Some small rugs will be a good idea at the human door and the base of the stairs to limit tracking, and probably one at the slider opening. 

 

[grackle]

i quite like having my wheel in a separate space from the kiln, which is what i have now, mainly because the room gets too hot for 2 days when the kiln is running.  Damp box is close the wheel, and shelves for greenware, then bisque, then ready to glaze.  Did not always have this set up, used to be all one room, but now better with 2.

NOw if I could just master throwing big bowls without the 'amateur shoulder!"

[Amelia]

@Callie Beller Dieselamazing tips! Definitely will be installing more lighting (I’ve heard fluorescent is best??) and was considering painting the wood white to make it brighter and less…woody. Glad to know you had a positive experience with that. 
 

Also didn’t put tables/shelves on my map but figured having them on wheels I could see what works best. Love the idea for the wheel area, and desk/packing orientation in that corner (never would have thought of that!). Great tips on the rugs and methods for keeping clay downstairs.

 

the kiln location idea is good! I like the thought of minimizing traveling distance- my only hesitation is the kiln being so close to the wheel…wondering if I would like it in the other room as some folks have suggested. But I do like your idea for it- and the ability to do shipping/other organizational work when the other room is too hot to work in with the kiln going.

thank you!!!!

[Amelia]

@gracklethanks! Yes I was thinking the same thing. Definitely on the fence about which will make more sense (for ventilation and overall flow of the space). Luckily with everything else besides the kiln I can move around to get right as I find what works!

[Hulk]

LED lighting might be worth a look - long lasting bulbs, high efficiency wins back the initial cost, and then more from there.
We used LED fluorescent tube look-alike replacements at the last house, particularly in the garage and Studio.

The round ones ("canless" recessed) that go into the ceiling are very reasonable now; we used them in our Son's bathroom remodels last summer. The light "temperature" is even adjustable! 

Our new house has them in the garage.
On the Studio side, I plan to chain in several more.

[Mark C.]

LED lighting is the only way to go. You can buy led fluorescent looking lights. I have them with covers to keep dust off outside in gas kiln area and in all my out buildings. LED will save you $$ in long run. I have a mix of one room all white (throwing room and a darker room.) the white wins out about 100%. It a shame to paint notty pine but if th is your permanent studio for life I'd break out the roller and paint it all white. The pancake lights in above post are what we have in most house rooms and are on a dimmer thay really can put out the light put 4 led 4 foot fluorescent looking fixtures are far brighter and less of them nned for a studio . I converted all my fluorescent fixtures to LED about 15 years ago. Never looked back.You can put that kiln in the middle area with a long downdraft vent or a hooded vent and just take it long to an exterior wall. Since I can see two at least its not an issue-you need a foreced draft system with blower but most come with that. I personly like a wheel with a view and built my throwing room with that in mind. But that a personal design decision. Things on rollers is good idea

are you planning on production work or something else as that will change the layout as well

[Rae Reich]

I agree that white walls are best for lighting and for color perception. The wood is beautiful, but “groovy” (can catch dust). I would cover it with drywall and paint that. Less chance of bleed-through (multiple coats of paint) and the drywall can be removed if the area use is changed. Drywall will give you an additional layer of insulation too.  
 

Having the kiln in the same room as the wall heater leaves the smaller room without heating in winter -  that’s where I’d prefer the kiln. The doors can be opened for extra ventilation in summer. 

I envy you the large, fresh, blank canvas!

[Amelia]

@Hulkthank you!!! Great to know the temp is adjustable on those! 

[Mark C.]

Raes idea on the heat  is spot on that way you have heat in both areas-just inside the slider would work for kiln

The LED adjustable light temp on those pancake LED is great -we choose the more warm light in the house -The studio lights (fluorescent style LED) are no adjustable) I would stay away from the ones at costco as they make a humming noise.

[Amelia]

@Mark C. thank you for the extra info on the lighting and the kiln- I’m liking that spot right inside the sliding door. And yes, although unfortunate, I think painting white will be very welcomed come February…

My work is wheel throwing/production now- not much surface design/hand building beyond handles on mugs and some other joining of parts. Small chance I may dabble with slipcasting in the future…but not for now.

[Amelia]

@Rae Reich ooooo interesting idea on the drywall- sounds like a big project…but it definitely may be worth considering! Esp for extra insulation. Also good point on heater dispersal.

And thanks! After 15 years dedicated to the craft I am really grateful to have an *above ground* and out of the house space that feels so promising!!!

[Callie Beller Diesel]

If you’ve got an electrician coming in anyways for the kiln, can the heater be moved, or another one added in the left hand side? I did also have that concern about having both kiln and heater in the same area. But my logic for having the kiln separate from the office area was that if you’re firing the kiln, you maybe don’t want to be always working next to it, even with venting. Working on office stuff while the kiln’s going (or running it overnight with appropriate precautions) was my assumption. But it depends on how you’ve got your work cycles set up.

[Amelia]

@Callie Beller Dieselit definitely feels like 6 in 1, half a dozen in the other…I am thinking the office area would be comfortably warm if the kiln were firing in the other room since I do like the idea of having it in the same room as the wheel. But I guess worst case…I choose a place now, and down the road could always decide to move it if it really is not working. It may be wise to get another heater in the office area anyways.

[Kelly in AK]

I can’t add much, as people’s suggestions have covered most of my thoughts. Keeping the pots in one flowing line from wet clay to glaze fired ware is the biggie, no backtracking around the studio. The closer wet clay is to the delivery door the better. I also have to wholeheartedly agree with LED lights. I wasn’t sure because I’m not fond of the color, but my partner likes it bright so I put a couple in our studio on “her side.”  They were so great I quickly put two more on “my side.”

They’re like shop lights, you can get them with a plug or to hard wire in. One mistake I made was buying “high bay” style lights, which are meant for a really high ceiling, unless it’s 20 or 30 feet high it’s like a spotlight. I traded it in for ones the same brightness but made for regular height ceiling.

Beautiful looking space! 

[Mark C.]

One other option instaen of sheet rock is what I covered my throwing room in was Laun panneling its super thin and lightweight. You can use small finish nails (air gun ) to tack it up. It comes in 4x8 sheets and paints  well and is very cheap tp but.. It fast and you could still have the lovely wood under if you ever want to peel it off. Its about 1/8 inch thick or so

Edited August 4, 2023 by Mark C.

[LeeU]

The work flow "loop" for clay in, clay out (plus clean vs messy) that Mark described is the way to go IMO.  Also, I would absolutely install water and a utility sink--why would you operate a studio w/out water & be lugging buckets if you don't have to and it's not a temporary situation??   How exciting --good for you!!

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I don’t know if they sell the same ones at the US Home Depot, but you can get warm and cool LED bulbs in Canada. We’ve been phasing out incandescent and compact flourescent bulbs for a few years now, and LED are definitely better than either of them. Look on the box for the Kelvin rating: 2500-3000K are the warm ones, 5000K are the cool/bright white ones. The 5000K ones are better for bright light tasks/overhead lighting, and the 2500K are nice evening lighting, or if you need a warmer cast to things. 

[Amelia]

Thank you @Kelly in AK!!!

[Amelia]

Oh good point @Mark C.! Definitely going to look into all options. 

[Amelia]

@LeeUyou are very right. The frugal “I can make it work…!” part of my brain comes out sometimes…but yeah, a production studio needs water.

[Amelia]

Thanks so much @Callie Beller Diesel! So much helpful info!

[Rae Reich]

39 minutes ago, Amelia said:

@LeeUyou are very right. The frugal “I can make it work…!” part of my brain comes out sometimes…but yeah, a production studio needs water.

I have a faucet mounted at 4’ on the wall just outside the studio door with a fiberglass stationary tub beneath it and a bucket beneath that instead of a drain. The tub is unmounted so it can be moved if it’s in the way, or in your case, to keep out of the weather. I don’t use the sink for slops so I didn’t put in more straining/filtering. My faucet is a recycled shower + faucet unit with a hand-held shower hose attached that I can use to fill buckets without having to lift them in and out of the tub.