AndyL Posted December 26, 2010 Report Share Posted December 26, 2010 Someone mentioned I should Kiln Wash the brick floor of my Electric Kiln. I've never heard of this. Any thoughts appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Campbell Posted December 26, 2010 Report Share Posted December 26, 2010 I can't quite see the point of doing this unless you are going to set pots on it to fire. Or ... Your glazes are so runny they could drip over the edges of your shelves and pool on the bottom. I would like to hear if anyone has a good reason to do this ... not that I am going to do it ... I am not a big fan of make work projects. I have two kilns ... been running them for twenty years without it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyL Posted December 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2010 I can't quite see the point of doing this unless you are going to set pots on it to fire. Or ... Your glazes are so runny they could drip over the edges of your shelves and pool on the bottom. I would like to hear if anyone has a good reason to do this ... not that I am going to do it ... I am not a big fan of make work projects. I have two kilns ... been running them for twenty years without it. That's pretty much my thought too Chris. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnold Howard Posted December 27, 2010 Report Share Posted December 27, 2010 Someone mentioned I should Kiln Wash the brick floor of my Electric Kiln. I've never heard of this. Any thoughts appreciated. The kiln wash protects the firebrick bottom from melted glaze and glass. I recommend this because applying the kiln wash takes just a few minutes, and it is cheap insurance against damage from an over-fire. The kiln wash should last for years. Several years ago I melted glass into two firebricks as an experiment--one firebrick was bare and the other was coated with kiln wash. You can see a photo of the results at the link: http://www.paragonwe...ter.cfm?PID=164 Sincerely, Arnold Howard Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idaho Potter Posted December 27, 2010 Report Share Posted December 27, 2010 When I got my new kiln, the manufacturer (Skutt) recommended coating the bottom bricks with kiln wash. Took less than five minutes to stir the kiln wash and apply it. Then I forgot about it until one of my students placed a cup across two half-shelves. A runny glaze had been used on the handle and it ate into the shelf edges and down onto the kiln bottom. The shelf edges will have to wait until warmer weather to get ground back, but the the cry of dismay I gave when I saw the small puddle of glaze on the kiln bricks turned into a sigh of relief as I reached down and picked it off the surface. I immediately put another coat of kiln wash on the bricks. It costs hardly anything in material or time, so why not protect yourself. My new protection--making sure I am the only one to orient glazed pieces on the kiln shelves in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted December 28, 2010 Report Share Posted December 28, 2010 It is a good idea to wash the kiln floor to keep glaze from corroding the brick if there are glaze accidents. Some glazes can eat soft bricks. Crystalline glazes are good examples. I has a crystalline glaze accident (1972) eat a 3 inch hole into my new soft brick kiln. Kiln wash on the floor brick would have prevented that. Having taught for many years and having witnessed blowup in glaze firings in electric kilns, I think it is a good practise to put kiln wash on the floor of your kiln. I haven't done it on my own new kilns...I should practice what I preach! Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 It is a good idea to wash the kiln floor to keep glaze from corroding the brick if there are glaze accidents. Some glazes can eat soft bricks. Crystalline glazes are good examples. I has a crystalline glaze accident (1972) eat a 3 inch hole into my new soft brick kiln. Kiln wash on the floor brick would have prevented that. Having taught for many years and having witnessed blowup in glaze firings in electric kilns, I think it is a good practise to put kiln wash on the floor of your kiln. I haven't done it on my own new kilns...I should practice what I preach! Marcia Thank you, Marcia - before I read your post, I was actually with Chris and had only used wash on my kiln shelves, but I think I will give the kiln floor a coat or two now .... just in case! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 In Chris' situation, she doesn't use glaze and wouldn't run into the problem of a caustic glaze accident eating up bricks. There are many perspectives to solutions. I have experienced the glaze eating the brick floor and it isn't pretty. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 In Chris' situation, she doesn't use glaze and wouldn't run into the problem of a caustic glaze accident eating up bricks. There are many perspectives to solutions. I have experienced the glaze eating the brick floor and it isn't pretty. Marcia Kiln wash on the floor of the kiln can't hurt a thing, but in the long run it might save you the purchase of a new floor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.