T E C H N O FILE

stoneware maturity by Dave Finkelnburg

A knowledge of ceramic chemistry is not required to understand how the properties of a stoneware clay
body develop in a firing. What is required is proper firing to peak temperature in order to produce a
vitrified stoneware.

Defining the Terms Stoneware Science

Amorphous Solid: A solid material with Properly fired stoneware is composed of an amorphous aluminum silicate glass that cements
no regular crystal structure. together crystals o f mullite and silica. The glass phase solidifies from a liquid form ed when

Feldspar: Naturally occurring alkali and all the feldspar and some o f the quartz in the clay body melt.
alkaline earth alumino-silicate minerals of The mullite is derived from the day in the stoneware body. The silica is usually quartz sand
variable composition. that has been used as a grog in the body and melts as a direct function o f the peak firing

Glass Phase: The portion of a fired temperature. The portion o f the silica that melts becomes part of the glass phase. Because
ceramic that melts to a liquid during firing mullite forms long, slender crystals w ith in the stoneware glass phase, the mullite contributes
and then becomes an amorphous solid to the strength of the fired ceramic.
upon cooling. The most abundant and inexpensive feldspars are rich in sodium and/or potassium. Those
Mullite: A crystalline compound of elements serve as fluxes and cause the feldspar minerals to melt at relatively low temperatures
alumina (Al20 3) and silica (Si02) formed by to produce the stoneware glass phase. Other flux elements found in alumino-silicate minerals,
firing the common clay mineral, kaolinite, however, have the same effect and may be found in stoneware bodies. Lithium, as well as
to above 1922°F (1050°C).
sodium and potassium, are alkali flux elements, which may be used to produce the glass
Stoneware Clay: Primarily kaolinite clay phase in stoneware. Magnesium, calcium, strontium , and barium are alkaline earth fluxes,
contaminated with flux elements and/ which may also be used for the same purpose.
or feldspar minerals as well as iron and
sometimes other metals. Stoneware
clays are moderately refractory, maturing Testing
between cones 7 and 12, but due to their Possibly the simplest, and fastest, way to determine whether a clay body is underfired is to
metal content do not fire white. take a sample test fresh from the kiln, cool it, and touch your tongue to an unglazed bit
Stoneware Clay Body: Stoneware o f it. If your tongue dings to the sample, the w ork is porous. If you have any doubt about
bodies vary widely. Their major th a t test, try it w ith an ordinary drinking glass. The glass is not a bit porous so your tongue
constituent is plastic fire clay to which as slides on it, not clinging at all. A porous ceramic surface will not feel the same.
much as 15% ball clay may be added.
More formally, fo r ta riff purposes, the United States Industrial Trade Commission (USITC)
Similar fractions of quartz and feldspar
has defined stoneware as a fired ceramic that can absorb no more than 3% of its dry w eight
may be added to control the body's
maturation temperature. o f water measured using a specific test procedure. That test, American Society of Testing
Materials (ASTM) test C373, involves boiling 5 bone-dry samples of at least 10 grams each
Vitrification: Formation of a glass phase
during the firing of a ceramic object. for 5 hours in deionized water, cooling the samples in a cool, deionized water bath for 24
hours, then blotting the samples dry and immediately weighing them on an accurate scale.
The gain in w eight is calculated as a percent of the original dry w eight o f the samples.
For reference, earthenware is defined by the USITC as having a w ater absorption of more
than 3% . Porcelain, in comparison, is defined as absorbing no more than 0.5% water using
the same test.

Studio Takeaway
Before scientists developed an understanding o f ceramic chemistry, potters still knew how
to make durable stoneware. When they found a new clay, they dug some o f it, fired it to
determine its m aturation temperature, then made glazes fo r the temperature they knew they
had to fire to in order to have sound ware. Most potters now dig their clay from plastic bags
that come in boxes from a commercial manufacturer. Unfortunately, this process o f testing
is often no longer followed. Potters should be able to trust manufacturer recommendations,
but it's risky.
Firing should always be to the maturing temperature of the body. For example, if a clay is
listed as a cone 10 body, but absorbs 5% of its w eight as water, it's going to be relatively
weak and it will most likely leak. That body will either require some addition of feldspar to
lower its maturing temperature to cone 10 or it w ill need to be fired to cone 11 + 1 or so
to be adequately dense. If that temperature yields over- or under-matured glazes, then Stoneware Clay Bodies
of course those glazes either need to be adjusted or replaced w ith others. One simply
WHEEL WIZ STONEWARE
w o n 't achieve desired results if the body itself is either overfired or underfired fo r the
Cone 9-10 Oxidation/Reduction
benefit of the firing requirements o f the glazes used.
Kona F-4 Feldspar* .......................... 8%
Vessels made o f underfired clays will leak. W hile this is unfortunate fo r pitchers that
AP Green Fire C la y **........................ 15
hold liquids such as milk or water, it has proven dangerous in cases involving underfired
Cedar Heights G oldart...................... 25
oil lamps tha t leaked and the oil then ignited.
Hawthorne Bond Fire C lay............... 25
It is also possible, o f course, to encounter a clay body that is over-fired at its listed OM 4 Ball Clay................................... 25
maturing cone. That creates a risk o f slumping or bloating of the body. Stoneware fired Silica.................................................. 2
to significantly less than 1.5% water absorption is likely overfired. 100%
Stoneware is not limited by the goals of translucency and whiteness that characterize
porcelains. Thus, stoneware can be made almost entirely from clay. Any fairly high-firing
This recipe was originally printed in Val Cushing's
book, the Cushing Handbook.
clay w ill do, even if the clay contains titanium or iron, elements which make the fired
w ork gray to brown and also opaque. *No longer available. Try substituting Minspar 200.
Stoneware bodies th a t are 85% or more clay are common. Additions of silica to control
“ No longer available. Try substituting Plainsman
expansion and contraction behavior and feldspar to manage maturing temperature are Fire Clay.
relatively small. The clay-rich recipes make stoneware bodies easy to handle w ith most
form ing methods. VC STONEWARE
High shrinkage and warping can be problems w ith stoneware bodies. An addition of Cone 9-10 Oxidation/Reduction
grog may be needed, especially w ith larger work. Grog helps speed drying and reduces Kona F-4 Feldspar*..................... 10.0%
total shrinkage. Both effects are helpful to reduce warping and cracking. AP Green Fire C la y **................... 8.0
Barnard Blackbird***................... 2.0
th e a u th o r Dave Finkelnburg is a studio po tte r and practicing engineer. He earned his C&C Ball Clay................................ 9.0
masters degree in ceramic engineering from Alfred University. Cedar Heights G oldart................. 33.5
Hawthorne Fireclay..................... 33.5
Alumina (calcined or hydrate,
200 mesh).................................... 4.0
100.0 %

This is the stoneware day body Val Cushing used

USITC Clay Body Definitions1 and was originally printed in his book the Cushing
Water Absorption Handbook. His notes, referring to reduction firing,
Clay Body Description
read, "Throws very well. Medium brown-dense. Any
(based on % of object's dry
ball clay may be used. Add 4% more Barnard for
weight) (ASTM Test C373)
a very dark walnut brown color. Barnard may be
Earthenware Ceramic ware, whether or not glazed Greater than 3% eliminated and its 2% added to the Kona F-4 spar
or decorated, having a fired body that fo ra light tan color."
contains clay as an essential ingredient.
*No longer available. Try substituting Minspar 200.
Porcelain Ceramic ware (other than stoneware), No more than 0.5%
whether or not glazed or decorated, “ No longer available. Try substituting Plainsman
having a fired white body (unless Fire Clay.
artificially colored) and is translucent in
thicknesses of several millimeters. “ * No longer available. However, virtually all com-
mercial suppliers offer a substitute for this iron- and
Stoneware Ceramic ware that contains clay as an No more than 3%
manganese-rich slip clay.
essential ingredient, is not commonly
white, and is naturally opaque
(except in very thin pieces) even when
absorption is less than 0.1 %. Send your technical topic ideas to Ceramics
Monthly at [email protected].
1 www.usitc.gov/publications/docs/tata/hts/bychapter/1000c69.pdf
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