BISQUE FIRING

The first firing of clay is called bisque firing.  The resulting pottery is called bisque ware.

Bisque firing serves the purpose of giving the pot considerably more strength than it has when it is simply dried clay (greenware).  This allows the potter to handle the pot more readily without fear of breaking it.

Bisque firing still leaves the pot pourous enough that it can pick up glaze from a suspension of blaze material in water.

Different potters bisque fire to different temperatures (or cones), but a typical firing would be from 1700 to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit.

Some potters are able to skip the bisque firing step by either:

1. very carefully applying or spraying glaze directly on the greenware
2. not glazing their pottery, or
3. applying glaze in the kiln via salt or soda glazing.

Bisque Firing Equipment
Kiln Loading
Greenware
Water Smoking
Bisque Ware