Guides

• Glazing from first principles

  What a glaze is, how it melts, and every word you will meet on a recipe or a bag, explained.

• How to make a glaze

  Buying, storing, weighing, mixing and sieving a glaze, then testing it and keeping records.

• Safe mixing and ventilation

  Dust, respirators, cleaning, the materials that need most care, and venting the kiln.

• Don't poison your family

  Pottery at home with children and pets: storage, dust, the kiln, and what to do if something is swallowed.

• Firing a basic kiln

  Cones, kiln sitters and manual switches, with schedules for bisque and glaze firings.

These guides gather what manufacturers, safety agencies and experienced potters publish, with the sources at the end of each. They are a starting point, not a substitute for your materials' safety data sheets, your kiln's manual or local rules.