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The salt glazed firing process first evolved in medieval Europe as potters sought out new ways of making their pottery vitreous. Chris Breuer fires salt glazed stoneware in a custom designed outdoor firebrick kiln that channels the heat through its interior in a downdraft flow, pushing temperatures inside to stoneware heat of 2400 degrees Fahrenheit. When the kiln reaches this peak temperature, Chris introduces salt into the kiln at specific locations. The intense heat vaporizes the salt and breaks the chemical bond between the sodium and chloride, allowing free sodium vapors to react with the silica and alumina in the clay body. The airflow of the kiln’s downdraft design then carries these sodium ions throughout the kiln where they react with the clay surfaces. This interaction melts the surface of the clay and any applied glazes, forming a glass or glaze and creating a textured orange peel surface. The amount of salt, the temperature of the kiln, the duration of the firing, and the composition of the clay body may be adjusted to achieve a variety of rich effects on the clay surface. It takes a full day of focused work to load the pottery into our salt kiln for firing. Great care must be taken to load the kiln evenly. The flow and accumulation of sodium vapors are shaped by the placement of the pottery throughout the kiln, so the placement of each piece must be considered, as it will have a direct influence on the resulting effects of the salt glazing. After the kiln is loaded, it is piloted for at least one day to completely dry the pottery and the kiln. This process removes moisture from the clay and the kiln itself, which otherwise could cause cracking and explosions during the firing. Over the course of about twenty hours, the kiln temperature is gradually increased to 2400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chris carefully observes and closely charts the progression of the firing, and when the kiln achieves this peak temperature, Chris introduces salt through ports in the kiln walls. This temperature is maintained for several hours. Once the salting and firing is complete, the kiln must cool for three days, as any introduction of outside air could cause fracturing. Once cool, the kiln’s brick door may be disassembled and the newly fired pieces are revealed. Salt glazed stoneware pottery is vitreous. Its durability and low porosity make functional forms a practical as well as beautiful choice for everyday use. Breuer Pottery salt glazed pots are food, dishwasher, and microwave safe. |
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Copyright © 2008 Chris Breuer. All rights reserved.
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