The Golden Kiln has been in business for about 10 years, and got its start as a hobby, and grew from a genuine love of doing, and teaching others how to work with ceramics. As a full service shop, we offer greenware, bisque, firing, glazes, paints, and supplies.

The shop carries Unique Colors, Satellite Textural Glazes and Crest Molds, plus other brands of specialty paints and glazes. In our open workshop there is always expert help available for the novice or the experienced crafter alike. Classes are scheduled periodically to teach new techniques and to do specialty or seasonal pieces. Check this web site often for our updated class schedule.

The Golden Kiln
6212 Columbia
St. Louis, Missouri 63139

! ! ! ! CAUTION ! ! ! !

Watch for an outbreak of

CERAMIC FEVER

Very Contagious with No Known Cure

About Ceramics Glossary

The processes and what some of the terms mean:

Greenware is the first stage of a ceramic piece, and is formed by pouring SLIP (liquid clay) into a plaster mold. When enough of the moisture is absorbed by the mold, the piece will hold the form of the mold. The piece is then removed to dry further, some moisture will remain, but when dry, the fragile piece maybe handled carefully.

There are seam lines left on greenware by the mold and must be removed, with tools designed for this purpose, while the clay is still workable. The cleaning process sometimes removes texture or detail, this needs to be replaced before the piece is fired to bisque.

Once the piece is cleaned it is fired in the kiln and becomes bisque. Bisque firing is a heating process, and removes all the remaining moisture from the clay. The piece is now ready to glaze or paint with stains and is much less fragile.

Glazing creates the glasslike, watertight, gloss finish seen on coffee mugs and such items that will be used with food or drink. The glaze is applied with even, flowing strokes, usually 3 to 4 coats, depending on the glaze. Once all coats are applied the piece must be glaze fired, which sets the glaze and seals the bisque. Not all glazes are food safe, some are toxic and contain lead, but will work well for decorative pieces, so read the labels carefully.

Bisque pieces for decorative use can be finished with a variety of paints, or stains. Oil based translucent and antiqueing solutions add depth and bring out detail. Most of these products cover in only one coat and are easier to work with on the more detailed pieces. Decorative pieces painted with stains, oil based translucent or antiqueing require no additional firing. When finished, most of these pieces need to be sprayed with a clear coating, either matte or gloss, which seals them.

From The Golden Kiln - 6212 Columbia - St. Louis, Missouri 63139 - 314-781-8767