Welcome to the magical world of clay!

When you test different clays, you will, just like me, discover an incredible variety of possibilities for expressing your creativity. Every clay has its own unique properties that influence malleability, texture, color, and firing characteristics. By choosing the right clay, you can create anything from tiny, detailed jewelry to magnificent sculptures. Different types of clay also have different technical properties that affect how you work with them. Some clays are more plastic and easily shaped, which is ideal for wheel-throwing or hand-building. Other clays are more stable and provide the opportunity to create large and imposing works.

In this guide, I want to help you clarify these concepts so that, with more knowledge, you can choose a suitable clay or dare to try some new, exciting varieties!

Earthenware or stoneware?

It is not really the clay itself that determines whether it is earthenware or stoneware; it is the temperature at which the clay is fired that decides which it becomes. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, and here too, it depends on what result and properties you are striving for.

Earthenware

Earthenware is fired up to approximately 1100°C. After firing, the pores in the clay are still open, which allows it to absorb and release moisture. All the terracotta pots we have are made of earthenware, and you can see that a pot, for example, becomes darker when you have watered the plant; the clay absorbs water. For flower pots, this is a great advantage as the pot helps maintain water balance, and the plant is not as easily overwatered because the pot absorbs and retains moisture. Other advantages of earthenware are that it is lighter than stoneware because it contains air. The ceramics are less prone to warping, becoming crooked, or cracking during firing because they are not subjected to such high temperatures. The air in the clay also provides insulation against heat, which can be an advantage in coffee cups, for example.

The negative aspects of earthenware are that it is not as durable as stoneware. It chips more easily, and the clay can absorb moisture, which easily causes the glaze to begin crazing. The ceramics cannot be washed in a dishwasher and are not as durable for use in the oven or microwave.

Keep in mind that many clays classified as stoneware also have a wide recommended temperature range and can often be fired as earthenware; check the recommended temperature for each respective clay.

Recommended clays from our range:
354 Red earthenware clay
441 Raku earthenware clay
24 Light earthenware clay

I am happy to order more varieties upon request; please feel free to send your wishes.

Stoneware

Stoneware is fired at a high temperature, approx. 1200-1300°C, and becomes more durable than earthenware. Chips do not break off cups and bowls as easily as with earthenware. The clay sinters when it reaches the high temperatures in the kiln, which means the pores melt together and the clay becomes completely waterproof even without glaze. If you want to know if your clay is sintered, read the guide: How to know if your clay is sintered. Stoneware is dishwasher, oven, and microwave safe.

Recommended clays from our range:
254 Light clay with fine grog
930 Light lava clay
931 Light lava clay, large specks
933 Linen-colored lava clay
391 Linen-colored stoneware clay
371 Black-firing stoneware clay
241 Light throwing clay without grog
551 Red stoneware clay
596 Red-firing sculpture clay
376 Black-firing sculpture clay
31 Salt & Pepper sand clay
116 Anthracite, gray clay without grog
27 Black Stone coarse sculpture clay
258 Gray clay with black grog
474 Light sculpture clay

I am happy to order more varieties upon request; please feel free to send your wishes.

Modern clays are precisely adjusted for different temperatures to provide the best possible results; read the package to see the recommended firing temperature.

Grog (Chamotte)

Grog (chamotte) typically consists of fired, crushed clay that is added to improve the clay's properties. The clay then gains a coarser and more textured consistency. Grog acts as reinforcement and improves the clay's properties and durability. It gives the clay strength and shape stability, and makes it less prone to cracking during drying and firing.

The size of the grains and the amount of grog determine how the clay can be used.

Clay with 0-30% grog up to 0.2mm is a good all-round clay. It works very well for wheel-throwing, is excellent for slab building, coiling, and smaller sculptures. I think it is a good clay to start with, and it is perfectly suited as course/school clay.

Recommended clays from our range:
254 Light clay with fine grog
930 Light lava clay
931 Light lava clay, large specks
933 Linen-colored lava clay
391 Linen-colored stoneware clay
371 Black-firing stoneware clay
551 Red stoneware clay

Clays with grog 0-0.5mm from our range:
31 Salt & Pepper sand clay
258 Gray clay with black grog

I am happy to order more varieties upon request; please feel free to send your wishes.

Clay with a larger amount of grog or larger pieces of grog is best suited for different types of sculpting or coiling of larger pieces. The coarse clay often has an exciting texture that brings life and creates a great contrast to wheel-thrown items.

Recommended clays from our range:
474 Light sculpture clay
596 Red-firing sculpture clay
376 Black-firing sculpture clay
27 Black Stone coarse sculpture clay
441 Raku earthenware clay

I am happy to order more varieties upon request; please feel free to send your wishes.

Clay without grog

Clay without grog, on the other hand, consists of the base clay without the addition of coarse-grained particles. It is a finer clay that is soft and easy to shape. Clay without grog is usually more plastic and flexible, which makes it suitable for wheel-throwing and creating smaller and perhaps more detailed works.

Recommended clays from our range:
241 Light throwing clay without grog
116 Anthracite, gray clay without grog
24 Light earthenware clay

Would you rather find your clay based on technique,
here are some tips!

Wheel-throwing

For wheel-throwing, it is best to use a clay with high plasticity and good malleability. A stoneware clay with a fine grain structure works excellently for throwing because it allows you to create smooth and detailed shapes. This clay also gives you the opportunity to work with thin walls, which is ideal for creating elegant bowls, cups, or vases on the wheel. So, use either a clay entirely without grog or one with small grog grains up to 0.2mm.

Recommended clays from our range:

254 Light clay with fine grog
930 Light lava clay
931 Light lava clay, large specks
933 Linen-colored lava clay
391 Linen-colored stoneware clay
371 Black-firing stoneware clay
551 Red stoneware clay
354 Red earthenware clay
24 Light earthenware clay
241 Light throwing clay without grog
116 Anthracite, gray clay without grog
24 Light earthenware clay
31 Salt & Pepper sand clay (For those who can handle slightly larger grog)
258 Gray clay with black grog (For those who can handle slightly larger grog)

Coiling & slab building

To get the best possible results when coiling, we recommend stoneware clay with grog. Grog acts as reinforcement in the clay and improves the clay's properties and durability. It gives the clay strength and shape stability, and makes it less prone to cracking during drying and firing.

But the most important detail is to let your coiled piece dry slowly. Preferably under plastic that you loosen more and more over a few days. In this way, you give the various assembled parts time to slowly merge, and you avoid cracks.

Recommended clays from our range:
254 Light clay with fine grog
930 Light lava clay
931 Light lava clay, large specks
933 Linen-colored lava clay
391 Linen-colored stoneware clay
371 Black-firing stoneware clay
551 Red stoneware clay
31 Salt & Pepper sand clay
258 Gray clay with black grog
474 Light sculpture clay
596 Red-firing sculpture clay
376 Black-firing sculpture clay
27 Black Stone coarse sculpture clay
441 Raku earthenware clay

Sculpture

For sculptural works, especially when creating large or more complex structures, clay with a high grog content is preferable. Grog gives the clay a coarser texture and makes it more resistant and stable during firing.

Recommended clays from our range:
474 Light sculpture clay
596 Red-firing sculpture clay
376 Black-firing sculpture clay
27 Black Stone coarse sculpture clay
441 Raku earthenware clay

I am happy to order more varieties upon request; please feel free to send your wishes.

If you are making small sculptures, clay with smaller pieces of grog works just fine.

Recommended clays from our range:
254 Light clay with fine grog
930 Light lava clay
931 Light lava clay, large speckles
933 Linen-colored lava clay
391 Linen-colored stoneware clay
371 Black-firing stoneware clay
551 Red stoneware clay
31 Salt & Pepper sand clay
258 Grey clay with black grog
376 Black-firing sculpture clay
441 Raku earthenware clay

I am happy to bring in more varieties upon request, please let me know your preferences.

Casting

For casting, it is best to use a specific casting clay, which has a fine particle size and is designed to hold its shape well. Casting clay is usually a clay that contains a mixture of clay minerals and additives to provide the clay with good moldability and strength after firing. Casting clay is purchased in powder form.

Recommended clays from our range:
208 Light casting clay, 25kg stoneware
208 Light casting clay, 5kg stoneware