If you have a kiln, you need kiln wash to serve as a protective layer between whatever you’re firing up in the kiln and the kiln shelves. It helps to prevent glaze from sticking to your shelves, and keep your art from sticking too. At Delphi Glass, we have kiln wash to help keep you and your kiln happy. If you’re new to glass art and haven’t used your kiln much yet, you might be wondering how and when to use kiln wash though.
Firstly, you’ll need to choose the right kiln wash for your needs. They’re made with high melting points but you’ll want to adjust the formula based on the temperatures you’ll be firing at. When in doubt, a higher temperature formula will always serve your needs and prevent problems.
Because kiln shelves are usually made of ceramic, melted glaze spilling, spitting or tipping over onto your shelf can be a disaster. That’s where kiln wash comes in, to help protect against unforeseen circumstances and stop messes before they start. Mixing it up, it should have a watery consistency, a bit like milk. Apply it in several thinly-layered coats and let it dry completely between each application. You can use a brush or roller to do it.
For brand-new kiln shelves, you should fire them once first with the kiln empty without any wash on them. Then proceed with applying your kiln wash. Should glaze spill over when you’re firing in your kiln after you’ve coated the kiln shelves in kiln wash, the piece will lift up and take the kiln wash with it. You should be able to grind that bit off the bottom and reapply the kiln wash.
The bottom line is that if you want your glass art pieces to come out of your kiln without a fuss, you should apply kiln wash before firing to keep your kiln in prime condition for all your works of art.
