Making clay crafts is an interesting and creative thinking activity for both children and adults. But for better preservation of such souvenirs, it is advisable to burn them using a special technology.
Instructions
Step 1
Dry your clay product. This can be done outdoors or indoors. This process will help make the firing more even. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day to dry completely, depending on the size of the item and whether it is hollow.
Step 2
Use the simplest method - burning in a fire. This method is suitable, for example, for small clay toys. Take a tin can, put a clay product inside and place it on the fire. Before this, the clay toy is best heated in the oven or near a fire. This will help keep it from cracking. The firing quality may be worse than in a special oven, but the required temperature will be reached. It will be more convenient if the fire is lit in a confined space, for example, in a barbecue or inside a brickwork. This will make the firing more temperature stable.
Step 3
If possible, use a special firing muffle furnace. It has the ability to regulate the temperature. The first two hours of firing, it should be no more than 200 degrees. Then gradually raise the temperature to 1000 degrees over 6 hours. Then turn it off and let the product cool down. This will help prevent cracks and excessive darkening of the clay.
Step 4
If you have a Russian stove in your house, place your clay product for firing there. In this case, it is enough to put a few logs inside, light the oven and leave the product there in a tin can until the oven cools down.
Step 5
After firing, you can paint your toy or vessel, cover it with glaze and use it for various purposes. Fired clay is suitable, for example, for wounding liquids in it.
