THE KILN ROOM IMPORTANT INFORMATION
please read
Please read these guidelines carefully. When you drop your work off for firing it is understood that you have read and agreed to these guidelines.
in general…
Ceramics is an exciting but unpredictable discipline and there are no guarantees with regards to final results. Having a conversation with the technician, multiple tests and allowing plenty of time to plan, make, dry, bisque, glaze, decorate and fire your work is the best way to avoid disappointment.
The best advice is to understand your work, understand your materials, understand your clay and understand your methods. It is vital that you know the kind of clay and glazes you are using, the firing temperature, the temperature of the glaze you have applied and the likelihood of the glaze running off the pot and onto the kiln shelf. You will be asked questions about this when firing at The Kiln Room.
Whilst all care will be taken during the handling and firing of your work The Kiln Room is not responsible for breakages and glaze mishaps. Remember that ceramics can be unpredictable and there is a risk associated with submitting your work to a firing service. Rest assured your work will be carefully and lovingly handled by experienced technicians as if it was their own!
Should an accidental underfiring occur, you will be notified, and the work will be refired free of charge. If an accidental overfiring occurs there will be no charge – The Kiln Room bears no responsibility or liability or recompense for work lost in firing. Kilns, like ceramics in general, are notoriously unpredictable (but that’s why we love it!). Reduction firing results, in particular, can be unexpected – embrace them!
Your firing costs will be refunded if the kiln firing itself has been responsible for damage to or destruction of work – for example as a result of stack collapse. No claim for replacement cost of the work lost is possible.
No responsibility is taken for faults if the kiln has fired correctly and the faults are due to issues in the making process.
The Kiln Room does not take responsibility for work that goes missing. It is your responsibility to pick up the work in a timely manner.
If your work has affected the work of others during the firing process (including flashing from glazes) you may bear the cost of the other person’s firing.
Call prior if you…
have any questions at all – remember there are no silly questions!
are unsure about the firing process,
are planning to fire beads or many small items,
have very fragile or very heavy work,
are thinking about including other materials in your work – like metal, fabric, cardboard, etc.
specifically…
Our experienced technicians will load and unload your work. Your work will be followed personally by the technician from drop off, firing, and pick up with advice and updates along the way. If you have very fragile or heavy work that you would like to handle yourself then please contact The Kiln Room to discuss how we can accommodate you.
Price includes loading and unloading the kiln, equipment, materials, firing aids, programming, monitoring, electricity and gas.
Drop off and pick up days and times are detailed here.
All firing is invoiced, emailed to the client and is payable prior to pickup.
Work must be completely dry when delivered for firing.
Bases must be completely clear of glaze to minimise runs and damage to shelves.
Work with overly thick applications of glaze, or layered glazes may be rejected.
Please let us know if you have tin or chrome in your glaze!
Kiln setters protect the kiln shelf from glaze runs and contamination. Kiln setters will be required if your work has…
layered glazes,
black or blue or other intense underglaze/oxide covering the base,
cobalt pencil or oxide as signature on the base,
been made from iron rich clay like Buff Raku Trachyte (BRT), Scarva Earthstone, Feeneys Hand Building (FHB) etc.
Hollow work must have a hole – this can be small but must be visible. Work made of multiple hollow forms must each have a hole. No large solid work will be accepted.
‘Once fires’ are possible but will attract an additional charge. Once firing is not available to all clients. This service is available only with certain combinations of clay and glazes, and specific quantities of work.
Write/imprint your name/makers mark on each of your works for identification – some work can look the similar. Please make original work and beware copying the work of others!
Testing of all of your glazes is encouraged!
Please contact The Kiln Room if your work contains material other than clay – metal, paper, fabric, sponge, synthetics, etc. Some things are not suitable to be fired in a kiln and can cause damage to kiln infrastructure.
Bring your work packed carefully! Handling will be minimised at The Kiln Room from unpacking, loading the kiln, unloading the kiln, weighing, to repacking. If items are discovered to be broken as they are unpacked you will notified. We are very careful but it is your responsibility to ensure they make it to The Kiln Room intact.
Please call The Kiln Room if you are planning to fire beads or many small items. These may attract an additional cost as they are light, small, very time consuming and tricky to load.
Work not collected will be kept for one month. After that it becomes the property of The Kiln Room and will be repurposed or disposed of.
No work which has been stuffed with paper or cardboard will be accepted. This should be removed prior to drop off.
Other costs…
Damaged kiln shelves – charge of $15 to $50 for rectification
Ruined kiln shelves – up to $100 replacement fee
Damage to kiln infrastructure $100 charge
Clay melt downs will have a charge of $100
