Wood Fired & Salt Glazed

Wood Fired pottery is fired in a kiln powered by the burning of wood. This process leaves the marks of the fire apparent on the pottery and can include formation of crystals in the glazes as well as glossy areas where ash falls on the pots. It is an exciting process and for a large kiln can take 24-36 hours of stoking with wood to get to the desired temperature. Usually wood firing is done with a group to spread out the stoking sessions. 

Salt Glazed Firing is done in wood fired (or gas fired kiln). At the proper temperature Salt is actually poured into the kiln. It reacts with materials in the clay and creates a glazed surface that is slightly bumpy like orange peel. Early potters in this country used salt glazing almost exclusively (think gray crocks with cobalt blue simple brushed decorations) until materials were available for mixing applied glazes. Once a chamber in a kiln is used for salt glazing it is then used only for salt. This process leaves a salt glaze residue on the inside of the kiln that is permanent.