3 Types of Clay for Wheel-Throwing

Wheel throwing is a process that consists of forming clay into certain shapes with the help of a pottery wheel. This is a common moulding technique for creating various ceramic objects like vases, plates, mugs, bowls and more. This technique requires the potter to shape the wet clay on the wheel, leave it to harden and dry a bit in order to finish and trim the piece back on the wheel.

The wheel-throwing technique is amazing for giving the clay objects the desired shape and form, as well as giving them different designs and textures to make them more appealing. An important thing you should know is that not all clay types are appropriate for being used for wheel throwing, so understanding them will help you make the best choice for your clay project.

What Is the Best Clay for Wheel Throwing?

Porcelain

Porcelain is a moulding clay used for creating some exceptional objects, tableware and dinnerware. It’s a high-fire product coming in white colour, designed for creating porcelain products. This particular form of clay is also known as kaolin because it’s mainly made from kaolin with occasional amounts of quartz and feldspar. 

An important thing you should know about working with it is that porcelain can dry up pretty fast, so cracking while working with it is pretty often, which is why you should moisten it all the time to ensure you don’t go through such issues. This is the main reason why this product is not the most suitable type for beginners.

Once fired, this material itself becomes non-porous and very hard, making it the perfect option for dinnerware. Besides this, porcelain is also a common choice for creating a selection of decorative pieces, making it a versatile material used for creating a selection of decorative and practical objects.

Stoneware

Stoneware is just another type that allows for being used on wheel throwing. It’s one of those types of moulding products known for offering a great balance between shaping plasticity and strength to hold its shape. It’s a type of clay known for its smoothness and its ability to be moulded until achieving the needed results, making it the perfect choice for beginners. 

This easy-to-work-with product is perfect for creating a range of items like decorative pieces, vases, mugs, dinner plates and bowls. According to manufacturers and experts, it contains mineral impurities like silica, quartz, feldspar and ball clay, and it’s mainly mixed with the latter to increase its resistance to heat and make harder, more resilient pieces.

The firing range of this moulding product is pretty high, somewhere between 1000°C and 1380°C, which leads to the creation of some attractive and durable products. The thing that makes this product suitable for creating mugs, dinner plates and mugs is its low porosity, which makes them the perfect choice for holding liquids and foodstuffs. Aside from this, stoneware can also be used for making bakeware and cookware, but also for the creation of tiles and flooring, making it a one-of-a-kind product. 

Earthenware

This is certainly the most commonly used type of pottery clay all because of its softness and ability to be fired at lower temperatures. Earthenware is mostly used by beginners for creating more forgiving objects, something as decorative pieces. This is the least durable option of them all, which explains its main use for creating decorative objects.

The thing that makes it the perfect choice for beginners is its high plasticity, softness and stickiness, making it easy to work with. According to manufacturers, it’s mainly made from iron and some other mineral impurities, which is why it’s super soft and mouldable. An interesting thing you should know about it is that this clay is also known as terracotta, thanks to its reddish brown colour. 

As already mentioned, terracotta is supposed to be fired at lower temperatures because higher temperatures make it porous. An important thing to note about it is that terracotta should be glazed during the firing process in order to retain its moisture and improve its longevity and durability. Another thing that makes this mouldable product exceptional and loved by beginners is its ability to dry naturally with the help of air. 

That way, beginners are more encouraged to experiment with things and create different objects, like baby keepsakes, leaving them to air dry without worrying whether they have the needed oven to fire them at the precise moment. Earthenware certainly is a versatile and popular type of clay, capturing people’s eyes with its rich and warm colour, easy moulding ability and lower firing temperatures. 

Some of the most popular projects and products that can be done with the creation of this product are ornamental and decorative pieces like trays, jewellery trays, decorative plates and also a selection of dinnerware (as long as all of the pieces are glazed for increased durability, longevity and safety).