Understanding the Firing Process at MadeBy

Pottery has to go through more than one step before it’s finished.
That means your piece is not ready for glaze right after you make it.

1. Drying

After you make your piece, it has to dry completely.

This stage is called greenware.

If a piece still has moisture trapped inside and goes into the kiln too soon, it can:

• crack

• break

• or even explode in the kiln

That’s why drying is such an important part of the process.

2. Bisque Firing

Once your piece is fully dry, it goes through its first firing, called the bisque firing.

This firing:

• removes remaining moisture

• hardens the clay

• makes the piece safer and easier to handle

After this stage, your piece is called bisque ware.

3. Glazing

Glaze should be applied after bisque firing, not before.

Why?

Because bisque ware is:

• stronger

• easier to handle

• more absorbent

That absorbency helps glaze stick evenly to the surface.

If glaze is applied too early, it can cause issues with:

• application

• drying

• firing results

• and overall durability

4. Glaze Firing

After glazing, the piece goes back into the kiln for its second firing.

This is what melts the glaze and creates the final finished surface.

Why This Matters

Pottery is a process that takes time.

Each step matters, and skipping one can affect the final result.

That’s why pieces at MadeBy must be:

made → dried → bisque fired → glazed → glaze fired

Thanks for being patient with the process — good pottery takes time 💛