$9.50
CLICK THE "LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS ITEM" LINK JUST BELOW TO READ THE FULL DESCRIPTION FOR THIS ITEM.
*************************************************************
PROMPT REBATE ON ORDERS WITH 3 OR MORE “FreeShip” ITEMS! WANT TO KNOW YOUR TOTAL REBATE BEFORE PURCHASE? CONTACT US!
Note that not all quantities are pictured.
There are a dizzying amount of kiln wash "brands" out there. Everyone who has a kiln will (should) use it to protect their expensive kiln furniture.
The least expensive most basic kiln wash is a 1 to 1 mix of Kaolin (usually listed as "EPK", Edgar Plastic Kaolin) and silica. The ingredients are common, inexpensive, and easy to blend.
The more expensive ones have zircon in them, the most often cited highest zircon containing kiln wash is a blend of 90% zircon and 10% kaolin. Zircon (aka zirconium silicate) is expensive.
This particular kiln wash is a zircon containing product (exact formula is naturally a trade secret), probably 40 to 50%. It's supplied by a company here in the Pacific Northwest and is called Z-tec. The supplier says this:
"Z-tec kiln wash is a modern high tech kiln wash designed for superior resistance to glaze drips and cracking. This blend of high temperature refractory materials and brushing medium allows easy removal of melted glaze, does not flake or crack off, and applies easily by brush or spraying. Suitable for both pottery and glass work."
A user in a ceramics forum says:
"I have been using Ztec kiln wash for a few months and like it. It does not flake or get glassy like the old 50-50 mix did. I don't know how it behaves with glaze drips because I don't get them, but I do get glaze halos from cobalt blue, which are annoying, because they can show up on the bottoms of other pots, but it seems to work to just paint more wash over them. I do think you might be able to paint Z-tec on both sides of a shelf, though I haven't tried it. There might be some slight powdering off. But I do find it much preferable to the 90% zircon/10% kaolin kiln wash recipe that was published on the list awhile back, which was quite powdery and left white rings on the bottoms of pots. The Z-tec does not do this, or it is easy to sand off, which the other wasn't. One thing I don't know is how easily the Z-tec could be removed if one wanted to, which I haven't so far. I have also had success painting it over other wash that I could not remove."
How to mix and apply kiln wash:
There are lots of articles on the internet about why and how to use kiln wash, but almost always, instructions for mixing include some variation on the phrase "mix until the consistency of skim milk". And most importantly to take the time to put multiple thin coats on rather than 1 thick coat, otherwise you'll end up with peeling problems.
The site just below is very good because it mentions almost every detail possible plus the logic and thinking for using the wash, like when to use it (it also mentions a wash that contains zirconium). Steps 1 through 5 tell the basics.
The site is here:
https://www.soulceramics.com/pages/why-you-need-kiln-wash
The zircon connection is interesting to me, and here's a few things about it:
It's a refractory material (resists very high temperatures) and is a mineral found in nature with a chemical name of zirconium silicate. It's the source of most zirconium, which is actually a chemical element and a metal. Another high temperature use for it besides a refractory ingredient is in glazes as an opacifier. Read more about zirconium at Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zirconium .
Here's a excerpt from the Wiki article about zircon ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zircon ):
"(Not to be confused with zirconia, cubic zirconia, or zirconium)
Zircon...is a mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. Its chemical name is zirconium silicate, and its corresponding chemical formula is ZrSiO4....The natural color of zircon varies between colorless, yellow-golden, red, brown, blue and green. Colorless specimens that show gem quality are a popular substitute for diamond and are also known as "Matura diamond"....Zircon is ubiquitous in the crust of Earth. It occurs as a common accessory mineral in igneous rocks...
Zircon is mainly consumed as an opacifier, and has been known to be used in the decorative ceramics industry. It is also the principal precursor not only to metallic zirconium, although this application is small, but also to all compounds of zirconium including zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), one of the most refractory materials known.
Other applications include use in refractories and foundry casting and a growing array of specialty applications as zirconia and zirconium chemicals, including in nuclear fuel rods, catalytic fuel converters and in water and air purification systems...Zircon has played an important role during the evolution of radiometric dating"-
=======================================================================
1-2 business days
I'll do my best to meet these shipping estimates, but can't guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
We're sorry, but at this time we do not ship internationally.
If you would like a smaller or larger quantity of a raw material, click the "Request a custom order" button and tell us how much you would like. Or just contact us and let us know what you'd like. We'll get back to you ASAP.
This problem usually occurs with multiple items. We have free shipping on many of our items. In your cart items will have the sum of all embedded shipping costs. If you place an order for 3 or more "FreeShip" items, you will receive a "rebate" for the excess shipping. The more items you have the greater the shipping refund will be. You can also message us to ask what the total cost of your order will be when excess shipping is refunded before you purchase.
Or, if you see "Request a Custom Order" or "Message Seller", you can request a custom order and your items will be put in a custom listing with the correct shipping. You would purchase it like any other listing.
If you have a technical question about an item we've listed, please don't hesitate to ask. We enjoy helping people out with a material or a process.
We give anecdotal information in our listings if we have any. If you disagree with it or think we're being inaccurate or misleading please let us know that, too.
If there are discrepancies in any of our listings let us know, we make mistakes like everybody and we'd like to be set straight and get those mistakes corrected.
Nov 29, 2023
Shipped very fast. Just what I needed. Thank you!
Marina
Aug 30, 2023
Arrived quickly in perfect condition. Was nice to be able to buy a smaller portion as i don't use much
John Murguia
Jan 24, 2023
Dorothy Manning
Nov 17, 2022
Great service and fast shipping. Just what I needed.
Gary
Nov 16, 2022
The seller was thorough and kind in details of product and shipping
Leslie