Question 1

What is a kiln firing schedule?

Accepted Answer

A kiln firing schedule is a step-by-step plan of heating rates (ramps), target temperatures, and hold/soak times that takes a kiln from room temperature to its peak cone temperature. It typically starts with a slow drying ramp (around 60-100°C per hour to 150-200°C), a medium ramp through the organic burn-off and quartz inversion zone (up to ~600°C), then a faster final ramp to the target cone temperature, often with a short hold at the top for even heatwork.

Question 2

What is the difference between a bisque firing schedule and a glaze firing schedule?

Accepted Answer

A bisque firing (usually cone 06 or 04, ~998-1063°C) is the first firing that turns fragile greenware into porous, durable bisqueware ready for glazing; it needs a slow start so residual water and organics can escape without cracking the ware. A glaze firing (commonly cone 5, 6 or 10, ~1186-1305°C) is the second, hotter firing that matures the clay body and melts the glaze; it usually includes a 10-20 minute soak at peak so the glaze melts evenly.

Question 3

Should I bisque fire to cone 04 or cone 06?

Accepted Answer

Both are standard. Cone 06 (~998°C) is the most common bisque temperature for earthenware and for stoneware that will later be glaze-fired to cone 5/6, leaving the bisque porous enough to absorb glaze well. Cone 04 (~1063°C) is a hotter bisque used when you want stronger, less porous bisqueware — for example for ware that will be handled a lot, or when the glaze firing is also low (cone 06-04 glazes). If in doubt, cone 06 is the safe default.

Question 4

What is a typical cone 6 glaze firing schedule?

Accepted Answer

A typical medium-speed cone 6 glaze schedule for an electric kiln is: 100°C/hr to 600°C, then 150°C/hr to the cone 6 temperature (~1222°C at a 150°C/hr final ramp), with a 10-15 minute hold at peak. Total firing time is roughly 10-11 hours plus cooling. Slow it down for thick, large, or heavily textured pieces, and always confirm with witness cones.

Question 5

How long does it take to fire a kiln to cone 6?

Accepted Answer

A medium-speed electric kiln firing to cone 6 takes about 10-11 hours of heating, plus 8-12 hours of cooling before the kiln is safe to open. A slow bisque-style schedule can take 12-14 hours, while a fast glaze firing in a small kiln may finish heating in 7-8 hours. Manual kilns with low/med/high switches follow the same total time when the ramp rates match.

Question 6

How much does it cost to fire a kiln?

Accepted Answer

For an electric kiln, cost = power (kW) × firing time (hours) × duty cycle × your electricity rate ($/kWh). Example: a 5.5 kW kiln on a 10.5-hour bisque firing with an average 36% duty cycle uses about 20.7 kWh; at $0.15/kWh that is roughly $3.11 per firing. Glaze firings to cone 6 cost more because they run longer and hotter. Use the cost estimator on this page with your own kW rating and electricity rate.

Question 7

What temperature can I open my kiln after firing?

Accepted Answer

Wait until the kiln is below about 150°C (300°F) before opening it for glazed ware — opening hotter risks thermal shock, crazing, and burns. Bisque ware is more forgiving, but the same practice protects your kiln bricks and elements. Large or thick pieces benefit from even slower cooling; never force-cool a kiln with water or by propping the lid wide open at high temperature.

Question 8

What is a soak (hold), and how long should I soak at peak temperature?

Accepted Answer

A soak (hold) keeps the kiln at peak temperature for a set number of minutes so every part of the load receives the same heatwork. Typical starting points: bisque 0-10 minutes, earthenware glaze 10 minutes, stoneware cone 5/6 glaze 15 minutes, porcelain and cone 10 15-20 minutes. Longer soaks even out hot/cold spots; they do not replace a proper ramp.

Question 9

Why does the same cone have different temperatures at different heating rates?

Accepted Answer

Pyrometric cones do not measure temperature alone — they measure heatwork, the combined effect of temperature AND time. A slower firing gives the cone more time to absorb heat, so it bends at a lower temperature; a faster firing needs a higher temperature to bend the same cone. That is why the Orton chart lists three temperatures per cone (at 27, 108 and 270°F/hr), and why your final ramp rate determines which chart temperature to aim for.

Question 10

How do I fire a manual kiln without a digital controller?

Accepted Answer

Translate each ramp segment into switch settings and time: as a rough guide, Low ≈ up to ~90°C/hr, Medium ≈ 90-150°C/hr, and High ≈ above 150°C/hr on a typical small electric kiln, and use a pyrometer to confirm. Keep the lid propped or the vent open until about 500°C on bisque firings so moisture and fumes can escape, then close up for the final ramps. This page's manual-kiln mode converts every generated schedule into Low/Med/High steps automatically.

Question 11

How does a kiln sitter work, and which cone goes in the sitter?

Accepted Answer

A kiln sitter is a mechanical shut-off: a small cone (or bar) placed in the sitter device softens as it absorbs heatwork and lets a weighted rod drop, cutting power to the kiln. Put the small cone matching your TARGET cone in the sitter, and place a cone pack on the shelf inside — one cone below, the target cone, and one cone above — so you can verify the firing afterwards. Never bypass or wedge the sitter to extend a firing.

Question 12

Can I use this schedule for a gas kiln?

Accepted Answer

The ramp rates and target temperatures are a reasonable starting point, but gas kilns fire in reduction or variable atmospheres, which shifts how cones bend — especially the iron-bearing cones 010 through 3. Use iron-free cones for the sitter in reduction firings, rely on cone packs rather than the pyrometer alone, and expect to tune damper and burner settings to your specific kiln. Treat the generated schedule as a baseline, not a finished recipe.

Question 13

What is a microwave kiln firing schedule?

Accepted Answer

A microwave kiln is a small insulated chamber that sits inside a household microwave and is used for metal clay (silver, copper, bronze) and small glass pieces — not for ceramic pottery. A typical starting profile is about 8 minutes at full power to reach ~900°C, then a 20-30 minute hold for fine silver clay. Times vary enormously by microwave wattage and kiln size, so always start with your kiln manufacturer's own schedule.

Question 14

Do I still need witness cones if I follow a schedule?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A schedule is a starting point, not a guarantee: element age, load density, voltage, and kiln hot spots all change the actual heatwork. Place self-supporting witness cones (target minus one, target, target plus one) on the shelf next to your ware for every firing, and adjust future schedules based on what the cones tell you. The controller's temperature display alone cannot confirm heatwork.

Question 15

What ramp rate should I use for thick or large pieces?

Accepted Answer

Go slow. Thick, large, or complex pieces need extra time for heat and moisture to move through the clay: use the slow bisque profile (60°C/hr to 150°C, 100°C/hr to 600°C) and consider a longer top hold. Fast ramps through the 200-600°C range are the classic cause of cracks and explosions, because chemically bound water and organics leave the clay there.

Question 16

Is my firing data private?

Accepted Answer

Yes. This tool runs 100% in your browser: no account, no cookies, no analytics tied to your inputs, and no data is sent to any server. Your schedule, kiln settings and cost inputs never leave your device.

Firing	Suggested hold	Why
Bisque (cone 06–04)	0–10 min	Evvens out heatwork in a full load; thick ware benefits most
Earthenware glaze (cone 06–04)	10 min	Lets low-fire glazes smooth out
Stoneware glaze (cone 5–6)	15 min	Standard for even melt across shelves
Porcelain / cone 10	15–20 min	High-fire bodies need the extra heatwork

Preset	What changes
Digital controller	Segments shown as controller programs: ramp rate → target → hold.
Manual (switches)	Each ramp mapped to switch settings — Low ≈ ≤90 °C/hr, Medium ≈ 90–150 °C/hr, High ≈ >150 °C/hr — with pyrometer checkpoints. Keep lid propped / vent open until ~500 °C on bisque.
Kiln sitter	Manual-style schedule + sitter setup: small cone of your target cone in the sitter; cone pack (target−1 / target / target+1) on the shelf.
Gas kiln	Same ramps as a baseline, but atmosphere shifts cone bending (especially iron-bearing cones 010–3). Use cone packs, not the pyrometer alone; consider iron-free cones in reduction.
Microwave (metal clay)	Minute-based profile for small microwave kilns (metal clay, not pottery): ~8 min full power to ~900 °C + 20–30 min hold for fine silver. Varies hugely with microwave wattage — start from the manufacturer's schedule.

Kiln Firing Schedule Generator

1 · Generate your firing schedule

2 · Your firing schedule

3 · Firing cost estimator (electric kilns)

4 · Cone temperature lookup

5 · Hold / soak recommendations

Kiln heat-glow color guide (approximate)

6 · Full cone temperature chart (022 – 12)

7 · How the schedules are built

Kiln-type presets

8 · Frequently asked questions

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