Moist Clays
for Pottery and Ceramics
Most clay supply warehouses carry moist clay that they buy from reliable manufacturers with a reputation for quality clays. The clay is packaged in 25 lb. blocks, and each block is marked by name, batch number, production date and are certified non toxic in their moist form.Descriptions of these clays and pictures of the color of the clay after firing at certain Cone temperatures appear below.
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Low Fire Clay Bodies
RED EARTHENWARE CLAY
A smooth, low fire plastic terra cotta clay body usually used in the classroom and studio.Shrinkage at 9% 14%
Absorption at 12% 6%
Cone 04 Cone 2
RED EARTHENWARE W/GROG
The grog content of this low fire clay helps reduce warping and shrinking and produces a textured surface without reducing pliability. Good for hand building or wheel work.Shrinkage at 6% 11%
Absorption at 13.2% 3%
Cone 06 Cone 4
WHITE CLAY
This plastic, low fire clay may be used for building, or throwing and can be thinned for slip decoration.Shrinkage at 6% 6.5%
Absorption at 15.5% 14.5%
Cone 06 Cone 04
WHITE CLAY W/GROG
This plastic, low fire clay may be used for building, or throwing and
with the addition of fine grog, gives a toothy clay that many potters prefer.
Shrinkage at 5% 5.6%
Absorption at 15.3% 14.55%
Cone 06 Cone 04
Mid-Range Clay Bodies
BROWN STONEWARE CLAY
A plastic clay for wheel and modeling. The addition of granular manganese gives a speckled surface. The ideal temperature for developing best color tone is Cone 5. Good results may be experienced in reduction or oxidation.Shrinkage at 12% 12.55%
Absorption at 4.5% 2.5%
Cone 4 Cone 6
BROWN STONEWARE CLAY/NO MANGANESE
A smooth plastic clay for wheel, throwing, slab work and modeling. The ideal temperature for best color tone is Cone 5. Good color tone can also be achieved at CONE 4-6 in oxidation or reduction.Shrinkage at 12% 12.5%
Absorption at 4.5% 2.5%
Cone 04 Cone 6
BROOKLYN RED CLAY
This clay was developed for potters who want a Cone 4 to 8 body they can count on. It’s a red brick at Cone 4, reddish brown at Cone 6 and a deeper brown at Cone 8. It contains some sand (2.5%) and (4%) fine grog .Shrinkage at 12% 13%
Absorption at 2.5% 1%
Cone 4 Cone 8
PORCELAIN CLAY
A superior porcelain with considerable strength and plasticity. An extremely throw able clay that is well-behaved under a glaze.Shrinkage at 12%
Absorption at 1.7%
Cone 6
GROLLEG PORCELAIN
A porcelain like, very white, tight and translucent when thin, but formulated to mature at a lower temperature. Contains no ball clay.Shrinkage at 13.5%
Absorption at .60%
Cone 6
SANDY BUFF CLAY
A light firing stoneware which contains sand - good for tile and hand building. Can be thrown by potters who prefer a toothy body.Shrinkage at 12%
Absorption at 2%
Cone 6
High Fire Clay Bodies
BUFF CLAY
A smooth, all-purpose stoneware clay with no grog for throwing and modeling. A light buff color at C/10 Oxidation and a darker warm buff with some gray in Reduction.Shrinkage at 9% 12%
Absorption at 5% 3%
Cone 4 Cone 9
RED STONEWARE W/GROG
A high fire red clay with medium grog and sand for surface texture and minimal warping and cracking. This clay is designed for large sculpture, slab and coil building. Can be thrown but is a little rough on the hands.
Shrinkage at 10% 12%
Absorption at 6% 3%
Cone 4 Cone 10
PORCELAIN CLAY
An excellent white firing, dense, plastic porcelain body with a small addition of fine porcelain grog, giving it the wet strength throwing capabilities of high quality stoneware. Fires white in reduction or oxidation atmospheres.Shrinkage at 10% 12%
Absorption at .75% .5%
Cone 7 Cone 9
WHITE STONEWARE BODY
A close to white plastic stoneware body that throws well and keeps your glazes bright. Contains some fire clay but no grog.Shrinkage at 10% 11%
Absorption at 6% 3%
Cone 4 Cone 8
STONEWARE CLAY Extra Moist
A good clay for hand building techniques and especially fine for throwing. The addition of coarse silica sand gives this clay the required properties for large pieces. Natural earth colorants give pleasing orange-browns at Cone 10 Reduction. Very good results have been reported in salt and wood firings.Shrinkage at 10% 12%
Absorption at 4% 2.5%
Cone 4 Cone 10
STONEWARE CLAY
A soft warm beige in oxidation, a rich grey brown in reduction. This clay throws beautifully, has exceptional strength and versatility and responds well to all techniques. Contains some fine grog. Recommended for student use.Shrinkage at 11% 13%
Absorption at 6% 2%
Cone 4 Cone 10
WHITE STONEWARE BODY
A very smooth white stoneware body that throws and builds as you want it to. Contains no fire clay or grog.Shrinkage at 10% 12%
Absorption at 5% 3.2%
Cone 4 Cone 9
GROLLEG PORCELAIN
A porcelain body with a parian like quality. It’s white and tight and translucent when thin. Contains no ball clay.Shrinkage at 13% 15%
Absorption at 1% 0.65%
Cone 8 Cone 10
STONEWARE CLAY
A proven body that fires a warm gray-brown in Reduction.Shrinkage at 12% 13%
Absorption at 4.5% 0.85%
Cone 4 Cone 10
STONEWARE CLAY
The textural feel and quality of this stoneware body is exceptional. Its color in Reduction is a rich, mottled orange brown. Contains medium grog and sand.Shrinkage at 10% 11%
Absorption at 6% 2.3%
Cone 4 Cone 10
WARM BROWN STONEWARE
Stoneware body which contains sand. Rich mottled orange-brown in Reduction; more subdued in Oxidation.Shrinkage at 10% 12%
Absorption at 4% 2.5%
Cone 04 Cone 10
Raku Clay
RAKU CLAY
An open clay body specially formulated to withstand the thermal shock of Raku firing. Contains sand. Shrinkage and absorption will vary.Shrinkage at 8% 13%
Absorption at 17% 4.5%
Cone 04 Cone 6
Other Clays
PORCELAIN SLIP
With Porcelain Slip, pieces fire to the translucency of fine porcelain. It is easy to cast and patches well when necessary. Maximum firing temperature is Cone 6 (flat pieces only).Cone 6
Shrinkage at 11.75%
Absorption at 0%
EGYPTIAN PASTE
This clay is like the clay originally found in Egypt and is a low-fire, self-glazing body. It is available dry with complete directions for use. TurquoisePermanently Plastic Clay
ROMA PLASTILINA
A very pliable, self drying, self hardening clay that is the choice of many professional sculptors the world over. Color is grey green.Soft Plastilina
Medium Plastilina
Med-Firm Plastilina
JOLLY KING ECONOMY PLASTELINE
A fine quality, economy plastic clay that is excellent for school situations. Smooth, non-hardening and non-toxic. Color: grey-green.Self Drying Clay
MEXICAN POTTERY MOIST CLAY
A self-hardening clay that has a rich dark terra cotta color similar to Mexican or Indian Pottery. Little or no decoration is necessary. May be shaped by hand or thrown on the wheel. When dry, modeled objects are hard and durable without firing. This pottery can be decorate with acrylic colors.MARBLEX
A gray colored clay prepared in plastic form and ready to use. Air dried pieces are hard and durable, but not waterproof and can be decorate with acrylic colors.Oven-Baked Clays
OVEN BAKE DELLA ROBIA CLAY
This clay can be baked hard in a kitchen oven at 250°F. Inexpensive and foolproof. It dries to a deep rich brown.
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