Types of Pottery & Ceramics

Facts about earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain The history of pottery has included countless different types of national and regional ceramic ware, from the maiolica of the Italian Renaissance to the Yixing teapots of China, the Raku ware of Japan, and the famous black-figure pottery of ancient Greece. But within these many beautiful creations, there are three basic types of pottery. Earthenware Red, buff, white, or brown in color, earthenware is a porous, low-fire clay. Red earthenware such as terra cotta is common and inexpensive. Earthenware isn't waterproof unless a slip or glaze has been applied. It's often used to create dinnerware, decorative pottery, or useful pieces such as cooking vessels or garden pots. Earthenware vessels retain heat very well, but major temperature fluctuations can cause cracking. Earthenware's firing temperature is usually around 1800 degrees Fahrenheit to 2150 degrees Fahrenheit, but is sometimes much lower.

Stoneware
Stoneware is stronger and harder than earthenware. It's also non-porous and fired at a much higher temperature. Often gray, white, or brown in color, stoneware ceramics are vitreous or semi-vitreous, i.e. glassy or semi-glassy. Stoneware's maturation range when fired in pottery kilns is about 2200 degrees Fahrenheit to 2400 degrees Fahrenheit. Because it's non-porous, stoneware doesn't require glazing to be waterproof. However, a glaze can be applied to give it a smoother, more decorative appearance.

Porcelain
Porcelain is a man-made clay that typically consists of kaolin (a fine white clay) mixed with feldspar, petuntse, or other materials. Porcelain originated in China, and some types of porcelain are simply referred to as "china," but its name comes from the Italian word for cowrie shell, porcellana, because of its similarly shiny and translucent surface. Porcelain's firing range is approximately 2200 degrees Fahrenheit to 2550 degrees Fahrenheit.

There are three types of porcelain: hard paste, aka true porcelain, which is fired at a higher temperature of about 2450 degrees Fahrenheit to 2650 degrees Fahrenheit; soft paste, which is fired at a lower temperature (2200 degrees Fahrenheit to 2375 degrees Fahrenheit) and traditionally used powdered glass in place of kaolin; and bone china, a stronger porcelain made by adding bone ash to the hard paste mix.

Porcelain is white and has a hard and dense finish. It's regarded as the highest-quality and purest type of pottery. However, don't go trying to throw porcelain on your pottery wheel just yet: porcelain is a challenge to both throw and fire. Beginners should start by throwing earthenware and stoneware on their pottery wheels before attempting porcelain.