Kiln wash the floor?

[Lucas]

...of the kiln I mean, not the floor in general!
Have just re-read the instructions for my firebox 14, (top elements) and it says to kiln wash the floor and sides of the kiln.
Why?
I mean, if something is going to stick it will stick anyway, won't it?  Unless you keep re-applying it?
Anyone?
Lucas

[Sulis (Hazel)]

Hi Lucas,

I've always kilnwashed the floors and sides of my kilns. If you get some spillage of glass on it, it won't stick. Because you're not firing on the kiln floor regularly you only have to reapply once every few months (more or less, depending on your usage). If you don't kilnwash and get some spillage, you'd damage the kiln floor trying to pick it off. It only takes something like an overshoot of temp, or some spillage of frit and you'd have trouble.

It only takes a few mins to do, not expensive and well worth it in my humble opinion 

Have fun!  x

[firedinglass]

Hi lucas, you could get yourself a kiln  shelf and put it on props (pottery kiln props) and  then you only have to wash the shelf or use  kiln paper.  This is what i have always done.

[Sulis (Hazel)]

oops...sorry, I should say...I use a shelf on props, but I kilnwash my kiln floor anyway, just in case.

Maybe I'm over cautious!!

[chipperpottery]

I always batt wash my shelfs, any spillage will not ruin the shelf or kiln.

[Lucas]

Wow, so many replies so quickly!  Thank you all!
Should have made my question more clear though I guess.
I use a shelf on shelf props that came with the kiln, and kiln wash the shelf each time (paper was working out expensive!), but the manual seems to imply that I need to kilnwash the base and sides even though (touch wood...) no glass would be getting on them.  I understand that if something spilt or something then the glass would be stuck to the base/sides, but as I re-wash the shelf each time, does that mean I should re-wash the sides and base each time too?  And how would I get the old wash off?  I use a paint scraper to get it off the shelf, but can't see how this would work on the sides/base...
Do you just re-coat over the sides/base every so often, on top of the previous wash?
L

[Lotti]

Sorry to ask a question on this thread, but do I need to do this with my bead cube too, I have a rack?

[Zeldazog]

I agree with Hazel, it doesn't take long, isn't expensive and helps protect an expensive piece of kit.  And no Hazel, you're not being over cautious IMHO.

I kiln-washed the base and sides of my kiln when I first got it - as Hazel says, if ever you got a spillage it will prevent it sticking to the kiln bricks/floor, and yes I always use a shelf (or mould) on props (you need to to that to allow free air flow around the shelf and to aid even heat distribution).  If I have done something with frit, occasionally some of the frit might escape - I have found tiny balls of glass lying on the shelf, which could easily roll onto the kiln floor.

I don't think I have done many times since, but certainly not a lot - the kiln wash really comes off the shelf because the glass sticks to it sometimes and pulls it off (Lucas, I only re-coat my shelves if they need it, not necessarily every time).

Don't use a scraper on your bricks, they're actually quite soft.  But you should sometimes vacuum out the kiln, so that would remove any loose kiln wash flakes (and brick dust)

[sarah t]

lotti ...i never have but i have only used the cube for beads  ....and have never been advised to

[Sulis (Hazel)]

It would be interesting to see what Lee @ Kilncare would recommend. Anyone heard from him lately?

[Lotti]

lotti ...i never have but i have only used the cube for beads  ....and have never been advised to

Thanks I didn't think I needed to but wanted to check.  Could have checked with Lee of course, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have closed for Christmas now?

[Lee - Kilncare]

Hi, no we will be closing tonight mind.

Kiln wash on the kiln bricks. Very much a matter of preference. Obviously it will protect the bricks and won't need applying too often if it is applied like a paste. It can't do any harm as long as it isn't coated on the elements.

Kiln wash a bead cube. It depends on what you use it for. Simple beading and there should be no need.
If you are fusing then the same rules apply as above.
Two things to bear in mind with a Bead Cube. Firstly, if you are gonna batt wash the chamber then don't make it a very thick coating. This will thicken the wall and make it harder for the element to punch the heat through so meaning the element will run hotter. To be honest, I don't see this being a major problem but it is there all the same.

Secondly, the Bead Cube chamber is very robust and small pieces of spilt glass could well be chipped off without the damage that would happen to a brick kiln. BUT and IT IS A BIG BUT, if you get enough glass on the floor as it eats through the floor of the chamber then the glass may well reach the elements and, well, say no more. The least that will happen is you will need a new chamber.

To sum up, of all the kilns we repair, my guess would be less than 5% have batt washed bricks and of all the Bead Cubes we have sold, we have never had one where the chamber has had to be replaced due to glass damage.....well there was one, but that wasn't what you would call normal usage damage.


Hope that lot helps,
Lee

[Lucas]

Am I the only one that wants to know what the abnormal usage was??

[Zeldazog]

No, Lucas, I was hoping that Lee would enlighten us.

[mariag]

I'd like to know too......come on Lee, spill the beans