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Heatwork Chart: Transformation of Ceramic Materials by Heat

Kiln Color	Cone	°F	°C	Description
white	14	2552°	1400°	Porcelain: cone 10-13
yellow	10	2380°	1300°	High-fire/Stoneware: cone 8-10, average=cone10
	6	2192°	1200°	Mid-range glaze: cone 2-7
	04	1950°	1100°	Low-fire/Earthenware: cone 015-1, average=cone 04
yellow- orange			1000°
	010	1650°	900°	Clay particles beginning to vitrify; the lowest BISQUE temperature (cone 010-04)
		1450°	800°	Vitrification begins, carbonaceous material is burned off.
red	018	1292°	700°	RED HEAT
dull red			600°
		1060°	500°	573° C, quartz inversion in both heating and cooling stages.
			400°	From 480-700° C, chemical water (water smoking) occurs.
			300°	From 300-800° C, carbonaceous material burns off.
.		439°	200°	220° C, cristobalite expansion (heating), squeeze (cooling)
dark		212°	100°	Water converts to steam (expands).

Temperature Ranges

Low-fire / Earthenware

Average is Cone 04 (1950° F / 1100° C)
Ranges from Cone 015 - 1 (up to 2109° F / 1154° C)
a relatively soft, porous clay body, and a clearly separate glaze layer.
Glaze colors are generally more varied and bright than stoneware.

Mid-range

Ranges from Cone 2 - 7 (2124-2264° F / 1162-1240° C)
a relatively soft, porous clay body, and a clearly separate glaze layer.
Glaze colors are generally more varied and brighter than stoneware.
A common temperature range for industrial ceramics.

High-fire / Stoneware

Average is Cone 10 (2381° F / 1305° C)
Cone 8 -12 range (2305-22419° F / 1263-1326° C)
a hard, vitrified, non-absorbent clay body
a body-glaze layer that forms between the clay body and glaze.

Very High-fire / Porcelain

Cone 10 -13 range (2381-2455° F / 1305-1346° C)
a hard, vitrified, non-absorbent clay body
a body-glaze layer that forms between the clay body and glaze