After designing a satisfactory piece and meticulously molding it, the final step to make the piece 100% perfect is
to put it through the firing process. This stage is the final production step, with the "kiln" being its core. Initially, potters fired ceramics on the ground using straw and dry branches as fuel. Later, simple kilns were built by creating an open base for the products and building walls around them so that fuel from below and heat could pass through, known as an Updraft Kiln. Early kilns did not have a roof.
Later, temporary kiln roofs were made from unfired clay bricks, and then permanent kiln roofs were developed and ceramic kilns have continued to evolve. Currently, ceramic kilns can be classified into 5 types:
- According to the kiln's intended use
- According to the hot air flow path
- According to the flame characteristics
- According to the type of fuel
- According to the kiln's structure
However, due to the increasing cost of fuel for firing ceramics, coupled with high market competition in both price and quality, ceramic kilns have become an increasingly important tool in the production process. Potters should therefore learn the details of each type of kiln before choosing one to use.