What does it cost to fire something?

    $1.00?  $10.00?  $100.00?

    Customers often ask what will it cost to fire something.  Maybe it is the fear of the unknown, maybe it is wives tales told around the camp fire.  What ever the reason the question is obviously a question that most people dread asking.

    So what does it cost?

    The simple answer is not very simple.....

    Firing costs are based upon the size, shape and complexity of the piece to be fired.  Dogwood Ceramic Supply has a basic firing chart that is used for common, simple pieces and the prices are fair and the chart is simple to use:

*Items between sizes are rounded up to the larger size.

**High Fire Glaze is not fired on a regular schedule and will take a longer than usual  (typically 2 weeks+)

For each inch over 14 inches add $1.00

Additional Information:

Basics:

    Dogwood Ceramic Supply fires as a service to our customers, charging a fee based on the size of the item fired, the cost of our equipment, time to load the kiln as well as the cost of electricity.  Any estimate of the cost for firing is just that, an estimate.  Several factors, such as Cone (temperature), pre-heat time, difficulty in stilting or processing the item, as well as the difficulty fitting the item into a kiln load will eventually determine the final cost.

    Unless you are a regular firing customer of Dogwood Ceramic Supply, all items must be prepaid prior to firing.

Exceptions:

    We reserve the right to refuse to an item based on what may appear to be an unacceptable risk of causing damage to our kiln, or that the item contains a product that is considered a health hazard.  If you are not certain your glazes meet our safety standards, please bring the container with the original manufacturers label intact when you bring the item to Dogwood Ceramic Supply.

    Dogwood Ceramic Supply provides firing service to our local hobby customers.  We reserve the right to refuse quantities of wares that would overload our firing operations or cause severe disruption to other customers.

    We will NOT fire greenware with glaze applied.

Guarantee:

    Dogwood Ceramic Supply will treat your items as we would our own.  We will fire your items per the manufacturer's recommendations.  Since all glazes react differently to both application and temperature, we cannot predict how an item or glaze will respond or that you will get the results you anticipated.
    Firing is a service that is provided on a first come, first serve basis and we are not able to predict the quantity of wares to be fired that may be received or if kiln problems or electrical outages may delay our schedule.  Therefore there is no guarantee as to when an item to be fired may be completed.

Procedures:

     As a general rule allow a minimum of 7 days before your items will be ready for pickup.  This time is necessary to allow proper firing and cool down for safe unloading of the kiln as well as handling our normal volumes of firing. 

    When items are dropped off to be fired, you will be give an estimate of when the item (s) will be ready for pickup.  As we process items on a first come, first serve basis and we can not predict the quantity of wares to be fired that may be received, we CAN NOT provide an estimate of our firing times until we actually receive your items.  Should your firing not be ready by the estimated date, we will attempt to contact you to let you know not to come for the items.  This is the only purpose of us asking for your telephone number.  We will NOT call if the firing items will be completed on the day estimated.
    Any items not picked up within 30 days of the completion date will be considered abandoned.
 

    The customer is responsible for providing the proper firing temperatures (Cone values) of the wares to be fired.  If you do not know the information, please bring the glaze container or the information from the box of clay.

    Only items which are 100% dry will be fired.  Any greenware that we determine not totally dry will have to wait to be fired.

Glaze Firing:

    The very bottom of Cone 4-6 glaze items must be 100% glaze free and there must be at least ¼" margin at the bottom edge to prevent problems such as glaze melting and fusing the item to the kiln shelf.  Kiln shelves are coated with kiln wash to protect against minor drips and runs, however the customer is responsible for the cost of the replacement kiln shelf should the item become fused to the shelf.

    Low Fire (Cone 06) glazes may be applied to the entire bottom surface of the item as we can use a stilt to prevent fusing to the kiln shelf.