Earthenware clay is the low fire family of pottery clay: a body that matures at cone 06 to 04 and stays slightly porous after firing. It is the clay behind terracotta flowerpots, bright majolica and most classroom pottery. It fires in small, low-temperature kilns, shrinks less than stoneware and shows glaze color vividly. The trade-off is strength and water resistance. This guide is research-based, using AMACO and Laguna spec sheets rather than our own firings. Specs checked October 2026.
What is earthenware clay?
Earthenware is the oldest kind of pottery. It is made from clays with plenty of iron and other natural fluxes, so it matures at low temperatures. Instead of fully vitrifying (turning glassy) like stoneware and porcelain, earthenware sinters: the particles bond at their edges but leave tiny open pores. That is why fired earthenware still soaks up water.
Earthenware comes in two main colors. Red earthenware and terracotta get their color from iron. White earthenware and low fire white bodies use whiter clays, often with talc as a flux, so they fire off-white and show glazes and underglazes true. Whether terracotta and earthenware are the same thing is a common question; in short, terracotta is a kind of red earthenware, and our terracotta clay guide explains the overlap.
Earthenware as a finished material
The word earthenware means both the clay and the pots made from it. When a store labels a mug, plate or planter as earthenware, it is telling you the piece was fired at low temperature and has a porous body under its glaze, unlike stoneware or porcelain dishes. That label matters for care: a chip or crazed glaze exposes the porous clay, which can soak up water. Follow the maker's care instructions for dishwashers, microwaves and ovens, because those depend on the glaze and the firing, not only the clay. For your own earthenware pottery, the sections below cover firing, glazing and use. For the minerals behind earthenware and other clays, see what is clay made of.
Earthenware firing range: cone 06 to 04
Most earthenware bodies are designed for cone 06 to 04. Some makers rate their bodies a little higher. Temperatures below are from Orton's chart for self-supporting cones at 108°F per hour; the real end point depends on heating rate.
| Cone | Temperature | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 06 | 1,828°F (998°C) | Common glaze firing for low fire glazes |
| 05 | 1,888°F (1,031°C) | Glaze firing for many commercial low fire glazes |
| 04 | 1,945°F (1,063°C) | Common bisque firing and top of many earthenware ranges |
| 02 | 2,016°F (1,102°C) | Upper limit for some red earthenware, such as AMACO No. 67 |
Always use the maker's figure. AMACO rates No. 25 White Art Clay from cone 04 to cone 3 and No. 67 Sedona Red up to cone 02. Laguna labels most of its low fire bodies cone 06, with its R-2 Red bodies at cone 04. Our pottery cone chart has the full table.
Porosity: what it means for your pots
Porosity is the biggest practical difference between earthenware and stoneware. Makers measure it as water absorption, and the numbers for earthenware are several times higher:
- AMACO No. 25 White Art Clay: 13.7% at cone 04
- AMACO No. 67 Sedona Red: 11.7% at cone 05, 9.2% at cone 02
- Laguna EM210 White ^06: 17%
- Laguna EM330 ^06 White: 16%
Compare that with 1.8% for AMACO No. 46 stoneware at cone 5. Porosity has upsides. Unglazed terracotta planters let roots breathe, and porous bodies handle quick temperature changes better, which is why earthenware is used for some cookware and for pit firing. The downsides are that unglazed earthenware weeps water, can harbor moisture, and can crack if it freezes while wet.
AMACO low fire moist earthenware clay
AMACO's low fire moist earthenware clays are the easiest to find in the US, both at dealers and from AMACO directly. AMACO's low fire category lists two bodies in October 2026.
AMACO No. 25 White Art Clay
No. 25 fires off-white, so AMACO says opaque and transparent glazes and underglazes keep their true color. AMACO lists it for wheel throwing, hand-building and modeling and recommends it with glazes maturing at cone 05.
- Cone range: 04 to 3
- Shrinkage: 6.3% at cone 04
- Absorption: 13.7% at cone 04
- Size: 25 lb and 50 lb; AP seal
Pros
- White body for bright color
- Low shrinkage
- Throws and hand-builds
Cons
- Porous
- Less chip resistant than stoneware
Who should skip it: potters with a cone 6 kiln who want dense everyday dishes.
AMACO No. 67 Sedona Red
Sedona Red is a red earthenware that AMACO says keeps a rich red before and after firing and does not slump or warp at low temperatures like other red clays. It fires red at cone 06 and a rich red brown at cone 02, and AMACO lists it for slab, coil, pinch and wheel throwing.
- Cone range: up to cone 02
- Shrinkage: 7% at cone 05, 13% at cone 02
- Absorption: 11.7% at cone 05, 9.2% at cone 02
- Size: 50 lb; AP seal
Pros
- Rich red color
- Lower absorption when fired toward cone 02
- Good for terra sigillata and contrast work
Cons
- Dark body mutes light glazes
- Shrinkage nearly doubles from cone 05 to cone 02
Who should skip it: anyone who wants bright, true glaze color; pick No. 25.
Label conflict: some retail listings describe AMACO No. 77 Terra Cotta as a low fire earthenware. AMACO's own page names it "Terra Cotta Stoneware Clay No. 77" and gives its data at cone 5 (10.5% shrinkage, 0.9% absorption). Treat No. 77 as a cone 5 stoneware unless AMACO says otherwise.
Other earthenware bodies
Laguna makes a wide low fire range: White ^06 (EM210), a smooth modeling clay Laguna recommends for beginning coil and slab work; Laguna ^06 White (EM330), a smooth talc body that fires off-white; B-Mix ^06 (EM66); and red bodies including Red ^06 (EM207) and R-2 Red at cone 04. Laguna lists EM210 at 5.5% shrinkage and 17% absorption, and EM330 at 6% and 16%. When we checked in October 2026, Laguna's online store showed all fifteen of its cone 06 bodies sold out, so ask a dealer about stock.
Red or white earthenware: which to choose
Choose white earthenware, such as AMACO No. 25, if color is the point of your work. A white body lets underglazes and transparent glazes show exactly as the jar or chip suggests, which matters for painted designs and for classroom projects where students expect the color they picked. Choose red earthenware, such as AMACO No. 67, if you like the warm, earthy look of terracotta, want to burnish or use terra sigillata, or plan to scratch through a white slip to the red clay below. Red bodies make glazes look darker and warmer, so test before you commit to a palette.
Earthenware for planters and outdoor pieces
Unglazed red earthenware is the classic flowerpot clay because its porosity lets water and air move through the wall, which many plants like. That same porosity is a weakness in cold climates. Water held in the clay can freeze and expand, which flakes or cracks pots left outside over winter. None of the makers we checked publish a frost rating for their moist earthenware, so bring earthenware planters in before hard freezes, or use a well-fired stoneware for pieces that stay outdoors all year.
A short history
Earthenware is the oldest pottery tradition in the world, because it can be fired in simple pits and wood kilns that never reach stoneware temperatures. Terracotta roof tiles, tin-glazed majolica and many folk pottery traditions are all earthenware. Its low firing temperature is also why it remains common in schools and small studios today: smaller kilns, shorter firings and a wide palette of bright glazes.
Working with earthenware
- Wedge and form: earthenware is usually soft and plastic, so it throws and hand-builds easily.
- Dry evenly: it shrinks less than stoneware but still needs slow, even drying.
- Bisque fire: many potters bisque earthenware at cone 04, then glaze at a cooler cone such as 06 or 05. See bisque firing.
- Glaze: use glazes rated for low fire. Glaze the inside of any piece meant to hold liquid. Our low fire glazes guide covers options.
- Glaze fire: stay within the maker's range. Over-firing red earthenware can bloat or slump it.
Surface options that suit earthenware
- Bright glazes: low fire glazes come in the widest color range.
- Burnishing: polishing leather-hard clay with a smooth stone gives a soft sheen without glaze. See burnishing pottery.
- Terra sigillata: a very fine slip that polishes to a satin finish. See terra sigillata.
- Slips and underglaze: white slip over red clay for majolica-style decoration.
Common mistakes
- Firing earthenware to stoneware temperatures. It can slump, bloat or melt onto the kiln shelf.
- Leaving the inside of a vase or mug unglazed and expecting it to hold water.
- Mixing earthenware scraps into stoneware reclaim, which lowers the stoneware's maturing point.
- Leaving wet unglazed earthenware outside in freezing weather.
Safety: earthenware contains silica like all pottery clay. Clean with a damp sponge or mop, never dry sweep, and wear a NIOSH-approved respirator when mixing dry clay. Kilns get hot on the outside; follow the maker's clearance and ventilation rules.
What you need
To work in earthenware you need a low fire clay, glazes rated for cone 06 to 04, and a kiln that reaches at least cone 04. Our best clay for pottery guide compares low fire and mid-fire bodies, and our best small kilns guide covers kilns that suit low fire work.
Sources: AMACO product pages for No. 25 White Art Clay, No. 67 Sedona Red and No. 77 Terra Cotta Stoneware, and AMACO's low fire clay category page; Laguna Clay product pages for EM210 and EM330 and its cone 06 collection page; Orton pyrometric cone chart (self-supporting cones, 108°F per hour). Specs checked October 2026.