Honey Flux glaze combinations are some of the most shared pairings in AMACO's mid-fire range. This page lists the combinations AMACO itself has published with PC-17 Honey Flux, shows which glaze sits on top in each, and gives the coat counts and cone notes where AMACO states them. It does not describe results: we have not fired these glazes, so we point you to AMACO's photos and ask you to fire a test tile.
The general rules of layering (top versus base, thickness, test tiles) live in our AMACO glaze layering guide. Here we stick to Honey Flux. Research is from AMACO's product page, its layering database and blog posts, and dealer listings, checked in October 2026.
What AMACO PC-17 Honey Flux is
PC-17 Honey Flux is part of AMACO's Potter's Choice line. AMACO describes it as "a creamy color that increases flow when layered over glazes", opaque honey and cream at cone 5 that "shifts to a beautiful fluid white with honey flecks at Cone 6". It is a flux: its job in a stack is to make the glazes around it melt and move more.
- Code: PC-17 (Potter's Choice)
- Glaze fire: Cone 5, 2,167°F (1,186°C), to cone 6, 2,232°F (1,222°C)
- Bisque: Cone 04, 1,945°F (1,063°C), as for the whole Potter's Choice line
- Opacity: Opaque mark on AMACO's page
- Sizes: Pint and gallon; a pint is typically about $20 to $30 at US sellers in October 2026
- Marks shown: AP seal, opaque, and a no-spray mark
For the rest of the line, see our Potter's Choice review.
Does Honey Flux go over or under other glazes?
Both. AMACO's description talks about Honey Flux layered over glazes, but most of the Honey Flux entries we found in AMACO's own layering database put it underneath. As a base, it fluxes the glaze above it, so the top color moves and breaks more than it would alone. On top, it adds its cream and honey tones and its flow to the glaze below.
AMACO names each combination top glaze first. "PC-20 Blue Rutile over PC-17 Honey Flux" means Blue Rutile is on top. Read the order carefully, because swapping it gives a different pot.
AMACO's published Honey Flux combinations
AMACO's online layering database (amaco.com, Resources, Layering) lists pairings by top and base glaze. The database pages blocked our research tools, so the names and order below come from AMACO's own entry titles, and the coats and cones come from AMACO blog posts where it gave them. Open each entry on amaco.com to see AMACO's photo and notes before you copy it.
Honey Flux on top
| Combination (top over base) | Coats | Cone | AMACO source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC-17 Honey Flux over C-56 Lavender | 2 over 3 | 5 | Spring combinations blog ("Lavender Flowers") |
| PC-17 Honey Flux over PCF-74 River Birch | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
| PC-17 Honey Flux over PC-62 Textured Amber Brown | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
| PC-17 Honey Flux over SH-12 Chai Matte | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
The Lavender pairing is the one AMACO describes in most detail: two coats of Honey Flux over three coats of the Celadon, on A-Mix White Stoneware at cone 5. AMACO adds that "Lavender can turn blue if fired above cone 6". River Birch is a Potter's Choice Flux glaze with its own page, AMACO River Birch.
Honey Flux as the base
| Combination (top over base) | Coats | Cone | AMACO source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC-61 Textured Amber over PC-17 Honey Flux | 2 coats Honey Flux all over; 2 coats Textured Amber as a narrow stripe | 6 | Winter combinations blog |
| PC-20 Blue Rutile over PC-17 Honey Flux | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
| PC-55 Chun Plum over PC-17 Honey Flux | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
| PC-45 Dark Green over PC-17 Honey Flux | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
| PC-48 Art Deco Green over PC-17 Honey Flux | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
| C-20 Cobalt over PC-17 Honey Flux | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
| PC-36 Ironstone over PC-17 Honey Flux | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
| PC-31 Oatmeal over PC-17 Honey Flux | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
| PCF-18 Honeydew over PC-17 Honey Flux | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
| PCF-54 Flux Blossom over PC-17 Honey Flux | See entry | 5 to 6 | Layering database |
AMACO's warning on the Textured Amber pairing applies to this whole table: "Be careful when applying these, as the Textured Amber layered over Honey Flux can run." A fluid glaze on a fluxing base moves more, not less. Blue Rutile, one of the most popular tops, has its own page: AMACO Blue Rutile.
Honey Flux next to Ancient Copper
One AMACO customer-favorite pairing puts the two glazes side by side rather than stacked: PC-17 Honey Flux and PC-56 Ancient Copper with a small overlap, two to three coats of each, fired to cone 6. AMACO's firing note matters here: fire with a fast or natural cool, "no slow cool, or Ancient Copper will turn brown". More on that glaze at AMACO Ancient Copper.
How to glaze with Honey Flux
Coat counts differ by source. In AMACO's own blog examples, Honey Flux goes on at two coats in a stack, over a three-coat base or under a two-coat top. The Ceramic Shop's listing says to apply "three thick coats" when it is used alone and to "leave a little room at the foot for the glaze to move". Use the AMACO figure for layering and the dealer figure only for Honey Flux on its own.
- Pick one combination from the tables and note the order and coats.
- Glaze an upright test tile with some texture, stopping the top glaze partway down.
- Wax the foot, and leave the lowest half inch or more of the pot bare.
- Brush the base glaze, letting each coat dry to the touch.
- Brush the top glaze from the rim down, thinner toward the bottom.
- Set the piece on a bisque cookie on a kiln-washed shelf and fire to the cone in the table.
Do not spray it: AMACO's page shows a no-spray mark for Honey Flux.
Cone 5 vs cone 6 with Honey Flux
Honey Flux is one of the few AMACO glazes whose description changes by cone. AMACO says it is opaque honey and cream at cone 5 and a fluid white with honey flecks at cone 6. "Fluid" is the key word: at cone 6 it moves more. If your kiln runs hot or you hold at peak, expect more flow, and fire a tile at your own cone before glazing a full piece.
Honey Flux on light and dark clay
AMACO's customer-favorites post says "Honey Flux is great on all clay bodies, looking more blue on dark or black clays." Most of AMACO's published examples are on A-Mix White Stoneware, so a pairing on a red or brown body will not match the photo. See dark clay bodies for what changes on darker clays.
Run risk and shelf protection
A flux in a stack means movement. Keep Honey Flux and anything layered with it well above the foot, use a bisque cookie or catch tray under every piece, and coat shelves with kiln wash. AMACO also recommends test tiles "before using each new batch number of glaze", because raw materials vary.
Food safety
When we checked AMACO's PC-17 page in October 2026, it showed AP and opaque marks but no Food Safe seal. Some dealers say otherwise: The Ceramic Shop lists Honey Flux as food safe, and a UK dealer calls it suitable for tableware. We go by the maker's page.
Treat Honey Flux combinations as untested on food surfaces. A layered combination is a new glaze even when each glaze is labeled, and a fluid, fluxed surface may not be durable. Keep test combinations on the outside of mugs and bowls, and read our food safe glaze guide. Wipe glaze spills with a damp sponge, never dry sweep, and read AMACO's SDS.
Common mistakes
- Reading the combination backward and putting Honey Flux on top when AMACO put it underneath.
- Brushing three thick coats of Honey Flux under a fluid top glaze.
- Glazing to the foot with no cookie.
- Expecting a cone 5 photo at cone 6, or the reverse.
- Slow cooling the Ancient Copper pairing.
Seaweed is the other popular Potter's Choice layering glaze; see Seaweed glaze combinations. Pairings across brands and lines are covered in our glaze combinations guide.
What you need
You need a pint of PC-17 Honey Flux, one partner glaze from the tables, wax resist, a soft brush, bisque cookies and kiln-washed shelves. Our Potter's Choice review lists the partner glazes and what each costs.
Sources: AMACO product page for PC-17 Honey Flux (shop.amaco.com); AMACO layering database entry titles for PC-17 pairings (amaco.com, Resources, Layering); AMACO blog posts "Favorite Winter Layering Combinations with AMACO Glazes", "AMACO Spring Glaze Combinations" and "Customer-Favorite AMACO Glaze Combinations to Try"; The Ceramic Shop and Pottery Crafts PC-17 listings (coats and dealer food labels). Research-based, not hands-on; no test tiles fired. Specs checked October 2026.