Verdict
Mayco glazes are some of the easiest commercial glazes for a home potter to plan around. Mayco publishes a fired chip for each color at cone 06, cone 6 and often cone 10, prints a dinnerware status on each product page, and makes most colors in small jars, so you can test without buying gallons. Stroke & Coat is the best first line for most beginners, and the Stoneware line is the natural step up for a cone 6 kiln.
The weak points are the ones you would expect from a big catalog: low-fire lines change or run at cone 6, several eye-catching colors are decorative only, and sizes differ by line. This review is research-based: we compared Mayco's own line pages, product pages and safety pages in October 2026 rather than firing the glazes ourselves.
Mayco glaze lines at a glance
Mayco Colors sells more than a dozen fired lines. The table covers the ones home potters search for most. Cone ranges come from Mayco's site; where the filter on the line page and the product pages differ, both are shown.
| Line | What it is | Cone range (Mayco) | Finish | Dinnerware label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stroke & Coat | Brushable glaze, works like an underglaze | 06 to 10 on product pages; line filter shows 06/05 to 5/6 | Gloss without clear | Most colors dinnerware safe (e.g. SC-15, SC-74) |
| Foundations | Base glazes | Made for 06/05; cone 6 and 10 chips shown | Gloss opaque, sheer, matte | FN-1 White dinnerware safe; check each |
| Elements and Chunkies | Two-tone nature glazes | Developed for 06/05; many tested higher | Varied, with float color | Mixed: some dinnerware safe, some decorative |
| Jungle Gems | Crystal glazes with glass frit | 06/05; cone 6 and 10 chips shown | Gloss with crystal bursts | CG-718 decorative only |
| Stoneware | Classic, matte, crystal and gloss glazes | 5/6 to 10 | Varied, breaks over texture | Many dinnerware safe; SW-132 is not |
| Stoneware Clear | Four clears (SW-001 to SW-004) | 5/6 to 10 (SW-004 rated cone 6) | Gloss, matte, crackle | Three dinnerware safe; crackle decorative |
| Fundamentals | Underglaze | Chips shown at 06, 6 and 10 | Matte without clear | Dinnerware safe with clear (UG-72) |
| Designer Liner | Underglaze line writer | 06 to 10 | Matte without clear | Dinnerware safe with clear |
Mayco's site also lists Speckled Stroke & Coat, Pottery Cascade, Classic Crackles, Cobblestone, Snow Gems, Washes, Flux, Stoneware Engobes, Stoneware Specialty (Magma, Mudcrack, Crackle), a raku range (see our raku glazes guide), low-fire clears, Ritual Glaze (cone 5 to 10) and Duncan-branded E-Z Stroke underglazes and French Dimensions.
The main Mayco lines, one by one
Stroke & Coat
Mayco calls Stroke & Coat "the industry's most versatile glaze." It brushes like an underglaze, goes on wet clay or bisque, fires to a gloss without clear, and Mayco's product pages rate it from cone 06 to 10 in oxidation or reduction. One coat is translucent; Mayco suggests two to three coats for full opacity. Our Stroke & Coat review covers colors and cone 6 behavior.
- Type: glaze (not an underglaze)
- Cone: 06 to 10 per Mayco product pages; 2023 brochure says 06 to 6, with most colors reaching 10
- Coats: 1 translucent, 2 to 3 opaque
- Sizes: 2 oz and 8 oz squeeze bottles, pint, gallon
- Kit #1: 12 x 2 oz bottles
Pros
- One product for low and mid fire
- No clear coat needed
- Colors intermix
Cons
- Some lighter colors fade at cone 5/6 per Mayco's brochure
- It is a glaze, so heavy coats can move
Who should skip it: potters who want reactive, flowing stoneware surfaces rather than flat, painted color.
Foundations
Foundations are Mayco's base glazes: opaque gloss, sheer and matte colors meant as the main coat on a piece. FN-1 White, for example, fires to a smooth high-gloss white at cone 06, shows no color change at cone 6 per Mayco, and is labeled dinnerware safe. Sizes for FN-1 are 4 oz, pint and gallon. Foundations suit schools and home studios that fire low and want predictable color; a full review is coming at Mayco Foundations.
Elements and Elements Chunkies
Elements are two-tone glazes with a main color and a "float" color that settles in texture. Mayco developed them for cone 06/05 and asks for three to four coats with a soft brush, letting the wet shine go between coats. Mayco says many work higher, but at cone 6 they may change and flow. Copper Adventurine (EL-121), for example, turns to a sparkly black at cone 6 with "enhanced mobility" and is not dinnerware safe.
- Cone: developed for 06/05 oxidation; test before firing higher
- Coats: 3 to 4 with a soft brush, same direction each coat
- Firing note: Mayco suggests a medium ramp of 250°F per hour to shelf cone 06
- Kit: EL-KIT2, 12 x 4 oz (also a pints kit)
- Labels: line includes AP and CL products; dinnerware status varies by color
Pros
- Rich effects at low fire
- 12-color kit for testing
Cons
- Mixed dinnerware status
- Movement at cone 6
Who should skip it: anyone making functional ware who does not want to check every color's label.
Jungle Gems
Jungle Gems are crystal glazes: small pieces of glass frit in the jar burst into spots of color in the kiln. They are designed for cone 06/05. Mayco's page for Blue Caprice (CG-718) says the crystals fade and melt at cone 6, the glaze moves more, and the color is decorative only. Treat Jungle Gems as low-fire decorative glazes; more on our Jungle Gems page.
- Type: crystal glaze with glass frit pieces
- Cone: designed for 06/05; chips also shown at 6 and 10
- Sizes: 4 oz and pint (CG-718)
- Kit: CG-KIT2, 12 x 4 oz (also a pints kit)
- Label (CG-718): ACMI seal; decorative use only
Pros
- Eye-catching crystals at low fire
- 12-jar kit
Cons
- CG-718 decorative only
- Crystals change at cone 6
Who should skip it: potters glazing food surfaces or firing only at cone 6.
Stoneware
The Stoneware line is Mayco's mid and high fire range, in Classic, Matte, Crystal and Gloss groups, sold as liquid pints and many as 10 lb dry (SD codes). Mayco fires its chips at cone 6 in oxidation and cone 10 in reduction on white stoneware. Most colors we checked are dinnerware safe, but SW-132 Mirror Black is not, and Mayco warns it "WILL move." Read the full Mayco Stoneware glazes review.
Fundamentals underglazes and Designer Liner
Fundamentals are matte underglazes for full coverage or design work on clay or bisque, with chips shown at cone 06, 6 and 10. Wedgewood Blue (UG-72) is labeled dinnerware safe with clear glaze, and Mayco recommends SW-001 Stoneware Clear over it at cone 6. Designer Liner is a clay-based underglaze in a 1.25 oz bottle with a metal writer tip, rated cone 06 to 10. See Mayco Fundamentals and our underglaze buying guide.
- Type: matte underglaze, clay or bisque
- Cone: chips at 06, 6 and 10; Mayco says UG-72 fades at cone 10 reduction
- Clear: Mayco recommends SW-001 Stoneware Clear at cone 6 and 10
- Sizes (UG-72): 4 oz jar and pint
- Label (UG-72): ACMI AP seal; dinnerware safe with clear
Pros
- Large color range
- Works at low and mid fire
Cons
- Needs a clear for gloss and dinnerware use
Who should skip it: anyone who wants one-step glossy color; Stroke & Coat does that.
Choosing a Mayco line by kiln and project
You fire at cone 06 to 04
Low-fire potters have the widest Mayco choice. Use Foundations for base colors, Stroke & Coat for painted color, Elements and Jungle Gems for effects on decorative pieces, and a low-fire clear such as S-2101 Crystal Clear Brushing over Fundamentals underglaze. Mayco labels S-2101 dinnerware safe, but notes it may leave a bluish haze on some red clays.
You fire at cone 5 to 6
Most home electric kilns fire here. Stroke & Coat and Fundamentals still work, and the Stoneware line opens up reactive, breaking surfaces. Pair Fundamentals with SW-001 Stoneware Clear, or SW-004 Zinc-Free Clear over chrome greens, which Mayco says is what SW-004 is designed for.
You fire at cone 10
Stoneware glazes are rated to cone 10 and Mayco shows a cone 10 reduction chip for each. Colors often change: SW-129 Copper Float, for example, turns warm brown with copper mottling at cone 10 according to Mayco. Stroke & Coat reaches cone 10 on the product pages, but test each color first.
- Code: SW-001 Stoneware Clear
- Cone: 5/6 to 10; no change at cone 10 per Mayco
- Coats: 1 to 2 brushing coats
- Sizes: pint, gallon, 10 lb dry (SD-001)
- Label: ACMI seal; dinnerware safe
Pros
- One clear for mid and high fire
- Liquid or dry
- Dinnerware label
Cons
- Heavy coats can increase crazing per Mayco
Who should skip it: low-fire potters, and anyone using chrome-based greens, where Mayco points to SW-004 instead.
Reading the Mayco glaze color chart
The Mayco glaze color chart on each line page shows fired chips, not wet colors. Each chip is labeled by cone. Mayco states that cone 06 chips are fired on white earthenware, cone 6 chips in oxidation on white stoneware, and cone 10 chips in reduction on white stoneware. Your clay, coats and kiln will change the result, and Mayco itself says testing is suggested before use.
Two habits help: compare the chip at your own cone, not the big photo at the top of the page, and read the short note under each chip. Notes such as "no color change," "colors fade" or "enhanced mobility" tell you more than the picture.
Mayco glaze vs underglaze: which products are which
Mayco sells both, and the difference decides if you need a clear coat. A glaze melts into glass on its own and gives gloss, satin or matte without help. Stroke & Coat, Foundations, Elements, Jungle Gems and the Stoneware lines are glazes. An underglaze is closer to colored clay: it holds crisp painted lines and fires matte, and it needs a clear glaze on top for a gloss and, on food surfaces, for the dinnerware label to apply. Fundamentals and Designer Liner are Mayco's underglazes, and UG-72, for example, is labeled dinnerware safe only with clear.
The practical rule: if you want painted detail that stays sharp, use Fundamentals under a clear such as SW-001 or S-2101. If you want painted color in one step, use Stroke & Coat. Our pages on what underglaze is and underglaze vs overglaze explain the categories in more depth.
Mixing and layering Mayco glazes
Mayco treats mixing and layering as two different things. Mixing in the jar is meant for colors within one line: Mayco lists Stroke & Coat colors as intermixable, so white lightens and black deepens any color. Layering means brushing one glaze over another on the pot. Mayco's glaze combinations page explains how its own samples were made: two coats of the base glaze, then two coats of the top glaze, letting the glazes dry between coats, fired at cone 06 on white earthenware, cone 6 oxidation or cone 10 reduction on white stoneware.
Mayco adds that clay body, thickness, firing and temperature all change the result and that testing is suggested. Layers add thickness, so keep the top glaze off the lower part of tall pieces, especially with fluid glazes such as SW-132 Mirror Black. A combination is also a new surface for food safety: Mayco says it "cannot certify finished pieces made by every artist, studio, or manufacturer." The Mayco Stoneware glazes review covers layering in the cone 6 line, and our AMACO glaze layering guide explains why the more fluid glaze usually goes on top.
Glaze shelf life and storage
Mayco does not print an expiry date for its glazes. What it publishes is a warranty: its color products made in Hilliard, Ohio are covered for two years from the date of manufacture. Treat that as the window Mayco stands behind, not as the date a jar goes bad.
Freezing is less of a worry than many people think. Mayco says its "glazes can withstand numerous freezes without negative results," but two products will not survive freezing: AC-302 Wax Resist and AC-523 Non-Fired Snow. AMACO explains what happens to a frozen glaze: water separates from the particles, so after it thaws you mix it thoroughly, and a mixer or sieve may be needed to bring it back to brushing consistency. AMACO's advice is to store glazes somewhere warm and protected when frost is likely.
- Close lids tightly; a glaze that dries out thickens and brushes poorly.
- Store jars upright, away from heat and direct sun, and out of reach of children and pets.
- Stir every jar from the bottom before use, since pigment and crystals settle.
- If a jar has thickened, add water a little at a time and stir; test on a tile before glazing a full piece.
What cone to bisque fire before glazing
Most commercial brushing glazes, low fire and mid range, are designed to go on bisque fired to about cone 04, 1,945°F (1,063°C) on Orton's chart at 108°F per hour. AMACO states cone 04 bisque on its glaze line pages, and the Mayco product pages we checked do not print a separate bisque cone. At cone 04 the bisque is hard enough to handle but still porous, so it soaks up glaze evenly.
Stroke & Coat is the exception you can skip the bisque for: Mayco's brochure says it can go on wet or leather-hard clay and be fired to cone 04 in a single firing. Ready-made bisque from a dealer has already been fired, so it can be glazed straight away. Our bisque firing guide covers schedules and why some potters bisque at cone 06 instead.
What Mayco does well
- Clear labels per color: every product page we checked showed a dinnerware icon (or its absence), the ACMI seal and the sizes.
- Cone coverage: lines exist for cone 06, cone 6 and cone 10, and Stroke & Coat bridges them.
- Small sizes: 2 oz and 4 oz jars and 12-color kits make testing affordable.
- Layering data: Mayco's glaze combinations page explains how its samples were made (two coats of base, two coats of top glaze).
Weak points
- Low-fire lines at cone 6: Elements and Jungle Gems can change color and move at cone 6.
- Mixed dinnerware status: within one line, some colors are dinnerware safe and others decorative.
- Spec gaps: some line pages do not list coats or sizes; you have to open the product page.
- Range conflict: Stroke & Coat product pages say cone 06 to 10, while Mayco's 2023 brochure says 06 to 6 with most colors reaching 10.
Research note: Mayco's line index filters Stroke & Coat under 06/05 to 5/6, while each Stroke & Coat product page says cone 06 to cone 10. We report both and suggest testing any color you plan to fire at cone 10.
Mayco paint vs Mayco glaze
People searching for "Mayco paint" usually mean one of two things. Fired products such as Stroke & Coat and Fundamentals are glazes and underglazes that must go through a kiln. Mayco's site also carries Duncan Bisq-Stain opaque acrylics, which are non-fired paints for decorating bisque. Non-fired acrylics are not glaze and do not make a piece waterproof or suitable for food.
Who should buy Mayco glazes
- Beginners who want a forgiving, brushable glaze: start with Stroke & Coat.
- Cone 6 home kiln owners: Mayco Stoneware and the Stoneware Clears.
- Paint-your-own and school studios firing low: Foundations, Stroke & Coat and Fundamentals.
Who should skip Mayco
- Potters who mix their own glazes from raw materials for cost or control.
- Cone 10 reduction potters who want a large tested range; check each Mayco color's cone 10 chip first.
Alternatives
AMACO is Mayco's main rival, with Velvet underglazes, Potter's Choice and Celadon at cone 5 to 6; see our AMACO glazes review and the upcoming AMACO vs Mayco comparison. For underglaze-only shopping, the best underglazes guide compares Mayco Fundamentals with Velvet, Speedball and Duncan.
New to glazing? Our how to glaze pottery guide covers brushing, dipping and wax resist, and the clay and glazes hub explains cones and labels.
Sources: Mayco fired color index and line pages (Stroke & Coat, Foundations, Elements, Jungle Gems, Stoneware, Stoneware Clear, Stoneware Specialty, Fundamentals, Designer Liner); Mayco product pages SC-15, SC-74, FN-1, EL-121, CG-718, SW-104, SW-132, UG-72, SW-001, SW-004; Mayco product kit pages; Mayco Dinnerware Suitability and ACMI page; Mayco glaze combinations page; Mayco 2023 Stroke & Coat brochure (dealer-hosted PDF); Mayco Product Warranty and Freeze Policies page; Mayco distributors page and "Our Business Partners" page; AMACO "Frozen Clay and Glazes" tutorial; AMACO glaze line pages (cone 04 bisque); Orton cone chart. Specs checked October 2026.