Stoneware clay is the clay most home potters use: a dense, strong body that fires between cone 5 and cone 10 and comes out tough enough for daily mugs, bowls and plates. It is easier to throw than porcelain and far less porous than earthenware once fired. The key to buying stoneware clay is matching the body's best cone to your kiln. This guide is research-based, built from AMACO and Laguna spec sheets rather than our own firings. Specs checked October 2026.
What is stoneware clay?
Stoneware is a clay body that matures at high temperature into a dense, partly glassy ceramic. It is usually made from plastic ball clays and fire clays with feldspar and silica, sometimes with grog or sand for texture. Fired colors range from white and cream to buff, gray, brown and red, depending on iron content and kiln atmosphere.
The name describes the result: a fired body hard and dense like stone. Historically it was fired in wood and gas kilns at cone 10 and above. Today most hobby stoneware is mid-fire, formulated for electric kilns at cone 5 to 6.
Mid-fire vs high fire stoneware
Stoneware comes in two main families, and the label "cone 5 to 10" on a box can hide a big difference.
| Family | Cone | Approximate temperature | Kiln | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-fire | 5 to 6 | 2,167°F to 2,232°F (1,186°C to 1,222°C) | Most home electric kilns | AMACO No. 46, Laguna B-Mix 5 |
| High fire | 10 | 2,345°F (1,285°C) | Gas, wood or cone 10 electric | AMACO No. 38, Laguna B-Mix 10 |
Temperatures are from Orton's chart for self-supporting cones at 108°F per hour. A wide-range clay is usually designed around one end of its range. AMACO No. 38 and AMACO No. 11 (A-Mix) are both listed for cone 5 and cone 10, but their absorption at cone 5 is about 7%, against 1.4% (No. 38) and 1.6% (No. 11) at cone 10. Both are really cone 10 clays. AMACO No. 46 is the reverse: best at cone 5, at 1.8%.
Cone 6 clay vs cone 10 clay when you shop
Dealers often sort stoneware into cone 6 clay and cone 10 clay, and the label you want is the one that matches your kiln. Cone 6 clay covers bodies rated cone 5 to 6, such as Laguna B-Mix 5, AMACO No. 46 and the Laguna bodies labeled ^6 (L.B. 6, 50 ^6 and 65 ^6). High fire stoneware clay, sold as cone 10 clay, includes AMACO No. 38, AMACO No. 11 and Laguna B-Mix 10, and it is meant for gas kilns or electric kilns rated to cone 10. Watch for cone 5 bodies with a hard limit: Laguna warns not to fire B-Mix 5 with Speckles past cone 5, so it is not a true cone 6 clay. If you are unsure what your kiln reaches, check its manual or our pottery cone chart before you buy.
Vitrification and absorption
As stoneware nears its maturing cone, the flux in the body melts and fills the gaps between particles. This is vitrification. The more complete it is, the less water the fired clay absorbs and the stronger it gets.
Makers measure this as water absorption: they weigh a fired bar, boil or soak it, then weigh it again. For functional stoneware, look for low single digits at the cone you will fire. Too much heat goes the other way: an over-fired body can bloat, blister or slump. That is why Laguna warns not to fire B-Mix 5 with Speckles past cone 5.
Stoneware clay bodies compared
All figures are from the maker's own product page.
| Clay | Cone | Fired color | Shrinkage | Absorption | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMACO No. 46 Buff | 5 to 10 (best 5) | Buff at 5, soft gray at 10 | 12% at 5 | 1.8% at 5 | Check price |
| Laguna B-Mix 5 (WC401) | 5 | Cream (oxidation) | 12% | 2.3% | Check price |
| Laguna Speckled Buff (WC403) | 5 | Tan to brown, speckled | 12% | 3% | Check price |
| AMACO No. 16 White Chocolate | 5 to 7 | Creamy | 13.9% at 6 | 0.3% at 6 | Check price |
| AMACO No. 38 White | 5 to 10 (best 10) | White, gray specks | 15% at 10 | 1.4% at 10 | Check price |
| AMACO No. 11 A-Mix White | 5 and 10 | Off-white | 12.9% at 10 | 1.6% at 10 | Check price |
| Laguna B-Mix 10 (WC379) | 10 | Gray-white (reduction) | 13% | 1% | Check price |
White stoneware clay
White stoneware clay gives the bright glaze color of porcelain with the easier handling of stoneware. It is the popular choice for underglaze painting and for potters who want clean color without porcelain's softness.
- Cone 5 to 6: Laguna B-Mix 5 fires cream in oxidation and has a smooth, porcelain-like texture. AMACO No. 16 White Chocolate is creamier in tone but has the lowest absorption here, 0.3% at cone 6.
- Cone 10: AMACO No. 38 fires white with darker gray specks in oxidation, and AMACO says it keeps underglaze color true. AMACO No. 11 A-Mix is an off-white plastic clay with very strong greenware. Laguna B-Mix 10 is cream-white, and Laguna calls it one of the most popular clay bodies in the United States.
Most "white" stoneware is really cream or off-white once fired. If you need a true white, look at cone 6 porcelain instead.
Buff, speckled and dark stoneware
Buff bodies such as AMACO No. 46 and Laguna Speckled Buff give a warm, earthy base. Speckled stoneware shows iron flecks through pale glazes; see our speckled clay guide. Dark brown and black stoneware give strong contrast under clear or light glazes; see dark clay bodies.
Working with stoneware: from bag to glaze firing
- Wedge: mix the clay to even moisture and remove air. See how to wedge clay.
- Form: throw on the wheel or hand-build. Smooth bodies suit throwing; grogged bodies suit slabs and large forms.
- Trim and finish: at leather hard, trim feet and attach handles.
- Dry slowly: cover loosely so rims and bases dry at the same rate.
- Bisque fire: most stoneware is bisqued around cone 04; AMACO lists a cone 04 bisque for No. 46. Our bisque firing guide explains the process.
- Glaze fire: fire to the clay's maturing cone with glazes rated for that cone.
Can you put stoneware clay in your oven?
No. A kitchen oven cannot fire stoneware clay. Stoneware only turns dense and permanent at cone 5 to 10, about 2,167°F to 2,345°F (1,186°C to 1,285°C) on Orton's chart, far beyond what a home oven reaches. Oven-heated stoneware is just dry clay: it stays fragile and will slake back to mud in water. You need a kiln, or a community studio or kiln-sharing service that fires to your clay's cone. Our pottery oven vs kiln guide covers the details.
Finished, kiln-fired stoneware is a separate question. Some makers list ovenware among a body's uses (Laguna does for Hawaiian Red 2), but any ceramic can crack from sudden temperature changes, so follow the clay and glaze makers' guidance before baking in your own pots.
How to choose a stoneware clay
Start with your kiln's cone
Find the highest cone your kiln is rated for, then pick a body whose "best at" cone is at or just below it. For a cone 6 kiln, that means a cone 5 to 6 body such as AMACO No. 46 or Laguna B-Mix 5. For a cone 10 gas or electric kiln, a body such as AMACO No. 38 or Laguna B-Mix 10 is the better match.
Decide how you will work
Smooth stoneware with no grog is best for wheel throwing and small to medium pieces. Bodies with fine grog, such as Laguna B-Mix 5 with Grog, are easier for slabs and larger forms. Coarse sculpture stoneware suits thick, hand-built work but is hard on your hands at the wheel.
Check absorption at your cone
For functional ware, compare absorption at the cone you will actually fire, not the best figure on the sheet. A body listed at 1.4% at cone 10 can be 7% at cone 5, and that difference decides whether a mug weeps or not.
Plan for shrinkage
Most stoneware shrinks 11% to 15% from wet to glaze-fired. At 12%, a bowl thrown 8 in across finishes at about 7 in. If you make sets or lids, stay with one body so every piece shrinks the same amount.
Buy a size you will use
Moist stoneware usually comes in 25 lb or 50 lb boxes, often as two 25 lb bags. A beginner working a few hours a week will use 25 lb in a few weeks. Keep the bags sealed and out of frost, and it stays usable for months.
Stoneware for planters and outdoor pieces
Low absorption helps outdoors as well as in the kitchen. Water that soaks into a porous pot can freeze, expand and crack it, so a well-fired stoneware generally holds up better through winter than low fire terracotta. Grogged stoneware is a common choice for planters and garden pieces because grog helps thick walls dry and fire evenly. Drill or cut a drainage hole before firing, and still bring pieces in during hard freezes if you can, since no maker we checked publishes a frost rating for its moist clay.
Reclaiming stoneware scraps
Stoneware trimmings, failed pots and slurry from the splash pan can all go back into use. Dry them fully, slake them in water, dry the slop on plaster or canvas until it is firm, then wedge it well. Keep each stoneware body in its own bucket, because mixing a cone 5 and a cone 10 clay gives a body nobody has tested. See our reclaim clay guide for the full method.
Stoneware vs earthenware vs porcelain
Stoneware sits in the middle. It is denser and stronger than earthenware, which fires at cone 06 to 04 and stays porous, and it is easier to throw and less prone to warping than porcelain, which is whiter and more glassy. Our comparisons of stoneware vs earthenware and stoneware vs porcelain go side by side, and the types of pottery clay guide covers all three.
What are the disadvantages of stoneware?
Stoneware is the best all-round clay for most home potters, but it has real drawbacks to plan around:
- It needs a hotter kiln: mid-fire bodies need cone 5 to 6 and high fire bodies cone 10. A small kiln that stops at low fire temperatures cannot mature it, and hotter firings take longer and use more power or gas.
- It shrinks more: most stoneware shrinks 11% to 15%, against about 6% to 7% for AMACO's low fire bodies at cone 04 to 05, so lids, sets and tiles need planning.
- Color is less bright: buff, gray and speckled bodies mute glazes compared with porcelain or white earthenware.
- The cone range can mislead: a body labeled cone 5 to 10 may be porous at cone 5, as AMACO No. 38 shows at 7%.
- Heavier pieces: thick stoneware walls make heavy mugs and bowls if you do not trim carefully.
- Dust: like all clay, it contains silica, so dry scraps and trimmings need wet cleanup.
Common mistakes
- Firing a cone 10 stoneware to cone 6 and expecting watertight mugs.
- Using low fire glazes and stopping at cone 06, which leaves stoneware porous and weak.
- Over-firing a cone 5 body to cone 6 without checking the maker's limit.
- Drying thick bases faster than thin walls, which causes S-cracks and splits.
Safety: stoneware contains crystalline silica, and Laguna's pages carry a Prop 65 warning for it. Wet clean your space, never dry sweep, and wear a NIOSH-approved respirator when mixing dry clay. Kilns get very hot on the outside and need clearance and ventilation as set out in the maker's manual.
What you need
You need a stoneware matched to your kiln's cone, glazes rated for the same cone and access to a kiln. Our best clay for pottery guide compares the top stoneware bodies, and our best kilns for home pottery guide covers cone 6 and cone 10 kilns.
Sources: AMACO product pages for No. 11 A-Mix White Stoneware, No. 16 White Chocolate, No. 38 White Stoneware and No. 46 Buff Stoneware; Laguna Clay product pages for WC379 B-Mix 10, WC401 B-Mix 5, WC403 Speckled Buff, WC408 B-Mix 5 with Speckles and WC365 Hawaiian Red 2, and Laguna's mid-fire clay collection page; AMACO product pages for No. 25 White Art Clay and No. 67 Sedona Red (low fire shrinkage); Orton pyrometric cone chart (self-supporting cones, 108°F per hour). Specs checked October 2026.