Ceramic clay is any clay body made to be fired in a kiln, where heat changes it for good into a hard ceramic that will not soften in water again. Potters sort ceramic clay into three main types by firing temperature: earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. Each one behaves differently on the wheel, fires at a different cone and ends up with a different density. This guide explains the types of pottery clay using published maker spec sheets from AMACO, Laguna and Standard Clay. It is research-based, not a firing test. Specs checked October 2026.
What makes ceramic clay different from craft clay
Air-dry clay, polymer clay and "cold porcelain" craft paste all harden without a kiln. They never become ceramic, and they are not waterproof or food safe. Ceramic clay stays soft and reusable until it is fired. In the kiln, water burns off, organic matter burns out, and at the right cone the particles fuse. That is why a fired mug can hold coffee and a dried air-dry piece cannot. Our air-dry clay vs kiln clay comparison goes further.
The three main types of pottery clay
The table shows typical cone ranges and one real maker figure for each type, so you can see how much density changes from earthenware to porcelain.
| Type | Typical cones | Example body | Maker absorption figure | Fired color | Handling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthenware | 06 to 04 (some to 02) | AMACO No. 25 | 13.7% at cone 04 | Off-white, red, buff | Easy, low shrinkage |
| Stoneware | 5 to 10 | AMACO No. 46 | 1.8% at cone 5 | Buff, gray, white, brown | Forgiving, strong |
| Porcelain | 6 to 10 | Laguna Frost | 0.5% at cone 6 | White, translucent | Soft, warps easily |
Earthenware
Earthenware is the oldest pottery clay and the lowest firing. Most bodies mature around cone 06 to 04, about 1,828°F to 1,945°F (998°C to 1,063°C) on Orton's chart for self-supporting cones at 108°F per hour. It stays porous after firing, so it relies on glaze to hold water. Red terracotta is the best known kind. Read more on our earthenware clay page.
Stoneware
Stoneware fires hotter, from cone 5 to cone 10, and becomes dense and tough. Mid-fire stoneware is the usual first clay for home potters because it suits cone 6 electric kilns and most commercial glazes. See our full stoneware clay guide.
Porcelain
Porcelain is built mostly from kaolin, a pure white clay, with feldspar and silica. It fires to a white, glassy body that can let light through when thin. Laguna's Frost and Standard's 365 are cone 6 porcelains, so they fire in the same kiln as mid-fire stoneware. See our porcelain clay guide.
What is a clay body?
Very few potters dig and use raw clay (our what is clay made of page covers the raw minerals). What you buy in a box is a clay body: a recipe that blends several raw clays with other minerals so it throws well, dries without cracking and matures at a set cone. Clay suppliers give each body a code, such as Laguna's WC401 (B-Mix 5) or AMACO's No. 46.
A typical clay body includes:
- Plastic clays: ball clay and kaolin give workability and whiteness. Our ball clay guide explains the difference.
- Flux: feldspar or similar minerals that melt and bind the body at the target cone.
- Silica: helps glaze fit and controls expansion.
- Grog or sand: pre-fired, ground clay or sand that opens the body, adds tooth and reduces cracking. See grog in clay.
Changing the balance changes the cone, color, plasticity and absorption. That is why two clays both called "stoneware" can behave very differently. AMACO No. 46 is 1.8% absorbent at cone 5, while AMACO No. 38 is 7% at the same cone because it is designed to mature at cone 10.
Other types of clay for pottery
Beyond the big three, you will see these clay types in supplier catalogs. Most are variations of earthenware or stoneware.
- Fire clay: a refractory raw clay used in stoneware and sculpture bodies for heat resistance and tooth.
- Sculpture and grogged bodies: heavy grog for large hand-built work.
- Speckled clay: bodies with iron specks that bleed through glaze, such as Laguna B-Mix 5 with Speckles.
- Dark and red bodies: high-iron or stained clays for strong contrast.
- Paper clay: clay with paper fiber added for strong greenware and easy joins.
- Raku clay: open, grogged bodies that survive rapid heating and cooling.
Low fire, mid-fire and high fire
Potters also group clay by firing range, which matters more than the name on the box. Temperatures below are from Orton's chart for self-supporting cones at 108°F per hour; the real end point depends on how fast the kiln heats.
| Range | Cones | Approximate temperature | Common clays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low fire | 06 to 04 | 1,828°F to 1,945°F (998°C to 1,063°C) | Earthenware, low fire white |
| Mid-fire | 5 to 6 | 2,167°F to 2,232°F (1,186°C to 1,222°C) | Stoneware, cone 6 porcelain |
| High fire | 10 | 2,345°F (1,285°C) | Stoneware, porcelain |
Pick a clay whose best cone matches the cone your kiln reaches. Our pottery cone chart has the full list.
What kind of clay is used for pottery at home?
Most home potters use a mid-fire stoneware fired to cone 5 or 6. It gives dense, durable mugs and bowls, works on the wheel and by hand, and fires in many of the 240V electric kilns sold for home studios. Low fire earthenware makes sense with a small kiln that stops below cone 5 or for bright decorative work. Porcelain is usually a second clay once your throwing is steady. Our best pottery clay guide names specific bodies.
What is the best kind of clay for pottery?
There is no single best kind of clay; the best one is the type your kiln can mature and your project needs. Use this order of questions:
- What cone does your kiln (or studio) reach? Cone 6 points to mid-fire stoneware or cone 6 porcelain; a small kiln that stops at cone 04 points to earthenware; cone 10 opens up high fire stoneware.
- What will the pieces do? Mugs and plates need low absorption at your cone; planters and sculpture can use grogged or porous bodies.
- How do you work? Smooth bodies suit throwing; grogged bodies suit slabs, coils and large forms.
For most home potters those answers lead to a mid-fire stoneware, which is why it dominates studio shelves.
What type of clay is best for beginners?
Smooth mid-fire stoneware is the type of clay most beginners do best with. It is plastic enough to center and pull, it holds its shape better than porcelain, and it forgives uneven drying more than very fine bodies. Low fire white earthenware is a reasonable alternative for classrooms, kids or a small kiln. Leave porcelain and coarse sculpture bodies for later, and choose air-dry clay only if you have no access to a kiln at all. Our best clay for pottery guide names beginner bodies by maker specs.
Which type of clay suits which project
The right clay type depends on what you want to make and how you will use it. This is a quick guide based on the cone ranges and absorption figures above.
| Project | Best clay type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mugs, bowls and plates for daily use | Mid-fire stoneware | Dense at cone 5 to 6, durable, fires in a home kiln |
| Fine, white or translucent tableware | Cone 6 porcelain | Whitest color and lowest absorption |
| Decorative pieces with bright glazes | Low fire earthenware or low fire white | Bright color range, low shrinkage, small kilns |
| Planters and garden pots | Terracotta earthenware or grogged stoneware | Terracotta breathes; stoneware handles frost better |
| Large sculpture | Grogged sculpture body | Grog helps thick walls dry and fire without cracking |
| Tiles | Grogged stoneware or low shrinkage earthenware | Grog and low shrinkage help tiles stay flat |
Oxidation and reduction change the color
The same clay can fire to different colors depending on the kiln atmosphere. Electric kilns fire in oxidation, with plenty of oxygen, which usually gives lighter, cleaner colors. Gas kilns are often run in reduction, with oxygen cut back, which pulls iron in the clay toward grays and browns and brings out specks. AMACO lists No. 38 as white with darker gray specks in oxidation and gray with darker specks in reduction, a typical example. If a spec sheet lists only one fired color, assume it is for an electric kiln and test before relying on it.
How to read a clay spec sheet
- Cone or cone range: the temperature where the clay matures. A "best at" note tells you where it is densest.
- Absorption: how much water the fired clay soaks up. Low single digits suit functional ware.
- Shrinkage: how much smaller a piece gets from wet to fired, often 10% to 15% for stoneware and porcelain.
- Fired color: often listed for oxidation (electric kiln) and reduction (gas kiln).
- Texture: smooth, fine grog or coarse grog, which tells you if it suits throwing or sculpture.
- COE: some makers such as Laguna list thermal expansion, which helps when matching glazes.
Common mistakes
- Buying a cone 10 clay for a cone 6 kiln. It stays porous, as AMACO No. 38's 7% absorption at cone 5 shows.
- Firing low fire clay to stoneware temperatures. It can slump, bloat or melt onto the shelf.
- Mixing different clay bodies in the reclaim bucket, which leaves a clay with an unknown cone.
- Starting with porcelain before you can center, then blaming yourself for its softness.
- Putting air-dry or polymer clay in a kiln.
Safety: all pottery clay contains silica. Dry clay dust is the hazard, so clean with a damp sponge or mop, never dry sweep, and wear a NIOSH-approved respirator when mixing dry clay. See our clay dust safety guide.
What you need
To start, you need one clay that matches your kiln, a few basic tools and access to a kiln. Our best clay for pottery guide compares nine bodies by cone, shrinkage and absorption, and our kiln guide helps you check which cone your kiln can reach.
Sources: AMACO product pages for No. 25, No. 38 and No. 46; Laguna Clay product pages for WC401, WC408 and WC437; Standard Clay page for 365 Grolleg Porcelain; Orton pyrometric cone chart (self-supporting cones, 108°F per hour). Specs checked October 2026.