St. Thomas Clays
St. Thomas Clay provides a dependable foundation for a variety of ceramic practices, from functional pottery to large, handbuilt sculptural forms, and meets the needs of educators, studios and hobbyists alike. With excellent throwing and handbuilding properties, these clay bodies are highly thought of thanks to their texture, strength and consistency. Our white St. Thomas Clays are ideal for projects demanding durability throughout the firing process, delivering professional-grade results in both oxidation and reduction firing.
Why Choose St. Thomas Clay?
Crafted for versatility and trusted by generations of potters, St. Thomas bodies deliver consistent results. There are a plethora of benefits in using this type of clay, including:
Exceptional Handling and Firing Performance
St. Thomas Clay is formulated to offer excellent workability while maintaining structural strength. The smooth, yet responsive texture of the clay is suitable for throwing, slabbing and handbuilding, making the material a top choice for sculpting and more.
With a recommended firing range from 1200°C to 1280°C and a relatively low shrinkage rate, these clays are engineered for performance across a range of kiln types.
Exceptional Shape Stability
St. Thomas Clay is developed with consistency and long-term reliability in mind, offering resistance to cracking, warping and slumping. This makes them ideal for use in everything from functional pots to larger sculptural work.
They also offer the clean look and natural richness of a white stoneware piece. Its versatility and ease of use make it a popular choice in both educational settings and professional studios, as well as for amateur hobbyists. Our St. Thomas range is available in 12.5kg bags and shipped nationwide.
Manufacturing Methods of Prepared Clay Bodies
Bodies marked with a 'P' are finished by our Panmilling technique. This production method gives excellent, reliable control of grog and water contents but is inherently more open to occasional larger or extraneous particles arising in the ingredients or during processing. It generally produces better moisture control in grogged bodies.
Bodies marked with an 'S' are Sliphoused bodies. These are prepared in very large batches in slip form which is finely sieved prior to or after grog addition. The purified slip is then pumped into presses for dewatering prior to pugging. Sliphousing gives greater product uniformity and virtually guarantees freedom from contamination, but it is more difficult to control grog contents due to settling from suspension, and moisture content. It is the best technique for smooth-textured bodies.
Bodies marked with a 'PB' are produced by a Plastic Blending process, which yields bodies offering the high purity and cost effectiveness of a sliphoused product together with the ultra-tight control over grog additions offered by the panmilling process.
Why Choose Potclays?
At Potclays, we've been a trusted supplier of pottery materials since 1932. We provide hobbyists, artists and studios with expertly formulated clays, glazes, accessories and kiln equipment. Our range of pottery supplies is sure to have something that meets your requirements.
We’re committed to providing quality pottery supplies and expert guidance to every customer. If you're unsure which clay is best suited to your needs - get in touch with us, we're happy to help.
