Glaze & Body Stains

Where are Powdered Glaze and Body Stains Used?

Glaze and body stains are commonly added to glaze recipes, decorating slips, and engobes to achieve clean, consistent colour. They can also be mixed simply with water and applied directly as a glaze wash or underglaze, offering flexible use beyond incorporation into glaze or slip batches. When blended into glazes (typically 5–8% addition) or slips (10–18%), they disperse more predictably than many raw oxides, especially at lower firing temperatures where oxides can behave erratically. For majolica techniques or general underglaze use, stains can be mixed with water or medium to create washes. Each stain is designed to provide predictable results and excellent stability in both oxidation and reduction firing.

These finely ground stains are designed to sieve easily, ensuring smooth blends and preventing speckling in transparent glazes. Most colours in the range remain stable up to 1300°C, making them suitable for stoneware and high-temperature production. However, a small number of colours, such as Clover Red, Lilac Tingle, and Peachbloom, have a stability limit of around 1140°C. These colours work best in low-temperature glazes rather than as body stains, as the unpredictable colour response of chrome-tin systems within clay bodies can affect their stability.

Powdered stains offer a level of reliability that makes them a studio favourite for decorative work, including brush-on slips, coloured casting slips, layered glazes, and underglaze techniques.

See our Technical Information Sheet "Safe Handling of Powdered Ceramic Materials".

Stains in a Range of Colours

Our powdered glaze and body stain collection boasts an extensive palette, featuring a range of bright contemporary colours and subtle earth tones. High-temperature oranges, reds, and yellows offer vibrant colours that retain their intensity even at stoneware temperatures. At the same time, greens span from soft shades like Moss Green and Bramley Green to the rich Derby Green. Blues range from delicate Cornflower to deep Britannia Blue and Speedwell Blue, offering ample options for both traditional and modern ceramics.

Neutral tones, such as Carbon Black, Scorch Brown, and Oxtail, are ideal for fine detail, sgraffito washes, line work, and shading. All stains are supplied in fine powder form, making it easy to control intensity. Simply adjust the percentage added to your glaze, slip, or wash to achieve anything from a gentle tint to a fully opaque colour.

Potters can confidently achieve a wide range of decorative effects with these stains, thanks to their predictable behaviour, excellent dispersal, and strong performance in both transparent and opaque glazes.

Why Choose Potclays?

At Potclays, we've supplied clay, glazes, tools and accessories to potters for generations. Each of our products is carefully selected for its quality or created by our expert teams. We're proud to be a one-stop shop for creators of all skill levels, from beginners to professional studios. 

Need help picking from our palette? Our experienced team is on hand to provide clear technical guidance and advice. Get in touch today.