Clay Body Additions
Enhance texture, strength and firing performance in your clay bodies with a carefully selected range of clay body additions. At Potclays, we offer a carefully selected range of clay body additions, including grogs, sands and refractory materials designed to improve the working and firing properties of clay. These materials are essential for ceramicists seeking to modify texture, shrinkage, and thermal behaviour. For functional ware, sculpture or large-scale installations.
Why Use Clay Body Additions?
Clay body additions alter the structure of the clay body, improving resistance to thermal shock and reducing warping or cracking during drying and firing. They can also introduce subtle textural effects that appeal to both functional potters and ceramic artists looking to expand their creative possibilities.
Our Hi-Pur grogs are of exceptional purity and fire to a light grey-white colour. This carefully graded, virtually lime-free material is available in a range of grades and forms the basis of many of our grogged clay blends. Molochite is a calcined and crushed form of china clay. The coarser grades are used as a very pure, white-firing grog, while the finer grades are often used as a clay substitute to lower shrinkage in engobes and other formulations. Grogs and sands can be added to clay bodies or used as a placing sand in kiln firings.
Influence Texture and Form with Clay Body Additions
Potters can tailor the physical qualities of their clay by adding materials like molochite, buff silica sand, or Hi-Pur grogs. Coarser grogs create a distinctive tactile surface, ideal for hand-built or sculptural work, while finer materials improve structure and control shrinkage without compromising smoothness.
Artists use these additions to achieve unique making methods and beautiful finished ceramic art. The subtle differences in how the clay handles, dries, and vitrifies create a range of effects. Stoneware and sculptural bodies particularly benefit from these additions, offering increased control over form and finish. These tools are an essential companion for any artist wishing to expand their practice.
Why Choose Potclays?
At Potclays, we have been supplying additions to clay bodies to potters, studios and educators for decades. With over 90 years of in-house experience, we're known for ensuring that every grog, sand and refractory addition meets high standards of reliability, consistency and performance in ceramic work. We're proud to offer a range of pottery products, including oxides, glaze and high-quality tools and accessories.
We're glad to be a part of the journey for potters of all skill levels. From beginners exploring texture and form to professionals developing precise recipes for production work, we support ceramic artists from around the country every single day. Potclays is your trusted partner for achieving high-quality textures in ceramic work every time.
Need help? Get in touch, we're happy to assist.
