Ceramic Oxide Stains

Stains containing otherwise toxic oxides can be employed without significant dangers.

Ceramic oxide stains.

Stains are fired blends of metal and ceramic oxides that have been reground into a fine powder. Like oxides the final color of a ceramic stain is affected by how it interacts with glazes or underglazes used. Ceramic stains are more stable and in general considered safer to use than raw oxides. This is the first aspect of something that stains have that coloring oxides don t.

Because ceramic stains contain coloring metal oxides along with other ceramics materials like opacifiers silica and alumina adding them to certain glaze bases can cause a glossy glaze surface to turn matte. Stains and oxides can be very toxic so you must make sure not to have food or consumable liquids when you are working with them. Some ceramic stains are incompatible with particular glazes so the chemistry between the two does need to be considered. Ceramic stains are generally added at 5 8 in a glaze and 15 25 in slips and clay bodies.

A stain is a mix of metal and ceramic oxide that has been ground into a powder. Understanding the advantages of disadvantages of stains vs. Even if you are working with fritted stains you should make sure you use a respirator with dry materials and control all dust created. Mason colors are powdered pigments made of a combination of oxides and frits that create beautiful uniform rich colors.

You can add mason stains to dry glaze recipes to produce color in an opaque or transparent base glaze. Stains containing otherwise toxic oxides can be employed without significant dangers. An overview of ceramic stains description.