Goerg & Schneider Pottery Clay 480, 40% Grog 0–2 mm, 10 kg

Clay 480 – coarse grogged clay body for hand building and sculpture

Clay 480 from Goerg & Schneider is a light-firing, coarse grogged clay body for hand building and modelling. With 40% grog in a grain size of 0–2 mm, even larger, solid pieces such as sculptures, figures, reliefs or large vessels keep their shape well. The coarse grog gives the surface a lively, rustic texture.

After firing, the clay body is white to light cream. This gives a subtle base for glazes and engobes, whose colours are not overpowered by a dark clay body. The pack contains 10 kg.

What the clay is suitable for

According to the manufacturer, clay 480 is intended for hand building and modelling. The high grog content makes it stable, so you can build coils and slabs even in larger sizes without the piece quickly sagging. The coarse grain is less suitable for fine, smooth surfaces or very thin-walled work, as the texture of the grog always shows through.

Drying and firing

The clay shrinks by 4% during drying and by a further 2–4% during firing, depending on the temperature. Allow for both figures if your piece needs to reach a particular final size. At higher firing temperatures the clay body becomes denser: water absorption falls from 10% at 1070 °C to 4% at 1200/1240 °C. It is best to hollow out solid pieces and let them dry slowly and evenly so that they do not crack. A test piece shows you in advance how a glaze or engobe will look on this clay body.

• Firing range: 1000–1260 °C
• Fired colour: white to light cream

Goerg & Schneider Clay 480 product details

• Manufacturer: Goerg & Schneider, clay 480
• Use: hand building and modelling
• Grog content: 40%
• Grog grain size: 0–2 mm
• Firing range: 1000–1260 °C
• Fired colour: white to light cream
• Drying shrinkage: 4%
• Firing shrinkage: 2% at 1070 °C, 3% at 1140 °C, 4% at 1200/1240 °C
• Water absorption: 10% at 1070 °C, 7% at 1140 °C, 4% at 1200/1240 °C
• Coefficient of thermal expansion: 63 × 10⁻⁷ °C⁻¹ (20–500 °C)
• Contents: 10 kg

You will also need: a kiln for firing (a domestic oven is only enough for drying); glazes or engobes, if desired