I made my own kitchen tiles
For flatter handmade tiles, make them 8 mm thick, dry them between drywall boards for 48 hours, and bisque-fire them standing up.
- Use drywall boards as absorbent, flat drying bats; tape exposed plaster edges to keep plaster out of the clay.
- Roll tiles to 8 mm, add texture to the backs, and sponge the edges after cutting.
- Dry tiles between plaster boards for 48 hours, then stand them upright for bisque firing to reduce thermal cracks.
The hands-on tests and kiln results show the trade-offs behind each method. · Best for: Potters making batches of functional tiles by hand
The creator develops a batch process for making roughly 300 backsplash tiles, testing drying, firing, glazing, and decorative details. Warping and production time remain major challenges.
Choosing and preparing drywall bats0:02
- The project needs around 300 functional tiles, so the creator tests methods for consistent thickness and flatness.
- Drywall offers a flat, absorbent surface; its weight can help keep tiles flat.
- Tape the exposed plaster edges with duct tape to avoid contaminating clay.
Rolling, cutting, and drying the first tiles5:32
- The creator rolls slabs to 8 mm using 5 mm and 3 mm thickness gauges; 5 mm tiles warped too much in earlier tests.
- A tile cutter speeds up cutting, and a textured roller adds texture to the backs.
- After cutting, tiles are dried between drywall boards and their edges are sponged smooth.
Testing warping and adjusting the drying process11:05
- Bisque-fired test tiles show some warping; the creator compares different drying and stacking methods.
- Tiles dried between non-absorbent ceramic tiles warped more in the tests.
- The chosen process is to leave tiles between plaster boards for 48 hours after edge cleanup before firing.
Glazing and evaluating the first kiln load18:56
- The creator chooses Ochre Granite glaze by Botz for a subtle yellow finish and applies two coats.
- Some tiles warp too much or crack; the bottom shelf has a different-looking glaze result.
- The creator notes that not wedging the clay may contribute to warping, but continues the process.
Adding decorative and border tiles25:17
- The design adds star-stamped tiles and may include rectangular border tiles.
- The star stamp was cut with a laser cutter; the creator presses the impression and cleans up its edges by hand.
- The creator suspects transferring or flipping slabs and wiping edges may also contribute to warping.
Firing lessons and production results35:12
- Standing tiles upright during bisque firing reduced the thermal cracks the creator had seen when tiles were laid flat.
- The creator has 103 finished tiles and reports roughly a one-third failure rate so far.
- Limited kiln capacity and failed tiles mean the full batch and installation are not completed in this video.
Step by step
- Cut drywall into bats and tape the exposed plaster edges with duct tape.
- Roll clay to 8 mm, cut the tiles, and add texture to the backs if desired.
- Let the tiles firm up, sponge the edges, then dry them between plaster boards for 48 hours.
- Bisque-fire the tiles standing upright to reduce thermal cracking.
- Apply glaze and fire the tiles; sort out tiles with unacceptable warping or cracks.
Tools & resources mentioned
- Drywall boards — absorbent, flat surfaces for drying tiles.
- Tile cutter — cuts repeatable tile shapes.
- Textured roller — adds texture to tile backs.
- Kiln — bisque-fires and glaze-fires the tiles.
- Ochre Granite by Botz — the glaze chosen for the yellow tiles.
- Bulb applicator — helps apply glaze without repeatedly dipping a brush.
- Laser cutter — used to make the star stamp.
Notes are AI-generated from the video's transcript and may miss nuance.