Architectural ceramics is made to form tile work. An item is created for a specific counter top, fireplace or doorframe.
(All of these techniques can be reviewed in Peter Kings book, Architectural Ceramics or by taking a workshop with him. To view some really cool stuff go to his website at peterkingceramics.com and tell him I sent ya.)
When a job is chosen, the space is measured and a design created. Glaze tests are run and the final piece is decided upon.
After the measurements are verified, wooden tables are set up to accommodate the piece.
Clay is then slabbed out into a 3/4 of an inch thickness and placed over the form. The seams where the slabs overlap are beaten and scored to insure no cracks develop.
When the form is completely covered in clay, it is cut into individual pieces and allowed to stiffen. The pieces are then individually cleaned and numbered. The drying process must remain slow to keep the tiles from warping. Some warping is inevitable. This process takes about 6 to 8 weeks. The tiles are then placed into a kiln and slow fired for three days to keep them from exploding due to their thickness.
After the kiln has cooled for 48 hours, the tiles are reassembled and glazed with a heavy duty sprayer. They then go back into the kiln and are fired for another 24 hours reaching a temperature of 2100 degrees.
The tiles are unpacked at the site and laid out on heavy duty rugs to ease the installation.
Installation is done over a suitable substrate like tile board in this case.
The counter is completely installed with plastic protecting the cabinets. It is allowed to cure for 24 hours before the grouting begins.
This is really a nasty job, and unfortunately I have to do it.
The grout is cleaned up as it hardens and left to cure for 72 hours before it is sealed. The installation process can take as much as 4 days to complete depending on the substrate. The finished product is one to behold.Architectural Installations
Here you can take a look at some of the projects I’ve completed. Please take a moment to look over them.