Mayco Glaze Combinations Chart: Published Stoneware and Low-Fire Pairs

How the Mayco glaze combinations chart works

The chart transcribes the combinations Mayco shows on its glaze combinations page. Each one is written the way Mayco writes it: the top glaze, then “over”, then the base glaze, and for some stoneware pairs, “on” a Mayco engobe underneath both. The base goes on first.

Search matches every word you type against codes, names, details and colour groups, so “SW-231” finds every pair using Lilac Speck, and “engobe” finds the versions over Mayco’s engobes. The base glaze filter narrows the chart to pairs over one base, which is handy for seeing what Mayco paired with a single glaze.

The split swatch beside each pair shows two approximate colours, the top glaze’s on the left and the base glaze’s on the right, both suggested by the glaze names rather than the fired result. Layered glazes mix and break in ways a swatch can’t show, so check Mayco’s photo and fire your own tile.

Which Mayco glaze combinations are on the chart?

The chart has 35 Mayco glaze combinations: 28 stoneware pairs and 7 low-fire pairs. All 28 stoneware pairs involve SW-231 Lilac Speck, either as the base under glazes such as SW-164 Satin Patina and SW-221 Mint Speck, or as the top over Mayco’s flux glazes and other lines.

Seven of the stoneware pairs are shown again over a Mayco engobe, from EG-001 White to EG-007 Terracotta. Engobes change the colour underneath and show through where the glaze breaks thin, so the same pair can look warm over terracotta and dramatic over black.

The low-fire pairs use CG-722 Seawind as the base under glazes such as CG-1010 Periwinkle Sky and CG-1012 Haystack, and S-2724 Lotus Blossom, all at cone 06. Mayco’s page currently features these combinations; older combination sheets aren’t included because we couldn’t confirm they’re current.

How do you apply Mayco glaze combinations?

Mayco’s guidance is to apply two coats of the base glaze, letting each dry, then two coats of the top glaze. Brush the coats evenly and let the piece dry between coats so they don’t lift each other off.

Mayco also advises testing any combination before you apply it all over a piece, and that’s sound advice. Two coats of a fluid top glaze over a fluid base can run, especially at the hotter end of the range. Leave the lower part of the piece bare until you’ve seen how a pair behaves, and fire your first test on a cookie.

For the engobe versions, apply the engobe first to leather-hard or bone-dry ware as Mayco directs for its engobes, bisque fire, then apply the two base coats and two top coats as usual.

Stoneware at cone 6 and 10, low fire at cone 06

The stoneware pairs on Mayco’s page are shown at both cone 6 and cone 10, which suits studios that fire either range. Mayco states a firing range of cone 5 to 10 for its stoneware glazes, and the hotter firing generally gives more movement and blending between the layers.

The low-fire pairs over CG-722 Seawind are shown at cone 06. They’re not interchangeable with the stoneware pairs: a cone 06 combination in a cone 6 firing will overfire and run, while a stoneware glaze at cone 06 won’t mature. The pyrometric cone chart shows how far apart those firings really are.

If you fire mid-range in an electric kiln, as many studio potters do, start with the stoneware pairs at cone 6.

Testing Mayco combinations in your kiln

A good test tile for a glaze combination stands upright, has a little texture, and is made from the clay you’ll use. Apply Mayco’s two and two coats, label the back with both codes and the order, and fire it in a normal load.

Compare the tile with Mayco’s photo. If your result is paler or drier, you may need slightly thicker coats or a hotter finish. If it ran, try fewer top coats. Keeping notes on each change turns a chart into a reliable system for your own work.

Our kiln firing service in Mordialloc fires mid-fire glazes at cone 6 in electric kilns, so stoneware test tiles can go in with your other work. For background on the range, see our guide to Mayco stoneware glazes.

Common mistakes with Mayco combinations

The most common mistake is putting the glazes on in the wrong order. “Over” means the second glaze named goes on first. The second is firing a low-fire pair at stoneware temperatures, or the reverse.

The third is forgetting the engobe. The engobe versions on Mayco’s page look different because of what’s underneath, so a pair photographed over black engobe won’t look the same on white stoneware. Finally, coats matter: one thick dip isn’t the same as two brushed coats, so test your own method.

Planning a set with Mayco glaze combinations

A chart like this is most useful when you’re planning a set of work rather than a single piece. Because so many of Mayco’s current pairs share SW-231 Lilac Speck, you can glaze a whole set with one base and vary the top glaze from piece to piece, which gives a range of colours that still look like they belong together.

Start by shortlisting three or four pairs from the chart, then make a tile for each on the clay you’ll use. When the tiles come out, lay them beside each other and decide which sit well as a family. It’s often the pair you didn’t expect that works best, which is why testing several at once saves time.

Think about how the pieces will be used, too. Mugs and bowls get handled and washed, so a smooth, durable surface matters more than a dramatic break, while a vase or platter can carry a more fluid, reactive combination. Note on each tile how the surface feels as well as how it looks.

Lastly, buy enough of each glaze for the whole set before you start. Small differences between batches can shift a layered result, so glazing a set from the same jars keeps everything consistent. Keep your tiles with the jars, and you’ll have a ready reference the next time you glaze the same pair.