A firing schedule is the plan for a kiln firing: the rates at which the temperature rises or falls in each segment, the temperatures it heads for, and any holds. Kiln controllers run schedules automatically.
What Is Firing Schedule?
Schedules are written as segments, each with a ramp rate in degrees per hour, a target temperature and an optional hold. A typical bisque starts slowly to drive off water and burn out organics, then speeds up. A glaze firing climbs to the glaze’s cone, may hold at the top so the glaze smooths over, and may control the cooling.
The heating rate changes what a cone measures, because cones respond to heatwork, a mix of time and temperature. A slow final segment reaches the same cone at a lower temperature than a fast one, which is why Orton publishes cone temperatures for different heating rates.
Kiln, controller and clay makers publish recommended schedules, and these should take priority over any general chart. Thick work, damp work and big loads need slower early segments, and special effects such as matte or crystalline glazes rely on controlled cooling. Keeping a firing log makes it much easier to repeat good results and trace faults.
This pottery glossary entry from Le Studio Art Space is general educational content. Always follow the clay, glaze and kiln makers’ data for your own materials and equipment.