A foot ring is the raised ring of clay on the underside of a bowl, cup or plate, usually trimmed from the thick base at leather hard. It lifts the piece, gives it a neat base and leaves the bottom unglazed where it touches the shelf.
What Is Foot Ring?
When a bowl is thrown, extra clay is left in the base. Once the piece is leather hard, the potter turns it upside down, centres it on the wheel and trims away clay to carve the foot, leaving a ring that the bowl stands on. A well-trimmed foot matches the curve of the inside, so the wall is an even thickness.
Foot rings are both practical and decorative. They make bowls lighter, stop heat from transferring straight onto a table, and give the form lift. The unglazed bottom of the foot is called the foot ring or dry foot, and it is kept free of glaze so the piece doesn’t stick to the kiln shelf.
For tableware, many potters wax the foot and a few millimetres above it before glazing, so drips can be wiped away. Sanding the unglazed foot smooth after firing, wet and with a mask on, stops it scratching furniture. Trimming a foot is a skill that improves quickly with practice.
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.