Slab building is a hand-building method where clay is rolled into flat sheets, or slabs, which are cut and joined to make pieces such as plates, boxes, mugs and vases. Slabs can be used soft and curved or stiff and straight-sided.
What Is Slab Building?
Slabs are rolled with a rolling pin between two guide sticks for an even thickness, or with a slab roller in a studio. Rolling in several directions and compressing the surface with a rib helps stop slabs warping or cracking as they dry.
Soft slabs drape over or into forms such as bowls and moulds, making plates and platters, or wrap around a tube to make a mug. Leather-hard slabs stand up on their own and are cut and joined with score and slip into boxes, planters and architectural forms.
Joins and drying are the keys to success. Joining slabs at the same stage, reinforcing inside corners with a small coil, and drying slowly and evenly under plastic all reduce cracking. Flat pieces dry best on a board or wire rack, turned now and then.
Slab work suits textures, stamps and printed decoration, and needs little equipment, which makes it popular for home studios.
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.