technical info

How To Use

Which Thickness Should I Use?

0.5mm:The 0.5mm thick sheets are more easily manipulated into 3d forms, and once fired are more translucent than the thicker 1.0mm sheets. However, as you would expect, the finished product is also a little more fragile. We would recommend this thickness for all complex 3d work.

1.0mm:The 1.0mm sheets are a little stronger, but are less easily manipulated into very complex forms. We would recommend this thickness for all 2d work or simple 3d forms and it may respond better should you wish to glaze.

2d applications – A Porcelain Canvas

Keraflex resembles a sheet of cardboard when dry, it does not require the usual delicacy necessary as when handling unfired porcelain. Therefore, Keraflex offers a strong, rigid drawing or painting substrate. Or in other words, a porcelain canvas!
There are a myriad of ways to apply imagery onto the surface, either by glazing, screen-printing, or drawing with oxides pre and/or post firing. Most drawing implements can be used such as brushes, nibs, ceramic crayons and pencils. Ceramic decals or other decoration can also be easily applied pre or post firing, depending on the type of decals used.
The Keraflex sheets have two different sides. Each one very different in appearance prior to firing, but after firing, are indiscernible from each other. The different sides offer the artist a wide range of exciting painting and drawing options.
Each sheet of Keraflex has a white smooth side with a surface sheen, and a cream surface with a matte finish with no surface sheen. In effect, these two sides offer a terrific opportunity to get the exact effect you desire if you wish to use the Keraflex as a drawing or painting canvas. You can work on either side, because after firing, the two sides are identical. Before firing however, the white side offers a crisp, smooth painting surface, to apply washes of oxides or stains, or a smooth flowing line. This white side is much like drawing or painting on a piece of crisp, white smooth paper.
The cream side of the Keraflex sheet, has a slight surface texture or “tooth” This side is also more absorbent, which in combination with the surface texture allows the build up of successive layers of visual imagery. This cream side is much like a sheet of expensive watercolor paper.

3d applications – Porcelain Sculpture

After soaking in water for a few seconds, Keraflex becomes extremely flexible and can then be bent, shaped, twisted, folded, or woven and then left to dry before you fire it. You can even achieve a crease, if you desire a crisper fold!
With a feel much like a thick sheet of rubbery paper when wet, with care, Keraflex can be gently folded to create thin and complex porcelain 3d forms.
No need to cover and control the drying process. The Keraflex does not have to be dried in a special way after soaking, unlike handmade sheets of porcelain, there is no fear of cracking while the product dries out. Simply let air dry then fire to cone ten (please see recommended firing schedule under the firing/glazing tab). It couldn’t be simpler!
Alternatively, Keraflex can also be used as a construction medium. When dry, Keraflex can easily be cut into complex shapes with scissors or a craft knife. Your Keraflex shapes can then be assembled to build 3d sculptures. You can choose whether to cut and construct before firing (some propping when firing may be necessary depending on the core strength of your form) or alternatively your shapes can be cut and fired flat and then constructed post-firing.
If you wish to laminate sheets or pieces together pre-firing, a thin application of the Keraflex slurry provides a strong bond which also allows for the building up of several layers. The Keraflex slurry is recommended as the best agent for laminating pieces together, as it is the same color temperature white as the Keraflex sheets. It also creates a stronger bond than slip.

2d and 3d Applications – In Combination

Remember, you are not limited to using the Keraflex as either a drawing canvas or a 3d sculptural medium. There is no reason why you cannot combine cutting and constructing or manipulating, along with painting or drawing or glazing. In combination, your imagery becomes an intrinsic part of your porcelain sculpture. There is just no end to what may be achievable with some lateral thinking and experimentation!

Firing/Glazing

Firing/Glazing*

Firing

Keraflex is easy to fire.

If you are having a technician fire your work for you, simply print off these firing instructions. Because Keraflex is such a new product, it may well be the first time that they have fired Keraflex.

Keraflex is very forgiving, but it is desirable to follow these easy firing instructions.

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To Bisque Or Not To Bisque?

It is not necessary or desirable to conduct a bisque firing. Because the sheets are so thin, at bisque they are extremely fragile. If it is necessary for your work to be fired in a group bisque firing, ask your technician to leave your work in the kiln until the final firing to the full temperature, so that your work is not being handled unnecessarily at the fragile bisque stage.

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Easy Firing Schedule (Manual)

Testing has shown this simple firing schedule to be very successful for kilns without a programmer.

Simply fire straight up to the full temperature of 1280°C/2335° (cone 10) once this temperature has been attained, you can switch the kiln off and allow to cool as usual. It is recommended that you use cones to help gauge the top temperature, as Keraflex does need to attain the full 1280°C/2335° (cone 10) to be fully vitrified.

Note: Please note try not to fire too rapidly through the first “stage” to 600°C/1110° F. After that temperature has been attained, you can fire straight up to the full temperature of 1280°C/2335° (cone 10) as quickly as you wish, keeping in mind the rate that your kiln manufacturer recommends as appropriate for your particular kiln.

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Easy Firing Schedule (Automatic)

First Stage: Approximately 80°C/200°F an hour until you reach 600°C/1110° F.

Second Stage:Once your kiln has reached 600°C/1110° you can then continue to fire at the same rate of 80°C/200°F an hour, straight up to the full temperature of 1280°C/2335°F (cone 10). Alternatively you can climb faster during this stage, (particularly if you are firing in a gas kiln) keeping in mind the rate that your kiln manufacturer recommends as appropriate for your particular kiln. It is recommended that you use cones to help gauge the top temperature, as Keraflex needs to attain the full 1280°C/2335° (cone 10) to be fully vitrified. Even if your kiln is programmed to this temperature, the location of your Keraflex work within the kiln, the amount and size of items in the kiln can affect whether your work will attain this temperature.

Final Stage:Switch off, cool down.

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Propping/Shrinkage

Keraflex is far more forgiving that other porcelains. Propping in the kiln for 3d pieces should be done as you would other thin porcelain work, however warping is far less significant with Keraflex.
We have found that flat pieces can be loaded into the kiln overhanging the kiln shelves significantly and will still shrink easily onto the shelf during firing with no warping or slumping, as long as the first stage rate to 600°C/1110° F does not exceed the recommended 80°C/200°F an hour.
As expected with porcelain, shrinkage is approximately 18% when fired to 1280 C.

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Gas/Electric

As you would expect, firing Keraflex in an electric or a gas kiln with reduction give different results color wise. With the electric firing resulting in an attractive warm white and the gas reduction giving a cooler “paper” white.

In a gas kiln, you can of course achieve a higher temperature, good results have been tested up to 1300° C/2370° F. Experimentation has shown that firing this high does result in an almost imperceptible improvement in strength. This slight benefit must be weighed against the higher cost of firing.

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Glazing/Decorating

Some artists who work in very fine porcelain, once-fire to full temperature. If they wish to glaze, they will sometimes glaze then refire to the full glaze temperature.

We do know that Keraflex responds very well to that method. This is the method that one of our artists M Carlin, has used with great success – please see the gallery for some of her work.

Small pieces for jewelry making, have even been successfully glazed green.

Experimentation is the key to a good result. Keraflex is a relatively new product. There are many methods that are as yet untried. We are looking forward to seeing some of your glaze results and techniques, and will upload new images and hints and tips as they become available.

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* No guarantee is expressed or implied by the information contained on these pages.
Results may vary due to circumstances beyond our control. Testing should be conducted to determine the best firing rate for your kiln, some experimentation may be necessary in order to achieve the desired results for your particular project.

Safety & Storage

Handling & Storage

The organic polymers in the Keraflex allow it to be manipulated and handled very easily due to its flexibility. Take care not to knock the corners or edges of the dry sheets against a hard surface while working with them, as a hard knock may chip an edge. The product comes with a peel off plastic backing sheet which provides the sheets with extra protection during shipping and storage. Simply peel this off before use.

There is no fear of the product drying out and cracking during storage. Keraflex has no moisture content, therefore there is no limit to the shelf-life.

The Keraflex Slurry can get a little smelly over time, but its functionality does not change even when the use-by date has long since passed.

Basic Safety

Please refer to the following health and safety guidelines.

  • Please wash your hands with soap and water after working with Keraflex or the Keraflex Slurry.
  • Do not eat or smoke while handling Keraflex or the Keraflex Slurry.
  • Keep out of reach of children. (If ingestion occurs please refer to the safety sheets for first aid measures)
  • If contact with the eyes occurs, rinse thoroughly with water. In the event of symptoms seek medical treatment.

Safety Sheets

If you require further information, please see the following downloadable data sheets.