Enter the original size of the pottery piece and the shrinkage rate into the calculator to determine the final size after firing. This calculator helps potters to predict the size of their work once it has been fired and shrunk.
Pottery Shrinkage Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the final size of a pottery piece after shrinkage.
FS = OS - (OS * (SR / 100))
Variables:
- FS is the final size of the pottery piece (inches)
- OS is the original size of the pottery piece (inches)
- SR is the shrinkage rate (%)
To calculate the final size of a pottery piece after shrinkage, subtract the product of the original size and the shrinkage rate divided by 100 from the original size.
What is Pottery Shrinkage?
Pottery shrinkage refers to the reduction in size of a clay body as it dries and undergoes firing in a kiln. Shrinkage occurs due to the evaporation of water from the clay and the vitrification process during firing, which causes the clay particles to bond more tightly together. The shrinkage rate is an important consideration for potters when designing and creating pieces to ensure the final product meets the desired dimensions.
How to Calculate Pottery Shrinkage?
The following steps outline how to calculate the final size of a pottery piece after shrinkage.
- First, determine the original size of the pottery piece (OS) in inches.
- Next, determine the shrinkage rate (SR) as a percentage.
- Next, gather the formula from above = FS = OS – (OS * (SR / 100)).
- Finally, calculate the final size (FS) of the pottery piece in inches.
- After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.
Example Problem :
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
original size of the pottery piece (OS) = 12 inches
shrinkage rate (SR) = 10%
