Spray Gun

What it is

Spraying produces the most controllable glaze surface of any method. Because you build the layer in passes, you can vary the thickness deliberately — thin at the rim, heavy in the recess — and blend one glaze into another across a form. It is how gradients and soft fades are made.

The trade-off is that atomised glaze is the single most hazardous thing in a pottery studio. The mist is fine enough to reach the deep lung, and it contains silica and metal oxides. Spraying is only acceptable inside a purpose-built booth with extraction that pulls the mist away from the operator and filters it before it leaves.

Technique is about distance and movement. The gun is held 20–25 cm from the surface and moved in overlapping passes at a steady speed, building up three or four thin coats rather than one thick one. Stopping the gun over one spot produces a run; moving too fast produces a dry, dusty coat that will not melt properly.

How to use it well

• Thin the glaze to roughly 1.3 specific gravity; if it clogs the nozzle, it is too thick.
• Keep the gun moving at a constant speed and overlap each pass by half.
• Spray the base last, holding the pot on a turntable and rotating it slowly.
• Test on a bisque tile first — spray build-up is harder to judge than dip thickness.

Safety notes

• NEVER spray without a booth and extraction. Atomised glaze is a serious inhalation hazard.
• Wear a P100 respirator rated for particulates, plus eye protection and coveralls.
• Keep a dedicated set of gloves and an apron for spraying; do not carry the dust into other rooms.
• Clean the gun in a ventilated area, and capture the rinse water — do not let it drain away.

Compatible materials

Clay bodies

• All bisque-fired bodies

Glazes & surface

• Sprayable glazes
• Blended and layered surfaces

Where it sits in the process

Applying, resisting and finishing the glaze surface.

Glazing  Glazing & Surface  Pro tier

Browse every tool in this stage from the Glazing & Surface category.