What is Bisque? Bisque is what pottery is called when it has been fired once but has not been glaze fired. Bisque firings usually fall between cones 06-04.
What is the difference between Bisque and Stoneware Bisque? Most bisque Chesapeake Ceramics sells is low fire Bisque made from earthenware clay and fired to cone 04. Low fire bisque is intended to be decorated with low fire glazes and then fired to cone 06-05. Stoneware Bisque is made from stoneware clay rather than low-fire earthenware clay. It is bisque fired to Cone 04. This bisque is meant to be glazed with stoneware glazes and fired to cone 5-6 (much hotter than 05-06). Properly fired stoneware bisque is ideal for dinnerware and high usage pieces. When firing Stoneware Bisque to cone 6, keep the foot or bottom of the piece clear of any glaze and do not stilt.
Can I use low fire glazes on Stoneware Bisque? Yes, except for clear glaze. Clear glaze will craze on Stoneware Bisque. You can apply some low-fire glazes to Stoneware Bisque and fire to Cone 6. Check your low fire glaze label for results at Cone 6. Alternately, you can fire the Stoneware Bisque to Cone 6 without any color, apply low-fire glazes, and fire the glazes to Cone 06. You will notice the color takes longer to dry with this method, as the Stoneware Bisque does not absorb any moisture from the low fire glaze.
If stoneware bisque is never taken to Cone 5-6, it remains Cone 04 bisque, why would I use Stoneware Bisque over Low Fire Bisque? If firing to cone 05/06, you should use low fire bisque as it costs less. Using low fire glazes on stoneware bisque and then firing it to Cone 05/06 will not result in the same, durable piece, and may show other properties of underfired bisque.
******REMEMBER****: Stoneware bisque is more durable and less porous than traditional low fire bisque ONLY when used with stoneware glazes and fired to cone 5-6.
Can I put Stoneware Bisque in the oven? Store-bought ceramic ovenware like Pampered Chef®, uses a different type of stoneware clay that is formulated for oven use and has been fired to temperatures even hotter than cone 6. Because of this, it can be put in a preheated oven with a minimal risk of thermal shock. The stoneware clay used in Mayco’s Stoneware Bisque line has not been fired to the higher temperatures referred to above. Mayco’s Cone 6 Stoneware performs best when put into a cold oven to allow the piece to slowly warm up with the oven. Doing this will help to avoid thermal shock and cracking.
***Low Fire (cone 04 bisque) is NOT designed to be used in the oven as it has a much higher risk of thermal and cracking.