Updated for 2025
Cone 6 Glossy Clear applied over three clays from Standard Ceramics, from left: 308 Brooklyn Red, 112 Brown Speckle, 182 White Stoneware. The top half had a quick dip, bottom half had a second dip. Note the crazing on the thickly applied glaze over white stoneware.
This is a glaze that is actually glossy and clear, and can be mixed from scratch in bulk for pennies. It can be surprisingly hard to mix a clear glaze that is as good as the much-more expensive commercial options, and this is the best recipe I have found. It doesn’t develop bubbles or a milky quality when applied correctly (not too thick!) and for the most part, doesn’t develop crazing except when applied thickly over white clays as shown above.
This glaze works great over underglazes and slips, and can be double-dipped and layered with other glazes. It also works with oxide washes. And not only does it work, it’s cheap. When materials are ordered in bulk, this glaze costs about $10 for 3,000 grams, or enough to make approximately 1.5 gallons of glaze. Similar commercial glazes, such as the Penguin Pottery Mid-Fire Clear cost as much as $65 for a gallon. All in all, this is a simple, effective glossy clear and could also be a great base glaze to build your own studio palette.
One issue with this glaze is that it has 24% Gerstley Borate. By around Spring 2023, Gerstley Borate was no longer available. If you still have some, then great, this glaze will work for you. You can also substitute Gillespie Borate, but in my experience, that doesn’t always give the desired results.
In the studio, I am currently testing a few other glossy clear recipes and will update this post if I find one that works as well as this glaze.
The glaze tests tiles posted below were oxidation fired to Cone 6 in an electric front-loading kiln, with a 10 minute soak and very slow cooling due to the 6-inch+ thickness of the kiln walls.
Cone 6 Glossy Clear Glaze
| Ingredient | Percentage | 3000g batch |
|---|---|---|
| Nepheline Syenite | 30 | 900g |
| Gerstley Borate | 24 | 720g |
| Silica | 20 | 600g |
| Kaolin (EPK) | 16.5 | 495g |
| Wollastonite | 9.5 | 285g |
| Talc | 2 | 60g |
| 102 | 3060g |
#Glazes That Work
This recipe is part of our series of posts of glazes that just work. There’s a million glaze recipes out there, but we’re posting a series of our tried-and-true favorites. Click here to see the other recipes we’ve posted.
For more info:
Read our guide on mixing glazes from scratch.
See our reviews of the best scales, cordless drills, or corded drills for mixing glazes.
Check out our recommended glazing accessories.
Mid-Range Glaze Book by John Britt
If you’d like to learn more about mid-range glazes, the best place to start is the book The Complete Guide to Mid-Range Glazes by John Britt. The book provides a comprehensive overview of materials, techniques and glaze recipes. Listed at $33, it’s usually available for less.
Test Tile Images
Cone 6 Glossy Clear over Standard Ceramics 308 Brooklyn Red, 112 Brown Speckle, and 182 White Stoneware. Top half is a quick first dip, bottom half of test tile shows a second dip. Fired to cone 6 in oxidation with a slow 36-hour cooling simply due to the thickness of the kiln walls.
Commercial Clear Glaze Options for Cone 5-6
This Cone 6 Glossy Clear glaze is a great addition to any studio. To make it, you will need a variety of tools to mix it from scratch, including a scale, drill, ventilator or dust mask, and other tools.
If you don’t have the tools and space to mix a glaze, you can also order pre-mixed glazes. Generally these cost a lot more as you are paying for the labor of mixing and the cost of shipping the heavier product with water added. But if they work for you, it can be a great option. Generally, they are available in pints or gallon jars.
Another more affordable clear glaze option is to order dry glaze and add water in your studio. You can make it a dipping glaze with water, or add CMC gum and other materials to make a brushing glaze (brushing glaze tutorial here.) Standard Ceramics makes a nice glaze called 1199 Clear Glaze that your local clay supplier might carry. Or check below for premixed or dry glazes from a variety of companies via Amazon or Blick.
Penguin Pottery Mid-Range Clear
Pint: $26
Gallon: $69
5 lbs dry mix: $61
Spectrum Stoneware Transparent Gloss
Pint: $9.50
Mayco Stoneware Clear Glaze
Gallon: $36
10 lbs dry mix: $60
Mayco Stoneware Zinc-Free Clear
Gallon: $44
10 lbs dry mix: $60
*Zinc interacts with some underglaze colors and makes them milky or washed out, so if you have issues with a regular clear glaze, try the zinc-free clear.
Speedball Stoneware Glaze Clear
Pint: $12.50
Do you have a favorite Cone 6 Glossy Clear glaze? Let us know in the comments.
