Create Your Own: Kilncarved Tiles

This pack is a great introduction to Fibre Paper and Kiln Carving.

The simple and easy way to add texture to your work. No power tools required!

Kiln Carving is a great technique that combines glass fusing and slumping to give a bas relief or carved effect to your glass work.

Just cut the desired image or pattern into the Fibre Paper with the craft knife to create a shallow 'mould', then stack the glass on top of the cut paper before firing in your kiln. The glass melts into the mould, taking on the contours of the pattern:

This pack contains:

• 3 sheets of 3mm fibre paper 15 x 20cm
• 2 sheets of 6mm fibre paper 15 x 20cm 
• 1 craft knife
• 1 sheet of Bullseye gold iridised on clear glass 1101.38 10 x 10cm
• 1 sheet of Bullseye rainbow iridised on black glass 0100.31 10 x 10cm
• 2 sheets of Bullseye 3mm clear tekta glass 10 x 10cm
• Bullseye tip sheet on kiln carving
• Warm Glass instructions
• Warm Glass template

You can see how glass behaves with heat at various temperatures and also achieve some very beautiful shapes and patterns with only minimal glass cutting or fusing.

Suitable for use in most glass kilns including small kilns such as the Paragon SC2 and Skutt Firebox 8.

Doing a box casting? 3mm Fibre Paper is also great as a separator in box casting, lining the box or protecting dams. Just cut some strips and arrange them inside the box. 

The fibre paper in this pack is made from an Alkaline-earth Silicate Wool. Unlike Ceramic Fibre, AES Wool is bio-soluble and if inhaled does not accumulate in the lungs. This is an excellent and safer alternative to ceramic fibre but it will not withstand the higher temperatures required for processes such as pot melts. Whilst AES is considerably safer to use than Ceramic Fibre, it can be itchy so we recommend using a FFP3 Dust Mask and cleaning up using a vacuum with a HEPA filter.

We don’t recommend firing onto the fibre above 804C (for kilncarving) unless you are planning to do some coldworking, it should not be taken above 850C as it starts to melt at 900C.

Images of both finished kiln-carved pieces courtesy of Bullseye Glass Co.