Pottery Joining Techniques

So you've been through the Key Building Techniques with noah, and now you have a more clayed out idea of what you want to mould first. Next is tackling the slightly tricker but important process of joining two or more pieces together and trusting the clay will connect as planned.

Don't be fooled by the clay when it's still wet. Connecting pieces may seem well attached, but can easily break apart once dry, so here are three easy joining steps to live by.

Watch the video and follow along with our resident expert Cameron.

STEP 1: SCORE

Use the needle tool to roughen up anywhere you’re adding clay. The more surface area, the better the connection.

STEP 2: SLIP

Add water or slip to the scored areas to help them blend together. Slip is a thick mixture of clay and water that can be used to fill cracks and join pieces.

STEP 3: BLEND

Use your fingers or modelling tool to  compress and blend the clay together. This will help create a strong bond.

IN MORE DETAIL

Here's a quick video showing the process in a little more detail, thanks to Cameron, our expert pottery contributor and your guide to getting leg up Beyond The Box.