Definition:
Firing schedule (noun) in pottery refers to the stages and the amount of time spent at each of those stages during the firing of a kiln. Stages may include the warm up, temperature gain, reduction phases, soaking (maintaining the kiln at the maturation temperature), firing down (keeping burners on to slow the cooling process), and cooling.
Different glazes may need very different firing schedules. Some need long soaking periods, while others will develop glaze defects in a long soak. Some glazes need to cool fairly quickly to retain their characteristics, while others, most notably crystalline glazes, need to be cooled very slowly.
Also Known As: Firing cycle
Examples:
The firing schedule should always include a slow warm up period of several hours. This keeps the ware safe as it goes through molecular changes.