We meticulously hand finish the surfaces with a variety of wooden and metal tools, along with leathers, all to give the required finish.
Modelling And Moulding
Each different design of the sink is hand modelled in plaster, formed slightly oversize to allow for the natural clay shrinkage that occurs through the production process. From here we make the reverse plaster mould, which will be dried for up to two weeks in dedicated temperature-controlled rooms. This ensures the optimum production performance and dimensional consistency.
Clay Casting
We use virgin local clays, giving us an industry-leading level of control over dimensional accuracy and consistency. All materials are tested to (and exceed) British, European and North American standards. Our clay is cast into the preconditioned moulds, tightly packed to a controlled thickness and left to start the drying process. This method has been used for centuries, and is tried and tested to offer the best performance specifications and strength.
Between twenty-four and forty-eight hours later, the sink is then ‘turned out’ from the mould to continue the drying process.
Hand Finishing
After the sink has been turned out of the mould, we meticulously hand finish the surfaces with a variety of wooden and metal tools, along with leathers, all to give the required finish.
Drying
The sinks are allowed to dry naturally at room temperature for a few days. Then, they’re moved into our automated, humidity-controlled drying rooms, to fully remove any residual moisture.
Glaze Application
The glazing is done in two stages. First, the englobe (a type of undercoat) is applied, then they are given the final coat of glaze. In the case of our mottled finish, complex glazes are required to achieve this beautiful effect. This process takes a three coat application. Now, they’re ready for the kiln.
Firing
The sinks are set on the kiln for a firing process that will take them over 36 hours, reaching temperatures of more than 1180 degrees Celsius. We obtain the beautiful finish by firing at varying temperatures during this time, before the sinks are allowed to cool naturally in the kiln.