Okay, so, I had this old kiln, right? It was a hand-me-down, seen better days, but I figured, “Hey, why not give it a shot?” The firebricks inside were all chipped and cracked, not pretty. So, I decided to fix it up, and boy, was it an experience!
First, I did a bit of digging online, you know, just to see what I was getting myself into. Found out I needed some special kind of cement – kiln cement. Apparently, it’s made to withstand those crazy high temperatures you get inside a kiln. Who knew, right?
I found this stuff, Amaco Prepared Kiln Cement. It came in a little jar, about 3.5 x 2.9 x 2.9 inches if you are interested in the exact package size. Looked pretty simple, so I ordered it. I’m not gonna lie; I was a bit nervous. I mean, this wasn’t like patching up a hole in the wall. This was a kiln! But, the product description said it was premixed and ready to use, so that gave me some confidence.
When the cement arrived, I gathered my tools. I had a spatula to use for applying, and I made sure I had some water and a sponge handy for cleaning up. I also wore some old clothes, ’cause I figured this could get messy.
I started by cleaning the bricks. I just used a damp sponge to wipe away any dust or loose bits. Then, I took a deep breath and opened the jar of kiln cement. It was kind of thick, like a paste. I used the spatula to scoop some out and started applying it to the cracks. I tried to be neat, but it wasn’t easy. The cement was pretty sticky, and it didn’t always go where I wanted it to.
Here are some of the steps I did:
- Cleaning the broken bricks: Used a damp sponge to wipe away dust.
- Preparing the cement: The Amaco cement was premixed, so no prep was needed there.
- Applying the cement: Used a small spatula to apply the cement into the cracks and chips.
- Smoothing it out: Tried to smooth out the cement with the spatula.
- Waiting: Let the cement dry. This took a while.
After I had filled in all the cracks and chips, I let the cement dry. It took a while, I won’t lie. I probably checked on it every hour, just to make sure it was setting properly. Once it was dry, it felt pretty solid.
I have to say, the kiln looked a whole lot better. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a huge improvement. I fired it up a few days later, just to test it out. Held up like a champ! I was so proud of myself. I mean, I fixed a kiln! Who would have thought?
So, yeah, that’s my kiln repair story. It was a bit of a learning curve, but it was definitely worth it. If you’ve got an old kiln that needs some love, don’t be afraid to give it a try. Just make sure you get the right kind of cement, and be prepared to get your hands dirty!
And the best part? I got a fully functional kiln. How awesome is that?
Anyways, that’s how I did it! Not so bad, right?
