Soda firing is full of character and unpredictability — every firing brings its own surprises. I’ve worked in both traditional and wood-fired soda kilns, where the combination of ash and soda creates rich, organic surfaces that can never be exactly repeated.

In this process, the kiln is brought to around 1200°C in reduction, and a solution of bicarbonate of soda, heated until boiling, is sprayed in through small ports in the kiln’s brick door. As the vapour moves through the chamber, it reacts with the clay and glazes, forming a natural glaze on the pots. The result is a beautiful “orange-peel” texture, with subtle flashes of colour and variation — a testament to the flame’s path and the atmosphere within the kiln.