What Is Fine China?

Fine china is a type of ceramic made from porcelain. Many people use fine china for dining or for decoration in their home. Porcelain comes from the country of China, which is why it is referred to as fine china.

Materials

Clay is the most common material used to create fine china; however, other ingredients are also involved. Some of those ingredients include glass, quartz, alabaster and bone ash.

Creation

Clay is used in the form of kaolin to go into a kiln. The temperatures should be set between 2,100 degrees F and 2,500 degrees F. At higher temperatures the porcelain becomes stronger due to the formation of glass.

Glazing

When the fine china comes out of the kiln it is set out to cool. After the clay is cooled it can then be glazed. The clay can be dipped into the glaze or it can be painted on.

Categories

Fine china can be broken down into three categories: bone china, soft paste and hard paste. The differences in these types are that bone china uses bone ash in the ingredients, soft paste is baked at low temperatures and hard paste is baked at higher temperatures.

Building Material

Fine china has been used for materials in architecture and building. The most common form is large rectangular panels and tiles. Italy is currently the world's leader in using fine china in buildings.