How to Make a Pottery Kiln From an Oil Drum

Use an oil drum to create a kiln for firing pottery.

Oil drums have many uses outside of storing oil, from a backyard barbecue or smoker to a composter or even a pottery kiln. Making a pottery kiln using an oil drum calls on one of the most ancient styles of kiln construction: the pit kiln. The basics of pit kiln design can be altered to incorporate an oil drum and a neat reusable kiln is just a couple of hours digging away.

Things You'll Need

• Oil drum
• Kindling
• Newspaper
• Matches
• Shovel
• Gravel
• Pottery pieces
• Firewood
• Brick
• Corrugated iron sheet

Instructions

1. Fill the oil drum about half full with kindling and newspaper and light this material on fire to rid the drum of any oil remnants which may contaminate the pottery. Let burn out and cool.

2. Place the oil drum where you want the kiln. There should be minimal ground or overhanging vegetation. Scribe a rough circle 1 1/2 feet wider than the drum around the drum. Dig out this circle into a pit that fits the entire upright drum inside with at least a foot over its top.

3. Lay a floor of gravel about 2 inches thick in the bottom of the pit. Place the drum upright and centered inside and fill the drum with your pottery pieces, largest ones first.

4. Pack the area surrounding the oil drum with firewood. Place newspaper balls and kindling all over the top and light the fire. Let the fire blaze for a while, adding more firewood as necessary.

5. Place the brick upright on the side of the pit kiln and then drag the corrugated iron sheet over the opening of the kiln, resting one side on the brick to aid ventilation. Add more firewood to the kiln as you tend it for at least 12 hours. You may want to ask a friend to help in the laborious task of tending to the kiln.

6. Let the kiln cool completely then remove the oil drum center and unpack the fired pottery.

Tips & Warnings

• Never leave children or pets unattended around a firing kiln.

• Don't fire a pit kiln on an overly windy day.

• Make sure pit kilns are allowed in your locality.

References

• Clay Station: Pit-Fire Techniques
• Maui Potter: A Step by Step Look at a Pit-Fire
• Robert Campton Pottery: Pit Kilns
• Pottery Magic: Pit Kiln
• "Connect": Black Pottery Firing