... fire my decals?

Digital ceramic decals must be kiln fired for the print to fuse to the surface and become permanent. Before firing your decorated ceramics, it is important to leave them to dry for 24 hours or so at around 20°C to 24°C. If you have not used digital ceramic transfers before, we would suggest you do a trial firing first. Our decal sheets have a small band of text at the bottom right which give the basic details of the colours used on your prints. Below are our recommended kiln firing cycles and temperatures.

Magenta based transfers (Standard 4 colour decals)

Magenta decals clear coated - Fire at 250°C per hour up to 840°C (guide only)
Magenta decals fluxed coated - Fire at 250°C per hour up to 860°C (as the flux will prevent the magenta maturing)

When firing magenta based decals please note that magenta colour needs 820°C minimum to mature the colour into a bright pink magenta, when under fired magenta is a brown/ ochre colour.

Red based transfers

Red decals - Fire at 250°C per hour up to 800°C maximum, the colour can be fired as low as 650°C. (fluxed or non fluxed)

When firing reds please ensure adequate ventilation of the kiln, this means leave kiln bungs and dampers out until after 600°C. If your reds turn grey this is a sign of bad ventilation. If the reds are pale they may have been over fired.

Gloss results will be best achieved when firing onto soft bone china glaze (810°C melting point). Magenta colours will gloss more than red colours due to the firing temperature being higher.

We can add a registered flux to logos and motifs so that you can achieve gloss onto hard porcelain or earthenware glazes, please email us for details with an example of your motif and we can assess if it is possible to do.

Enamel transfers

Enamel red based decals - Fire at 100°C per hour up to 300°C, then at 350°C per hour up to 740°C -760°C maximum

When firing enamels please ensure adequate ventilation of the kiln, this means leave kiln bungs and dampers out until after 600°C. If your reds turn grey this is a sign of bad ventilation. If the reds are pale they may have been over fired.

This product has a standard non flux coating, this coating burns away to leave the colour on the enamel surface. Please note that enamelled steel works best.

Always ensure you are using enamelled steel for best results. (Enamelled copper may produce a crackled effect due to rates of thermal expansion)

Black only transfers

High Density Black based decals - Fire at 250°C per hour up to a minimum of 650°C to 880°C maximum (fluxed or non fluxed)

Silk-screen printed transfers

Mock gold and silver - Fire at 250°C - 350c per hour to 800°C - 840 C (guide only)
Real gold - Please check before purchasing (quoted to order)