Silver clay needs two things to become solid silver: a high enough temperature and enough time at that temperature. Trade one against the other and both work. Lower heat simply needs longer.
Always follow the instructions printed on your own packet first. The tables below are the standard schedules used across the fine silver clay industry, and they are here as a reference when the packet is long gone. Part of our silver clay knowledge base. Last updated 27 August 2026.
What temperature does silver clay need?
Fine silver clay sinters between roughly 600 and 900 °C, and fine silver melts at 962 °C. That gap is your working window. The hotter you go, the shorter the hold, and the smaller the margin for error.
Kiln firing chart
| Temperature | Hold time | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 800 °C / 1472 °F | 10 minutes | Plain pieces with no stones. Strongest result, best for rings. |
| 750 °C / 1382 °F | 20 minutes | General purpose. A good default. |
| 700 °C / 1292 °F | 30 minutes | Pieces with lab-created stones already set. |
| 650 °C / 1200 °F | 45 minutes | Cubic zirconia, glass and sterling silver findings. |
| 600 °C / 1112 °F | 60 minutes | The gentlest schedule. Use when something delicate is in the piece. |
Put the piece in a cold kiln and let it come up with the kiln, or place it in a kiln already at temperature only if the piece is completely dry. Let thick pieces and anything with stones cool slowly inside the kiln rather than pulling them out hot.
Torch firing chart
A butane kitchen torch fires pieces up to about 25 grams. Anything larger cannot be brought to an even temperature by hand and should go in a kiln.
| Piece weight | Time at a steady glow |
|---|---|
| Up to 5 g | 2 to 3 minutes |
| 5 to 10 g | 3 to 4 minutes |
| 10 to 15 g | 4 to 5 minutes |
| 15 to 25 g | 5 to 6 minutes |
| Over 25 g | Use a kiln |
Work on a soldering block or a fireproof mat in a dim room. Start the flame about 10 cm away and move closer. The binder burns off first with a small flame and a little smoke, which is normal. Then keep the piece at a steady peach to soft orange glow for the time above.
Read the colour, not the clock. Peach or soft orange is right. Bright yellow-white is too hot. If the surface starts to look wet, glassy or mirror-like, the silver is beginning to melt and you should pull the flame back immediately.
Step by step: torch firing guide.
Gas hob firing
A gas hob works for small, flat pieces up to about 10 grams. Put the piece on a stainless steel mesh over the burner, run the flame at medium, and hold the glow for about 5 minutes.
An electric hob, an induction hob and a normal kitchen oven do not work. A domestic oven tops out around 250 °C, nowhere near the temperature needed. See can you fire silver clay in the oven.
Which method should I use?
| Torch | Gas hob | Kiln | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum size | 25 g | 10 g | Whatever fits |
| Cost to start | Low | None | High |
| Stones | Risky | No | Yes, with control |
| Glass and enamel | No | No | Yes |
| Consistency | Depends on your eye | Variable | Repeatable |
| Best for | Learning, charms, pendants | Trying it out | Rings, batches, selling |
More detail in kiln or torch.
How do I know the piece is dry enough to fire?
Use the mirror test. Place the dry piece on a mirror or a polished tile for thirty seconds, then lift it. If it leaves a foggy patch, there is still water inside and firing it now risks blisters or cracks. Wait and test again.
Air drying takes 24 hours for most pieces. A dehydrator or a warm radiator brings it down to one or two hours. A hairdryer works but dries one side faster, so turn the piece.
How do I know it fired properly?
A correctly sintered piece is matte white, feels solid, and rings rather than thuds when you tap it on a hard surface. It should not bend easily, and filing it should feel like filing metal rather than chalk. If it flexes, sounds dull or crumbles at an edge, fire it again for longer. Under-firing can almost always be corrected; over-firing cannot.
If something went wrong, work through the troubleshooting page.
Safety
Fire on a heatproof surface away from anything flammable, keep the room ventilated because the binder produces a little smoke, wear eye protection, and let pieces cool before touching them. Quench in water only with tongs, and never quench a piece with a stone in it.
Everything you need to fire safely is in the starter kit, and separate tools are in supplies.
