About ceramics

What are ceramics?

The word ceramics originated from the Greek word keramos, which originally meant pottery clay. It is nowadays a collective name for all kinds of products made from baked clay. Examples are earthenware, stoneware and porcelain.

The product properties

Ceramics can rightly be called a unique product. The products are very hard, wear-resistant, heat-resistant and durable. Furthermore, they are colourfast, so you will often come across ceramic flower pots.

Traditional ceramics

This is understood to mean utensils and decorative items that everyone knows and will have in their home or garden. Just think of (flower) pots, jars, crockery and sanitary ware. There are different types of ceramics: earthenware, stoneware and porcelain.
The difference between these products is determined by the type of clay and the temperature at which it is fired. A high-quality clay must be baked at a high temperature, such as porcelain. Pottery is baked in the oven at a temperature of 800-1100 degrees, stoneware at a temperature of 1200-1300 degrees and porcelain 1300-1500 degrees. Terracotta is of course known, this is a good example of unglazed red clay pottery. Pottery is usually glazed and porcelain is made from special white clay. Flower and hanging pots are beautifully decorated in Spain with glaze in sparkling colors. You will always find these nice hanging baskets on the many white houses and buildings in Spraanse villages.

Clay

This is the most important raw material for ceramics. In the Netherlands, for example, river clay is often used, which is deposited naturally. Real fine ceramics use as many pure substances as possible that are dug out in quarries.