# How to Make and Use Glaze Test Tiles Effectively Cluster: Glazing & Surface Design URL: https://claybook.studio/blog/glaze-test-tiles/ # How to Make and Use Glaze Test Tiles Effectively Test tiles are the cheapest insurance in pottery. A small slab can save a matching set, a favorite mug, or a whole kiln shelf of regrets. This guide shows how to make tiles that teach you something, read them after the fire, and store the lessons where you can find them again. ## Why test tiles beat guessing A glaze looks one way in the bucket and another way on your clay, at your thickness, in your kiln. Test tiles answer: * Does this glaze cover? * Does it run? * How does it behave over a dark or light clay? * What happens in an overlap zone? If you skip tests, every “real” pot becomes the experiment. That gets expensive fast. The mindset lives in [Why Test Tiles Are Non-Negotiable](/learn/why-test-tiles-are-non-negotiable/). ## What makes a useful test tile A good tile is not just a flat scrap. Aim for: * Enough surface to see color and texture * A vertical face or lip so you can spot runs * A carved or stamped ID that survives firing * The same clay body you actually use for pots * The same bisque schedule as your work Optional upgrades: a groove, a stamped texture, or a small cup form for interior tests. Make a batch with [Make a Set of Test Tiles](/practice/make-a-set-of-test-tiles/) so you are never out when inspiration hits. ## A simple tile-making workflow 1. Roll or throw a consistent thickness (often around 0.5 to 1 cm after drying considerations) 2. Cut rectangles or break slabs into even pieces 3. Stamp or carve codes on the back while clay is soft enough 4. Dry slowly with the rest of your work 5. Bisque with a normal load 6. Wipe dust before glazing Keep edges tidy. Sharp corners chip and confuse thickness reading. ## How to glaze tiles so the test is fair Match the method you will use on pots when you can. * Brushing practice: [Brush Three Even Coats on a Test Tile](/practice/brush-three-even-coats-on-a-test-tile/) * Dipping: same stir quality and dip time as production pieces * Layering: mark which glaze is on the bottom and which is on top Leave a small unglazed reference strip if you want to compare clay color to glazed surface. ## Labeling systems that survive real life Pretty notebooks fail when the code on the tile is vague. Try a simple code: * Clay shorthand + glaze shorthand + thickness + date * Example style: `SW-B3-2c-0726` (stoneware, glaze B3, two coats, July 2026) Whatever system you choose, write the legend in one place. Claybook works well as that place because you can search glaze names later instead of flipping pages. ## Reading a fired tile After the kiln, ask specific questions: * Coverage: opaque, translucent, or patchy? * Surface: glossy, satin, matte, dry, pinholed? * Movement: did it run, pool, or stay put? * Edges: thin rims, bare corners, crawling islands? * Overlaps: mud, magic, or muddy magic? [Reading What a Test Tile Tells You](/learn/reading-what-a-test-tile-tells-you/) and [Interpret a Full Grid of Test Tiles](/practice/interpret-a-full-grid-of-test-tiles/) turn “pretty” into decisions. ## Build grids, not lonely orphans One tile answers one question. A grid answers a system. Useful grids: * Single glaze at three thicknesses * Glaze A over B and B over A * Same glaze on light and dark clay * Liner inside, exterior options outside Photograph grids in consistent light. Future you will thank present you. ## Bridge to a digital glaze test log Physical tiles are the evidence. Digital notes are the index. For each tile or combo, log: * Exact glaze names from your studio * Application order and thickness * Clay body and cone * Kiln or firing notes if you know them * Result rating and plain-language comments * Photo Claybook is built to be that searchable glaze test log. Notebooks are lovely. Searchable history is how you stop remaking the same “mystery blue” mistake six months later. For a deeper comparison of tracking methods, see [The Best Ways to Track Your Pottery Glaze Results](/blog/track-pottery-glaze-results/). ## Common test-tile mistakes * Testing on a different clay than your pots * Forgetting thickness notes * Firing tests in a weird orphan load that never matches normal work * Only testing one coat when you always brush three * Leaving tiles unlabeled “because you will remember” You will not remember. Label anyway. ## A starter plan for busy beginners This month: 1. Make 20 blank bisque tiles 2. Test your five most-used glazes at standard thickness 3. Test two favorite overlaps 4. Log results in Claybook with photos 5. Only then glaze a matching set with a winning combo That sequence feels slower for one afternoon. It is faster across a year. ## Takeaway Test tiles turn glaze from folklore into evidence. Make them from your clay, glaze them like your pots, label them like inventory, and store the meaning where you can search it. Then use inspiration lists like [50 Stunning Pottery Glaze Combinations](/blog/50-pottery-glaze-combinations/) as prompts, not gambles.