# How to Throw a Plate That Doesn't Crack or Warp

Cluster: Wheel Throwing
URL: https://claybook.studio/blog/how-to-throw-a-plate/

# How to Throw a Plate That Doesn't Crack or Warp

A plate looks like the simplest thing you could throw: a flat disc with a rim. In practice it fights you at every step. The wide floor sags, the rim wobbles and the whole thing cracks or warps in the kiln.

Plates are hard because a large flat area has nowhere to hide its stress. The good news is that a few habits fix most of the trouble.

## Why plates fail

* **A thick floor dries slower than the rim**, so it shrinks later and cracks.
* **Unequal compression** leaves tension that shows up as S-cracks or warping.
* **A heavy edge** drags the rim down or out of round.
* **Fast, uneven drying** curls the rim.

Everything in the process is about making the clay as even and compressed as possible. See [why plates are hard](/learn/why-plates-are-hard/) for the full explanation.

## Step by step

**1. Start with enough clay.** A small plate starts around 500 g and a dinner plate around 750 g, depending on your clay and diameter. Weigh your balls so your plates match.

**2. Center very well.** A wobble in the first step will be magnified in the rim.

**3. Open flat.** Press down and out to make a wide, flat floor. Keep the floor level, not dished.

**4. Compress the floor.** Run a metal rib across the whole surface while the wheel turns, working from the center out several times. Compression aligns the clay and is your best defense against cracks.

**5. Set the thickness.** Aim for a floor thickness of roughly 6 to 8 mm (a little under 1/3 in) for dinner plates, slightly thicker for large platters. Check with a needle tool.

**6. Raise the rim.** Lift the outer edge with a gentle push up and out, with a wide angle. A shallow rim is easier and more elegant than a steep one.

**7. Shape and compress the rim.** Use a sponge or your finger to round the edge and compress the lip.

**8. Cut off carefully.** Slide the plate off the bat or use a wire at a shallow angle. If you can, throw on a bat so you never need to lift it by hand.

## Dry slowly and evenly

Dry plates slowly, under plastic for the first day. Then:

* Place them on a flat board or drywall that wicks moisture.
* Flip them over once the surface is firm to dry the underside.
* Cover the rim for a day or two so it does not dry faster than the floor.

Drying is covered in more depth in [dry a plate without warping](/practice/dry-a-plate-without-warping/).

## Trim with care

Trim at leather hard, as for any form. A foot ring gives a plate stability and a place to hold it, and also removes weight. Our guide on [trimming a foot ring](/blog/how-to-trim-a-foot-ring/) covers the details.

## Plate troubleshooting

* **Floor cracks in the center:** floor too thick or compression missing.
* **Rim waves in the kiln:** rim dried too fast or the wall was thick on one side.
* **Plate looks dished:** floor not flat when opened or bowl-like curve pulled in the rim.
* **S-cracks on the underside:** uneven drying. See [why pottery cracks](/blog/why-pottery-cracks/).

## Make a set

Throw a set of four identical plates for a real test. Weigh each ball, use the same rib pressure and note the diameter before and after. Logging weights and dimensions in Claybook lets you repeat the plates you like.