Is your kiln on the floor or on a table?

[JenniferP]

The manual says the best place is on a concrete floor, but it would be really nice to have it on my workbench which is wood....so I could use the flip door that I paid extra for.

Where do you all keep your kilns? are they on a cement floor or a table? is the table covered with some sort of fireproof material like outside landscape tiles, wonderboard or fireboard? Home depot suggested wonderboard but I just don't know about that...

Any suggestions appreciated!
Many thanks!

[Wonker]

Mine is sitting on a metal trash can that I flipped over. It was cheap and is about the same height as my table and it won't burn up. I had the same concerns you did so I opted to just give it, it's own space.

[dogmaw]

I have a metal stand that came with the kiln.

[Chuckie]

My kiln is sitting on cement blocks on top of a table. Works great. Make sure you have a sturdy table or base for your kiln. The worst thing that can happen is to have it tip over while it's at 900+ degrees!

[gubnavnania]

I bought the kitchen metal trolley from IKEA for my kiln. I can wheel the trolley closer to my working table and put it away against the wall when I'm done.

[Dennis Brady]

Most kilns come with a metal stand which is completely safe to place on a table. A small kiln placed on a table needs nothing more and a pair of bricks. A larger kiln should be at least 6" up from the table on some non-combustible materials.

[Just Nancy]

Mine is on a cabinet, then wooden spacers, then a fire resistant board, then the fire brick legs. In a perfect world it would be a little taller yet. My original thought was cement/cinder blocks stacked in a tower, but I think that would look even funkier than my existing tower. :(

[Norskiglass]

All os my kilns are on tool carts, or on the bench located near torch stations ;)

[IF-Designs]

my kiln sets on my workbench but its lifted up off the bench with kiln bricks....I would also suggest putting cement board or tiles under need the kiln brick to protect your table top.

[Jayne]

My kiln fits nicely on this sturdy, industrial strength wire cart. The other shelves hold glass, etc.
46366

[dpglassworks]

My kilns are on a metal cabinet. I have metal siding on the walls around my kilns... no problems.... make sure your kiln is level, especially for fusing and slumping......

[nouvellecoeur]

mine is on the cement floor. That is only because 1- i don't have a controller and 2- my dad has to do something with the fuse box to be able to plug anything else in in my little corner studio.

[JenniferP]

Does wonderboard qualify as cement board? Wonderboard is the stuff that gets nailed to the subfloor, and you put ceramic tile on top of it. It's a steel grid with cement spread all over it. It's quite heavy. Do you think this would be OK to put on top of my wood workbench? then I'd put the fire blocks, and the kiln on top of the fireblocks.

or should I just use cement stepping stones (4 x 1FT squares to make a 2 ft squared tabletop), then the fire bricks on top of that, and the kiln on top of the fire bricks?

Like I said I really want to put it on my workbench, but honestly I like that idea of a garbage can turned upside down! How creative!

[Jane P]

I have the chili pepper kiln, and it is on a wooden cabinet with spacers and then a cement board. My husband is paranoid about safety (which is good), so he keeps coming into the studio and checking it whenever it is on!

[Humble newbie]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47418 I have a floor tile on the bottom and then it sits on the fire bricks. The drawers stay cool inside and store my frits and some of my other supplys.

[scoutycat]

I've got it on a kitchen countertop, then tiles, regular bricks then kiln. the counter does get warm, but not hot.

[artwhim]

Home improvement stores sell heavy duty storages shelves that are much deeper than regular shelves. I assembled it as two short units instead of one tall one. The height is great for me because the flip door is at eye level when I turn in my chair. I covered the wooden top with a piece of aluminum flashing and the kiln itself has a stainless steel support that keeps it off the shelf.

There is just enough room on the lower shelf to hold my concentrator and a plastic storage unit for frit. Since I work in our basement, it keeps my concentrator cleaner than if it sat directly on the floor.

[ekkc]

I bought a kitchen cart on clearance at Target that has a stainless steel top. My kiln sits on fire bricks on top of the cart and I use the cabinets underneath as storage. I love the height and it works great!

[JenniferP]

These are all excellent ideas! THanks!

[ellyloo]

i have it on a little old metal rolly cabinet that i bummed off my office. I keep it by me during torching, but then roll it out a bit for the night. I like knowing it's in the middle of the room with nothing touching it when i leave it for the night.

[kittyluv4ever]

I have one of the Jen-Ken kilns and it sits on my table top to my left. My table is one that I built out of 3/4 plywood and covered in stainless sheet. I purchased one of the 16x16 patio bricks from Home Depot and then set the kiln on it's fire bricks on top of the patio brick and have never had any trouble with my table surface heating up.

[menty666]

Mine's on top of two up turned cinderblocks with cement board on top of them. Though I want to move it; it's too low. Maybe after I sell my vinyl cutter to make some space.

[Cindy2]

Yup! This is 'zactly what I have on my wooden table. Cheap and heavy but does the trick.

Kiln also came with bricks that raise it up but if if if hot glass got on it, I wanted something to protect the table.


Does wonderboard qualify as cement board? Wonderboard is the stuff that gets nailed to the subfloor, and you put ceramic tile on top of it. It's a steel grid with cement spread all over it. It's quite heavy. Do you think this would be OK to put on top of my wood workbench? then I'd put the fire blocks, and the kiln on top of the fireblocks.

or should I just use cement stepping stones (4 x 1FT squares to make a 2 ft squared tabletop), then the fire bricks on top of that, and the kiln on top of the fire bricks?

Like I said I really want to put it on my workbench, but honestly I like that idea of a garbage can turned upside down! How creative!

[Beadbug]

Mine is on kiln bricks with a breathing area between it and the table. When I first got it I never thought about it getting hot outside and set it right onto the wood table. That was not a good idea :)

[Dia-T]

Mine is on my table, It has the fire brick legs and then a lazy susan so I can turn t to face which ever station I am working on at the time.
I have never had a problem with anything under it getting too hot. I do have a piece of cement board between it and the wall.
Dia

[JenniferP]

I talked to JenKen today, and they recommended a 16x16" tile from Home Depot on top of the wood table, then the kiln bricks for some breathing space, then the kiln. So this is what I'm going to do!

Thanks very much for all of your ideas and your replies. I'm glad to have so much support here. I've asked a TON of questions, and have gotten the best responses.

THANK YOU!

[LAG]

Mine is on my table, It has the fire brick legs and then a lazy susan so I can turn t to face which ever station I am working on at the time.
I have never had a problem with anything under it getting too hot. I do have a piece of cement board between it and the wall.
Dia

what a cool idea!! and on a cart would be the ultimate setup... thanks for the idea...

[villa design]

I've got mine on a wood table covered with a heavy aluminum sheet. Works great!

[papimom]

In the beginning I did not think to worry about this. Then I went to one of the bead retreats and someone accidentally let a bit of the kiln cord get hot enough to melt. The melted wire shorted out the kiln control. The heat kept building in the kiln until the entire box was bright red. (We'd all left the room to eat.) Someone walked back in and discovered the red hot box and killed the power. We barely avoided a fire.
Since then I have a strong table, covered with a heavy stainless top, tiles and elevating blocks.
It doesn't take long for a lot of heat to build. I'll err on the side of caution.
Joan

[mikeshelbo]

i have two kilns which both sit atop wooden tables with a sheet of hardibacker board underneath them.... hardibacker is ceramic tile board that you can get at home depot or lowes for 10 bucks for a giant sheet... just incase you havent heard of it before....

[Gail Joseph]

My Chilli Pepper has been on a stainless steel kitchen supply workbench for so long that I blanked out when I brought out my old Jen Ken for my friend to use to slump something last week.

When I last used it 2-3 years ago it was on tile then raised on fire bricks. Brain-dead me plunked it on my butcher block kitchen table and used it three times in the last week. (I also have no sense of smell, if that gives you a hint of where I'm going with this).

I went to move the kiln yesterday, and this is what I found under the kiln:
98035
Morals of story:
(a) Don't be an idiot like me
(b) Wood burns
(c) Use all brain cells, and if you are lacking in brain cells, borrow some
--Gail

[newlondonbrat]

Mine is on a wooden shelfing system slightly taller then my work table.
I have 2 in off concrete ontop of the shelf.
Hardibacker, Wonderboard and concrete boardsare the same basic thing which would work as well.
I put wooden frame around my stand added some chicken wire then mix some concrete and poured two inches of concrete (Just used a 60 lb bag of ready mix). Took off the wooden frame and now have a concrete topped stand. You do need to make sure your stand will take the weight mine stated it would hold 200lbs and it is doing just fine.