Do you want to be able to glaze the inside of your pots without making a mess of the outside?
If you’re anything like me, you’re pretty good at pouring the glaze in, but when it comes to pouring it out again, the glaze drips and runs onto the outside of your pots. Obviously, you can then wipe it off with a sponge, but that often still leaves messy smears and marks that affect the final result. There are lots of commercial glaze fountains, but they aren’t cheap and need to be loaded up with quite a lot of glaze to function properly.
So, as a DIY alternative, grab yourself a 60 ml syringe, an empty bucket, at least one glove, and 60 ml (or more) of glaze. Start by filling the syringe (1). Then, place the syringe in the bucket with the plunger sitting on the bottom of the bucket and the pointy bit facing up (2). Hold the pot over the syringe and push down the plunger with the other hand so the glaze sprays onto the inside of your pot (and covers your hand in glaze) (3). Wait until the rim has dried and the last drop has dripped (4).
Yes, it’s messy, but I find it easier and more consistent than pouring, and cheaper than a glaze fountain. If you glaze pots in batches, the cleanup is the same as for a single pot, and it really doesn’t waste glaze because the excess that lands back in the bucket can be scraped back into your glaze bucket, ready to be reused.
We understand your email address is private. You will receive emails and newsletters from Ceramic Arts Network. We will never share your information except as outlined in our privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Please enjoy this complimentary article for the month.
For unlimited access to Ceramics Monthly premium content, please subscribe.
We understand your email address is private. You will receive emails and newsletters from Ceramic Arts Network. We will never share your information except as outlined in our privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Subscribe to Ceramics Monthly
Do you want to be able to glaze the inside of your pots without making a mess of the outside?
If you’re anything like me, you’re pretty good at pouring the glaze in, but when it comes to pouring it out again, the glaze drips and runs onto the outside of your pots. Obviously, you can then wipe it off with a sponge, but that often still leaves messy smears and marks that affect the final result. There are lots of commercial glaze fountains, but they aren’t cheap and need to be loaded up with quite a lot of glaze to function properly.
So, as a DIY alternative, grab yourself a 60 ml syringe, an empty bucket, at least one glove, and 60 ml (or more) of glaze. Start by filling the syringe (1). Then, place the syringe in the bucket with the plunger sitting on the bottom of the bucket and the pointy bit facing up (2). Hold the pot over the syringe and push down the plunger with the other hand so the glaze sprays onto the inside of your pot (and covers your hand in glaze) (3). Wait until the rim has dried and the last drop has dripped (4).
Yes, it’s messy, but I find it easier and more consistent than pouring, and cheaper than a glaze fountain. If you glaze pots in batches, the cleanup is the same as for a single pot, and it really doesn’t waste glaze because the excess that lands back in the bucket can be scraped back into your glaze bucket, ready to be reused.
Find me on Instagram for more potting shenanigans @chrispenny_ceramics.
April 2026: Table of Contents
Must-Reads from Ceramics Monthly
Unfamiliar with any terms in this article? Browse our glossary of pottery terms!
Click the cover image to return to the Table of Contents