My new pottery studio is fabulous, and I absolutely love it. I have heating and air conditioning and running water, and I like the convenience of organizing all of my pottery things in one place. Before the studio was built, I kept the kiln in the garage and my wheel on the patio. All of my tools, equipment, and clay were stored in the garage, and I had to carry everything back and forth between the garage and the patio as I worked on my pots. So, it’s easy to see why I love my new pottery studio. Follow along, and I’ll walk you through the construction process and show you the finished studio where I spend my days making pottery.
Foundation
The forms for the foundation were laid out in October 2019.
Water & Sewer Lines
The workers ran the water line from one side of the house.
And they ran the sewer line from the other side of the house.
Concrete Prep & Pour
Before the concrete was poured, the workers finished the water and sewer lines and prepared the area.
When the workers were cutting the reinforcing bar that’s used to reinforce the concrete, a hot piece of the rebar flew into the greenbelt behind my yard and started a little grass fire. Thank goodness it wasn’t windy, and the workers grabbed a hose and quickly put out the flames. The workers opened up the back fence to allow access for the concrete buggy to enter the yard.
Just before it rained, they finished the foundation.
Closing in the Addition
The workers closed in the room and roofed it before the holidays. See the Christmas lights on my neighbor’s house in the background.
The Pella guys installed the windows and sliding doors.
Before the studio was stuccoed, the workers put Styrofoam and chicken wire on the outside.
Next, they applied and textured the stucco.
Interior Work
The insulation crew sprayed foam insulation all around the interior.
Here’s another view of the inside of the studio.
Finished Exterior & Landscaping
The studio and patio extension were finished in April 2020. To save a little, I did all of my own landscaping around the addition. I cleaned up the construction area, laid 60 forty-pound steppingstones, put down 20 bags of mulch, and planted shrubs and hostas.
I got a good upper body workout when I laid the steppingstones around the back and side of the studio.
The existing, covered patio between the studio and the house is like a breezeway now. The grill remained in its original place at the end of the patio.
This is the view looking out to the new studio from the back door of the house.
Inside the Pottery Studio
A restaurant style sink and a mini split heating and air conditioning unit were installed in the studio. Under the sink, the plumber added a special trap to keep clay from going into the sewer line and clogging it up.
Because the kiln fires to a very high heat, it sits on a stand on the concrete floor and two feet away from the walls. I didn’t have flooring put down because of the kiln. I, also, used drywall that is resistant to fire, moisture, and mold. An exhaust fan is attached to the kiln to blow the fumes outside. The shelves along the back wall of the studio hold glaze and other pottery tools and equipment. The local woodworking club built my workbench which I use for a wedging table, glazing table, and anything else I need it for.
I have a nice view when I throw pots on the wheel.
And this is the view from the studio back towards the house.
Izzie is my great, little pottery assistant. She always joins me in the studio and takes a nap while I make pots.
I enjoy my new pottery studio more and more all the time, and I especially like the convenience of having all of my pottery things in one place. Plus, now that it’s summer, I, also, like having an air conditioner because of the Texas heat. Since these pictures were taken, I’ve rearranged a few things and have gotten more tools and equipment. I’ve made lots of pots, and plan to make many more. Cheers!
