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I just installed a new kiln in the rear of my workshop and noticed that it is on a slight incline. The floor slopes towards a drainage area. This is the only area the kiln will fit, so moving it is not an option.

The kiln has somewhere between a 2.5 to 3 degree incline. What are my best options to help level this? Should I attempt to level the stand, the kiln or the inside shelf? Would wood shims or a fabricated metal work better?

Thanks,

You might want to consider putting pieces of ceramic tile (non flamable) under the legs of the stand on the down side to level the whole kiln.

Best wishes.
Tom in Texas

i have some pieces of angle iron that i use. they're 8" on one side, and 3/4" on the other, so form gently sloping wedges that make it easy to level the kiln stand. my kiln is on a furniture dolly so i can roll it outside when i'm firing something stinky, and the garage floor is slanted for drainage, so each time i move it, it needs releveling.

try Dura Rock from home depot

It can be sliced with a tile saw, Its res to 2000 deg f they said.

It for bathroom shower walls behind tiles.

The problem with Durarock is that if you put it under the leg it will probally break from the weight. If you will be moving it to different places under the wheels like charlie said is probally best. If it will be stationary then you can do it under the legs or betweent he kiln and the shelf.

Good luck.

3 degree incline doesn't sound like much...but I don't know. What I do for my small incline is place the shelf on the posts inside the kiln and use a level. If not level, then I place fiber paper (1/16" -I think) under the posts which need it. That is usually enough of a difference to level my shelf.

My kiln is in my garage and is level where it currently sits. But my husband bought some cement of some sort (he said he was going to get floor leveler, but the bags now sitting in the garage are something else) and his intent is to build a temporary frame on the floor that is large enough for the kiln stand, pour out the cement or floor leveling compound and allow it to self-level and cure.

Then he'll remove the frame and in my case, make a little ramp so that I can roll the kiln out "only when I use it." Which means it'll be sitting permanenty on the level portion of the floor. Which means my car will be permanently outside. Which is what I always knew would happen once I started this. I have no one to blame but myself.

Though this floor-leveling thing is only theory from an engineer-turned-home-rehabber and hasn't actually been put in to practice, it sounds like a good idea if you have concrete floors.

- Bev

i've used self leveling concrete. it isn't. it's lots more expensive than regular concrete. you still have to level it to get it really flat.

build a form. level the top of the form. fill the form with regular concrete and use a long board to level the concrete with the top of the form.

I have adjusting screws on the kiln legs.
The bottom of my fiber kiln has warped,
so I have to level the shelves, too.
I use pairs of vedges I have sawn from kiln brick.
A pair of vedges > <keeps the top level but adjust the height.

-lauri

Thanks for all the replies. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a mound that is level and I could bring the kiln close to waist height.

Being 6'1 with a bad back and loading a kiln is just no fun

My kiln is set up on two layers of concrete blocks. The basement floor slants a bit, so I used nails of various sizes to shim the concrete blocks so that the kiln sits level. Took a little experimentation, but it worked, it was simple, and it was cheap.

I think I just bought a house (signed contract yesterday, inspection next week, I'm sort of in shock.) Basement is walk out and has a big slider with a nice view. Right now the low end looks a little like a pond, but once I work out the drainage, that's where my workshop will be. I like the idea of putting in a raised leveled concrete pad for my kilns.

Dayle Ann

Gabriel wrote:I just installed a new kiln in the rear of my workshop and noticed that it is on a slight incline. The floor slopes towards a drainage area. This is the only area the kiln will fit, so moving it is not an option.

The kiln has somewhere between a 2.5 to 3 degree incline. What are my best options to help level this? Should I attempt to level the stand, the kiln or the inside shelf? Would wood shims or a fabricated metal work better?

Thanks,

i have 2 home made leveling stands for my kilns, both have legs that can be individually leveled - very old garage floor - got a buddy at the old day job who has a home metal shop to make them for me - basically 3 legs with a frame to support the piece of metal for the top, if you want pics, pm or email me. when i leveled the kiln, i started with the level on top of the kiln lid and then put a shelf in the kiln and the level on that to fine tune it - being able to level each leg indivudually can be a great way to go when one has interesting studio floors....
D