A No-Drama Guide to Hand Building With Clay

cool, Calm, and Constructed

Potters needs a proper wheel.

And that's like the last thing someone who's starting a new hobby will ever buy, right? Too big, too scary, and wayyyy too expensive.

So we move on, find a new hobby. Crocheting maybe? But wait! Although that's a fine hobby, let's think again.

What if there's a way to do ceramics — like really nice professional-looking pottery — without a wheel?

Well, you guessed right, this would be an awfully sad intro if there weren't…

The No-Wheel Pottery Technique

Welcome to slab building — the hand-building technique that's part baking cookies (hello kneading and rolling dough!), part building sandcastles, and part pure bliss (enter the flow state and read more about that here).

It's how ancient civilizations made tiles and vessels before pottery wheels were even a thing. Yeah, and they still make tiles that way. It's how contemporary ceramic artists make most of their sculptures and it works for a lot of decorative and using-them-every-day-for-morning-coffee pieces.

And it's how you're going to make great things!

Here's the beautiful thing about slab building: you roll out flat pieces of clay and stick them together. That's it. That's the foundation.

Everything else is just creative problem-solving, patience, and practice.

You'll wedge clay until your arms hurt (ok, seriously don't do that, there's a technique to avoid that and you’ll learn it here). You'll learn to to be patient, you’ll score and slip like there’s no tomorrow. And — after drying, bisque firing, glazing, and glaze firing — you'll see how it was all worth it, because you actually made something that didn’t exist before!

It's magic.

Your journey starts now, and it's going to be messy, meditative, and occasionally maddening — in the best possible way!

What This Hand-Building Guide Covers

We'll talk tools and alternatives, basic methods, and a little more advanced methods.

There will be humor, because ceramics is simultaneously zen and infuriating, and there will be detailed instructions.

  • You don't need much to get started, but what you do need matters.

  • Where flat pieces of clay become actual three-dimensional objects through the power of scoring, slipping, and mild panic.

  • The slow journey where your clay gets hard, gets fired, gets glazed, gets fired again, and hopefully doesn't explode.

  • Level up your game with texture tricks and learn why everything went wrong (and how to fix it next time).

Part 1.

The Foundation —
Gather your Tools

Let's talk tools. You don't need much to get started, but what you do need matters.

Clay

The star of the show. If you’re starting out, find a mid-range stoneware clay with 20–40% fine (0–0.5 mm) grog—it’s forgiving, strong, and fires at a reasonable temperature.

A rolling pin

A sturdy wooden rolling pin works great.

A wooden board

Get one with a reasonable size, about 60 × 90 cm (approx. 24 × 36 in) — yes, that’s big, but you’ll thank us later. We mostly use MDF because the clay won’t stick to the surface. A perfect thickness is about 18 mm (¾ in) because it won’t warp easily.

Wooden slats or guide sticks

These are your guides for consistent thickness. Place them on either side of your clay, rest your rolling pin on them, and every slab comes out the same thickness. Start with a thickness of 7 mm (0.3 in).

A knife

For cutting slabs with precision. A small kitchen knife can work, but a proper fettling knife (a thin, flexible blade) can save you some frustration.

Slip

Your clay glue—just clay mixed with water until it’s creamy and smooth, like yogurt or thin pudding. Essential for joining pieces. You’ll make your own (we’ll get to that), but get a small container with a tight lid (glass or plastic will work) for your slip to live in.

Scoring tools

Anything that scratches up clay surfaces—a fork (great for starting out), a serrated rib, a wire brush. Consider getting a proper scoring tool because you’ll use it constantly.

Metal or silicone/rubber rib(s)

As you go along, you’ll assemble quite a collection of them. But for beginners, we recommend getting one geometric metal rib and one rounded silicone or rubber rib.

Plastic sheets and wrap

Use these to cover your furniture while working and for controlled drying.

A small bowl with water and a sponge

For keeping things clean while you work.

Optional but useful

A ruler, templates cut from paper, and a wire tool to cut the clay.

Part 2.

Building up —
The Key Steps

Step 1: Rolling the Perfect Slab

It’s easy, fun, and so rewarding—think rolling cookie dough. You’ll use two guides for even thickness and repeat rolling. That’s it!

  1. Make a starting patty
    Cut a piece of clay (a large handful, like you’re making a very big snowball—about 500 g) with your knife or wire cutter and smack it into a rough pancake shape with your hands.

  2. Set up your thickness guides
    Place your guide sticks on either side of the clay. These act as height stops—your rolling pin rests on them, preventing you from rolling unevenly or too thin.

  3. Roll with confidence
    Rest your rolling pin on both guide sticks and roll forward and back with even, not too heavy pressure. Here’s the key move: rotate your clay 90 degrees every few passes, and flip it over every two or so passes.

  4. Check your work
    The slab should be smooth, flat, and of uniform thickness. Also use your template as a guide: if you have a large, thin shape (like the wall for a cup), try to roll the clay so it follows this narrow, long shape a bit.

  5. Compress
    Take your metal or silicone rib and gently sweep it across the surface of the clay to smooth and strengthen the slab.

  6. Let it set
    Freshly rolled slabs are a bit on the floppy side. Let them sit uncovered for about 20 minutes until they firm up—still damp and workable, but sturdy enough to hold a shape.

Step 2: Score and Slip

It’s easy, fun, and so rewarding—think rolling cookie dough. You’ll use two guides for even thickness and repeat rolling. That’s it!

  1. Make a starting patty
    Cut a piece of clay (a large handful, like you’re making a very big snowball—about 500 g) with your knife or wire cutter and smack it into a rough pancake shape with your hands.

  2. Set up your thickness guides
    Place your guide sticks on either side of the clay. These act as height stops—your rolling pin rests on them, preventing you from rolling unevenly or too thin.

  3. Roll with confidence
    Rest your rolling pin on both guide sticks and roll forward and back with even, not too heavy pressure. Here’s the key move: rotate your clay 90 degrees every few passes, and flip it over every two or so passes.

  4. Check your work
    The slab should be smooth, flat, and of uniform thickness. Also use your template as a guide: if you have a large, thin shape (like the wall for a cup), try to roll the clay so it follows this narrow, long shape a bit.

  5. Compress
    Take your metal or silicone rib and gently sweep it across the surface of the clay to smooth and strengthen the slab.

  6. Let it set
    Freshly rolled slabs are a bit on the floppy side. Let them sit uncovered for about 20 minutes - 5 hours (depending on the temperature and humidity in your studio) until they firm up—still damp and workable, but sturdy enough to hold a shape.

A little extra:
When to be Wedging Clay

When clay comes right out of the package, it doesn’t need to be wedged about 95% of the time. So our first step is working with clay straight from the box.

We wedge clay to remove tiny (or larger, for that matter) air bubbles, distribute the moisture content evenly, and align the small clay particles so they behave consistently later in the slab. Again: for clay that comes right out of the package, this is almost certainly not necessary—especially when you’re starting out.

But think of this scenario: after you cut shapes from your slab using templates, you’ll have leftover clay around the edges. Collect all these scraps, then knead them into a ball.

The next step is to wedge them thoroughly.

Side note: If you’re not ready to use the scraps immediately, wrap them tightly in plastic—or even better, put them in an airtight container and give them a little spritz of water to keep them from drying out.

Part 3.

What you're really making: Something Real in a Fake World

We live in pixels. We work in tabs. We socialize in notifications. There's nothing wrong with it.

But we just can't do it all the time. Sometimes we need something real.

And then you roll a slab of clay and suddenly you're holding something. Something heavy. Something that didn't exist five minutes ago and now does because you made it.

Your eyes can focus on something three-dimensional and your hands are feeling instead of typing. You'll feel grounded. Not metaphorically. Actually, physically.

So what are you waiting for?

You show up. There's clay. There's a table. Build something. Your hands will know what to do. Let time do that weird thing. And experience what flat out happy feels like.

What’s the worst that could happen?

Worst case: You've got a slightly wonky soap dish.

Best case?

You just found a way back to yourself.

Jackpot!

Go get messy. Start now.

Start today: In 3 easy Steps

Step 1: Start Simple.

Start by wedging the clay and just wedge. Repetitively. 20 times. 50 times. It's a superb feeling.

No need to make a masterpiece just yet.

And then, maybe roll out a small slab. Back and forth. Not too much pressure. Just so that it feels right. Perfect.

Get a cookie cutter from the kitchen. And then press it onto the slab. There, you just made your first piece. Put a small hole in it with a disposable straw. And there it is: Your first ceramic ornament!

Step 2: Keep going.

Trays. Planters. Cups. Start with an easy geometric shape. Not too many pieces to put together.

Maybe a cup that's made out of two simple shapes (find our cuddle cup template here). You'll feel the difference. You just need to make something that keeps your hands busy and your mind present.

It's a wonky tray or cup? That's your first flow state, carved in clay.

Be proud! Then you look up and it's been three hours and you're not exhausted, you're engaged. With a clearer mind. And your brain gets that spa-moment that it deserves.

Step 3: Stay Satisfied.

Here's the thing:

It's not entirely about what you're making.

So you made your first tray. Maybe you made something beautifully wonky that holds your keys. Enjoy its presence. It’s the materialization of your calmer presence. The minutes where you were flat out happy and didn't even realize it until after.

Keep yourself engaged. Make mistakes. But wait, there are no mistakes. So keep going. No strings attached.

Part 4.

The Science Behind The Slip

All those claims about cortisol and flow states and brain activation?

They're not just feel-good talk. Here's where the research lives:

Stress Reduction & Cortisol:

Kaimal, G., Ray, K., & Muniz, J. (2016). "Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants' Responses Following Art Making." Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 33(2), 74-80.

https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2016.1166832

Anxiety Reduction & Creative Activities:

Daykin, N., et al. (2020). "The Role of Participatory Music Making in Wellbeing for People in the Later Stages of Life: A Systematic Review." Frontiers in Psychology, 10.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01091

Brain Activation & Art Making:

Kaimal, G., et al. (2017). "Functional near-infrared spectroscopy assessment of reward perception based on visual self-expression: Coloring, doodling, and free drawing." The Arts in Psychotherapy, 55, 85-92.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2017.05.004

Flow State & Creative Work:

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper & Row.

Additional Reading:

American Art Therapy Association: https://arttherapy.org

National Institute of Mental Health - Creative Arts Therapies: https://www.nimh.nih.gov