Kiln Shelf as Pizza Stone?

Trixie_Belle

Hey all!
A few weeks ago, someone mentioned using a kiln shelf as a pizza stone.   Is there a particular brand of shelf?  Who's tried it?  Your thoughts?    I may stop by Seattle Pottery Supply this weekend to purchase one.   Would I be better to purchase a actual pizza stone?  If so, what brand?   My Pampered Chef stone just broke into 3 pieces.  

Eggcelsior

A kiln shelf should work fine for this application. I see it often on breadmaking forums.

EDIT: I linked an example.

nolaegghead

As pizza IS bread.  And soylant green IS people.

jtcBoynton

Good actual pizza stones are in fact kiln shelves. Just a name change for the market.  Get a Cordierite Shelf that is 5/8" thick. 

northGAcock

Trixie_Belle said:

Hey all!
A few weeks ago, someone mentioned using a kiln shelf as a pizza stone.   Is there a particular brand of shelf?  Who's tried it?  Your thoughts?    I may stop by Seattle Pottery Supply this weekend to purchase one.   Would I be better to purchase a actual pizza stone?  If so, what brand?   My Pampered Chef stone just broke into 3 pieces.  

I think we were talking kiln risers at the time. but the shelves will work also if you can get ones that fit.

jtcBoynton

Biggest difference between a pizza stone and a kiln shelf is price. A 16" diameter 5/8" cordierite kiln shelf normally sell for less than $20. You will not see a similar size pizza stone selling for that.

Carolina Q

For example... http://www.axner.com/cordierite-shelf-15roundx58.aspx

I don't own one so I can't speak from personal experience, but lots of folks use them. Mine is BGE.

Personally, I prefer a 1/4" steel plate. Bought mine at a steel yard that sells cutoffs for $1/lb, paid about $12 as I recall. Does a great job with pizza and will never break. Makes a nice flat top griddle too.

nolaegghead

You almost need to put that baking steel over a stone or low in the egg because it can transfer too much heat too fast to the pizza.  I burned a few before I learned this.

Trixie_Belle

northGAcock said:

Trixie_Belle said:

Hey all!
A few weeks ago, someone mentioned using a kiln shelf as a pizza stone.   Is there a particular brand of shelf?  Who's tried it?  Your thoughts?    I may stop by Seattle Pottery Supply this weekend to purchase one.   Would I be better to purchase a actual pizza stone?  If so, what brand?   My Pampered Chef stone just broke into 3 pieces.  

I think we were talking kiln risers at the time. but the shelves will work also if you can get ones that fit.

Yes, Kiln risers.  I'm planning to buy some on Saturday. 

Carolina Q

nolaegghead said:

You almost need to put that baking steel over a stone or low in the egg because it can transfer too much heat too fast to the pizza.  I burned a few before I learned this.

My steel is too large for my egg. Works great in my oven though. Heat the oven and steel to temp. Then turn on broiler and launch the pie. Haven't egged a pizza in a coupla years.

SmokeyPitt

Not sure if this is the same place but it looks like they have a 16" 5/8 thick round kiln shelf:

http://www.seattlepotterysupply.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=sps_ecat&Product_Code=31203&Category_Code=KS

No pic or description, but I suspect it will be what you are looking for.  I think kilns go up to like 2000 degrees so it should work in an egg. 

jtcBoynton

Cordierite has a max working temp of 2350ºF.  It is resistant to thermal shock, so dropping wet dough on a hot stone should be a problem.

Todd-Man

Apparently I don't look like a potter. When I went into Seattle Pottery Supply and asked the woman for a kiln shelf she got on the intercom and asked someone to bring a pizza stone from the back room. Works great.

Trixie_Belle

Todd-Man said:

Apparently I don't look like a potter. When I went into Seattle Pottery Supply and asked the woman for a kiln shelf she got on the intercom and asked someone to bring a pizza stone from the back room. Works great.

Perfect!!!   I totally don't look like a potter.  I hope to get the same great service. 

Durangler

@Trixie_Belle ... I have this kiln shelf I use for my pizza stone.
http://www.axner.com/cordieriteshelf-16roundx58.aspx
It works great. Not sure what size your looking for, but there is a 15" & 13". They are 5/8" thick. There are also octagon & 1/2 shelf. The only down side is the shipping runs around $10 to $12 if I recall correctly. Still less than most "pizza stones" out there.
It was packaged very securely to avoid breakage.
I highly recommend it. 

Jeepster47

@Durangler ... you have a good ceramic store (Marjon Ceramics Inc) right near you ... well, near enough to avoid shipping items!

Durangler

Thanks for that @Jeepster47 !
I'll keep them in mind. I may want a 1/2 stone sometime in the future.