Custom Glazes

Boston Valley has been making glazes and matching historic finishes for over 30 years. Our Glaze Lab is unmatched in the research and development of custom finishes.

Whether you are looking for a single chromatic color or a more complex finish using several glazes, our Glaze Lab can develop a custom finish that will fulfill your design goals.

As each glaze is specifically developed to suit your project, we do not offer an inventory of standard options. The samples below represent a reference for the endless design possibilities afforded by terra cotta glaze. All sample requests require a new custom glaze formula and production of a corresponding sample.

There are four qualities that we use to characterize the aesthetic of our glazes: Color, Sheen, Transparency, and Texture. Familiarity with these qualities will help you describe your desired result in greater detail when working with Boston Valley’s sales associates.

Please contact us to learn more about our custom glazes.

FDNY Rescue Company 2, TerraClad panels, red glaze, terra cotta facade design

COLOR

Expresses the visible color tone of the glaze.

Color is the base criteria when developing a glazed surface. Boston Valley offers a full spectrum of hues, tints, and saturation levels for visual impact.

Options include:
Vibrant, Pastel, Celadon, Neutral

512 West 22nd Street, curved facade, terra cotta facade, TerraClad® Rainscreen

SHEEN

Depicts the reflective nature of the glaze, ranging from high gloss to ultra matte.

Sheen refers to the glaze’s level of glossiness and its interaction with light. It plays a crucial role in both the tactile feel and visual perception of a façade or interior surface.

Options include:
Matte, Satin, Gloss, Engobe

FDNY Rescue Company 2, TerraClad panels, red glaze, terra cotta facade design

COLOR

Expresses the visible color tone of the glaze.

Color is the base criteria when developing a glazed surface. Boston Valley offers a full spectrum of hues, tints, and saturation levels for visual impact.

Options include:
Vibrant, Pastel, Celadon, Neutral

512 West 22nd Street, curved facade, terra cotta facade, TerraClad® Rainscreen

SHEEN

Depicts the reflective nature of the glaze, ranging from high gloss to ultra matte.

Sheen refers to the glaze’s level of glossiness and its interaction with light. It plays a crucial role in both the tactile feel and visual perception of a façade or interior surface.

Options include:
Matte, Satin, Gloss, Engobe

John & Mable Ringling Museum of Asian Art, green glaze, terra cotta glaze development

TRANSLUCENCY

The amount and diffusion of light that passes through a glaze.

Translucency adds complexity and richness to glaze, allowing for varied effects under changing lighting conditions. It determines how much the underlying clay body or texture shows through the glazed surface.

Options include:
Opaque, Translucent, Transparent

48 Carey Street, Custom speckled glaze, Terra cotta facade, glaze development

TEXTURE

Surface modification to achieve a number of unique aesthetics.

Whether aiming for a refined finish or an organic look, textured glazes offer a tactile and visual layer that elevates the appeal of terra cotta.

Options include:
Metallic, Pulse, Crystalline, Layered, Speckled, Dot

John & Mable Ringling Museum of Asian Art, green glaze, terra cotta glaze development

TRANSLUCENCY

The amount and diffusion of light that passes through a glaze.

Translucency adds complexity and richness to glaze, allowing for varied effects under changing lighting conditions. It determines how much the underlying clay body or texture shows through the glazed surface.

Options include:
Opaque, Translucent, Transparent

48 Carey Street, Custom speckled glaze, Terra cotta facade, glaze development

TEXTURE

Surface modification to achieve a number of unique aesthetics.

Whether aiming for a refined finish or an organic look, textured glazes offer a tactile and visual layer that elevates the appeal of terra cotta.

Options include:
Metallic, Pulse, Crystalline, Layered, Speckled, Dot

COLOR

SHEEN

TRANSLUCENCY

TEXTURE