Earthenware fires to maturity as a semi-soft pottery that can be easily scratched or broken by hard objects.
The most common clay is earthenware. Worldwide, a large percentage of pottery is made from earthenware. It is also commonly used for bricks and for tiles for roofs, sewer pipes and floors. Its name refers to the earthy colors and the common origins of this clay. Earthenware fires to maturity as a semi-soft pottery that can be easily scratched or broken by hard objects. It never becomes completely waterproof, and liquids contained inside unglazed earthenware vessels will be absorbed through the walls of the pot. Earthenware matures between 1700° and 2075°F. One of the reasons earthenware clays are so commonly used is that they can be easily shaped—earthenware is very plastic. It can also be more easily fired than stoneware clays, and there is a wider range of glaze types and colors available that work with it.