5 Ideas and Tools for Texturing Clay (2025)

Exciting news alert: I’m finally a member of a studio. I now have 24/7 access to throw the day away! I’m thrilled to have the time and space to explore, experiment, and find my pottery personal style. Previously, I enrolled in 4 week courses at a time—my rhythm was throw for 2 weeks, and then spend the last two frantically glazing and trimming.  Now that I’m outside the confines of a course, I want to take my time with surface decoration. So, texturing clay has finally entered the chat! 

If you’re like me and want to explore surface decoration more, here’s 5 ideas and tools to make it happen during your next studio session. 

Byllstore Pottery Ribs & Trimming Tools 

For consistent texture application all around a wheel-thrown piece, ribs are the way to go. For Christmas, I got a pack of these awesome ribs from my brother, and I can’t remember a time when I was throwing without them. They’ve become my go-to for any zig zag, scalloped, and line textures in my mugs and vases. Why? These wooden tools instantly transform my pottery from something just fine to a little more fascinating. 

To put these bad boys to use, I typically throw a cylinder to my ideal dimensions and then press these ribs at a 45 degree angle against the walls. From the inside of the pot, I gently push along the curvatures of the rib and pull up. Then bingo, bingo, bongo, you’re texturing clay the wheel way.

Byllstore Clay Texture Rollers

Hailing from the same brand, these texture rollers are great for all the hand builders out there. This set comes with 10 unique patterns—whether you want to add a knit stitch texture or an organic wave design, you’ll have a lot of fun picking and choosing from this diverse set. 

All you’ve gotta do is roll out your slab to your desired thickness, and use these rollers to add texture. Cut, assemble, and voila! Your textured cup/bowl/vase/insert piece here is complete! 

OwnMy Set of 16 Clay Modeling Pattern Stamp Kit

If all over texture isn’t your jam, stamping might be your stomping ground. With stamps, you can pick an icon or motif that speaks to you, and get crazy pressing your designs into semi-wet clay. Whether it’s an understated mug with a single embossed butterfly or a plate covered in starry embellishments, stamps allow you to texture pieces your way. 

Xiem Tools USA Precision Stainless Steel Carving Tool Set

With a carving set on hand, the world of texturing clay is your oyster. I’ve experimented with a few carved designs in my day, and it is such a satisfying process. Whether you’re creating a bark-like texture or etching a design to inlay with glaze, you get a truly one-of-a-kind outcome. From marketing to chiseling, you can create any number of detailed designs with a carving set in your toolkit. 

Potter’s Slip

Instead of carving the clay away, why not add some raised surface design for a bit of texture? With slip, you can explore designs or patterns that’ll elevate the surface of your piece (literally and figuratively). You can make slip from your own clay, or, you can kill two birds with one stone and purchase some colored slip for decoration. Think of slip trailing like decorating a cake with icing—it looks all the more delicious and detailed with a little extra flair. 

Wrapping Up: 5 Ideas and Tools for Texturing Clay (2025)

As a beginner, think of it as your job to uncover all the different ways you can design, decorate, and texture your pottery. As you carve clay, draw with slip, or try out a textured rib, you’ll be one step closer to finding a pottery style that’s truly yours. So, keep exploring your texturing techniques, and let us know which one is your jam in the comments!