Concrete Poured, Clay Separator Installed — Claya Construction Progress Update

Big Progress at Claya: Concrete Poured and Clay Separator Installed

We're thrilled to share another exciting milestone in the construction of Claya, Denver's newest full-service pottery and ceramics studio. This week, we made major progress on one of the most critical behind-the-scenes systems in the building — and it's something that every serious pottery studio needs to get right: the plumbing.

The Concrete Is In

If you've been following along, you know we've been working through some significant plumbing infrastructure upgrades beneath the studio floor. This week, that trench has been filled — the concrete has been poured and is curing beautifully. Watching the floor come back together is a huge visual milestone for our team, and it means we're one giant step closer to welcoming students and members through our doors.

The fresh concrete covers the newly installed underground plumbing lines that will serve our pottery wheels, handbuilding stations, and studio sinks. Proper drainage is absolutely essential in a working ceramics studio — clay-laden water cannot simply go down a standard drain and into the city sewer system.

The Clay Separator Is Installed

Speaking of which — the clay separator (also called a clay trap, solids separator, or pottery studio interceptor) is now fully installed. This is one of the most important pieces of equipment in any working pottery studio or ceramics workspace.

Here's why it matters: when potters use wheels, wash their hands, or clean tools and molds, the rinse water contains suspended clay particles. If that clay-heavy water enters the municipal sewer system, it can harden inside pipes and cause serious blockages. A clay separator intercepts that water, allows the clay solids to settle out at the bottom of the tank, and only lets clean water pass through into the main drain line.

At Claya, our clay separator system is designed to handle the volume of a busy, full-service pottery studio — supporting everything from beginner pottery classes and open studio sessions to advanced ceramics workshops. It's the kind of thoughtful infrastructure investment that protects both the city's plumbing system and our own studio operations for years to come.

Why Proper Plumbing Matters in a Pottery Studio

One of the most overlooked aspects of building a ceramics studio is the plumbing. Unlike a typical commercial space, a pottery studio deals with a unique combination of challenges: clay-contaminated water from pottery wheels and hand-building must be filtered before entering the sewer; high-volume sink use from students cleaning tools and molds; glaze chemicals that require proper drainage compliance; and multiple drain points throughout the studio floor to manage water flow efficiently.

Getting this right from the start means fewer headaches down the road — and a studio that can operate cleanly and sustainably for decades.

We're Making Progress

Every week we get closer to opening, and milestones like this one — concrete floors curing, clay separators in place, plumbing systems coming together — are the foundation (literally) that everything else is built on. We can't wait to turn this construction site into a thriving creative community for potters of all skill levels in Denver, CO.

If you want to be the first to know when we open, sign up for our mailing list and follow along as we share each step of this journey. We're almost there — and it's going to be worth the wait.

— The Claya Team