Craft a Clay Incense House Burner

Disclaimer: This project cannot be used with a candle or open flame. Incense must be blown out before placing inside the house and should never be left unattended.

Print + Cut Out Template

Begin by downloading and printing out our incense house template. Carefully cut out with scissors.

Roll Out Clay

On a flat surface, roll out the clay until you have an even layer. To help achieve an even thickness, roll out the clay in between two square dowels.

Cut Out Walls

Place the template on top of the rolled-out clay and lightly score around the edges using a butter knife. Use a ruler to completely cut out each wall. Repeat until all sides, the roof and base are cut out.

Create Details

Create details on the front of the house, such as a door and windows, by lightly pressing down a square dowel to make an imprint. To create a rounded top door frame, press the copper pipe in the center of the front of the house, about half an inch from the bottom, and use a ruler or knife to cut out two parallel sides to finish the door. For the chimney, press the copper pipe into one side as seen in the photo above. Keep the pipe in the clay, but remove any clay left in the pipe.

Construct House

Begin by lightly pressing a round dowel in the center of the base to create an imprint to hold the incense log. Starting with the front and side wall, construct the four walls and the roof, leaving the base separate (Image 1). Score the connecting edges using a toothpick, needle or skewer (Image 2). This helps prevent cracking and encourages better fusion during baking. Use a small amount of watered-down clay to help smooth edges and seams (Image 3).

Bake + Sand

Before baking, make sure to remove the chimney from the roof. Then, bake the house and the base according to the directions on the packaging. Once the house is completely baked and cool to the touch, use 220-grit sandpaper to lightly smooth down any rough edges or seams. Add the pipe back in once completed.

Test + Display

Light an incense log and blow it out. Place it on the base, cover the base with the house and watch the chimney smoke!