What is the density of fired clay (terracotta)?

1,900 kg/m³ (1,700–2,100), or 1.90 g/cm³.

Does fired clay (terracotta) float?

No. At 1,900 kg/m³ it is denser than water.

Fired clay (terracotta)

Density of fired clay (terracotta)

1,900 kg/m³ (1,700–2,100)

1.90 g/cm³ · 118.6 lb/ft³

Earthenware fired below about 1200 °C stays porous — typically 5-15% water absorption — which is why an unglazed terracotta pot sweats and why an earthenware plate left in water gets heavier. That porosity makes it vulnerable to frost, since absorbed water expanding on freezing splits the body, and it is the reason cheap garden pots fail over winter and quarry tiles do not. Glazing seals the surface but does not change the body underneath, so a chipped glaze on earthenware still lets water in.

Properties

Density: 1,900 kg/m³ (1,700–2,100) — 1.90 g/cm³
Tensile strength: 2–6 MPa
Young's modulus: 14 GPa
Thermal conductivity: 1 W/(m·K)
Floats in water: No
Magnetic: No

What it is used for

Roof tiles and floor quarry tiles
Plant pots and garden ware
Earthenware pottery and tableware
Drainage and land pipes

How it compares

Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.

air 1.2 kg/m³

expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³

rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³

Water — the float line 1,000 kg/m³

fired clay (terracotta) 1,900 kg/m³

tungsten 19,250 kg/m³

gold 19,300 kg/m³

platinum 21,450 kg/m³

Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.
Material	Density	Relative to water
rigid polyurethane foam	40 kg/m³	0.04×
expanded polystyrene foam	20 kg/m³	0.02×
air	1.2 kg/m³	0.00×
fired clay (terracotta) ←	1,900 kg/m³	1.90×
platinum	21,450 kg/m³	21.45×
gold	19,300 kg/m³	19.30×
tungsten	19,250 kg/m³	19.25×

Does it rust?

Fired clay (terracotta) contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.

Is it magnetic?

Fired clay (terracotta) is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Common questions

What is the density of fired clay (terracotta)?: 1,900 kg/m³ (1,700–2,100), or 1.90 g/cm³.
Does fired clay (terracotta) float?: No. At 1,900 kg/m³ it is denser than water.
Is fired clay (terracotta) magnetic?: Fired clay (terracotta) is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Does fired clay (terracotta) float? No
Concrete 2,400 kg/m³
Brick 1,900 kg/m³
Gypsum board (drywall) 700 kg/m³
Tungsten carbide 14,900 kg/m³
Reinforced concrete 2,500 kg/m³
Graphite 2,200 kg/m³
Porcelain 2,400 kg/m³
Plaster 1,100 kg/m³

Sources

Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked