How To Glaze Air Dry Clay
/You’ve made your beautiful air dry clay pot, now what? How do you seal and protect your finished piece?
Air dry clay can be used to make almost anything. It’s fun, easy to use and inexpensive to buy. You don’t need any special tools or equipment and there’s no kiln needed to achieve a beautiful end product.
But without a kiln how do you glaze air dry clay?
Find out how to create a glazed finish using varnishes and sealants.
Air dry clay glaze.
I’ve made a lot of air dry clay crafts over the years (these stamped clay bowls are my favourite) and one of the questions I get asked the most is how can you glaze air dry clay?
While it’s not possible to glaze air dry clay in the traditional way using a kiln you can use varnishes and sealants to create a glazed pottery effect.
Unlike traditional clay, air dry doesn’t need to be fired to set hard. However, this does mean that your finished piece can still absorb moisture and can become soft if it comes into contact with water.
So while it’s not possible to truly waterproof air dry clay you can make it water-resistant. You’ll need to wait until your clay model is completely dry (at least 72 hours) before applying a thin layer of varnish with a foam brush.
There are a couple of different options to help seal your clay, I’ve even made my own glaze and I’m going to share some of my favourites with you below.
Related: How To Store Air Dry Clay
Is air dry clay food safe?
Before we start it’s important to know that anything you make with air dry clay is not food safe and is to be used for decorative purposes only.
Even though the clay itself is non-toxic, it is still porous when dry and will absorb any oils or residues from the food. So while you shouldn’t eat any fruit or crisps and chips out of it (definitely no liquids) you can still use it to hold any wrapped sweets and treats.
Why should you varnish air dry clay?
There are several reasons why you would want to varnish clay, the most popular of course, is to protect your finished artwork from chipping and fading. It also provides a layer of protection against dust and UV rays that can fade the colour if painted.
Another reason is to create a unified surface. Adding a glaze can help even out a patchy surface and in some cases even make the colours stand out and become more vibrant.
Can you make air dry clay waterproof?
No, but you can make it water-resistant using a glaze, waterproof sealant or varnish. This doesn’t mean you can leave your clay to soak in a bowl of water but it does mean you can wipe it clean with a damp cloth.
How to seal air dry clay?
There are quite a few different ways to seal your clay. It all depends on how long you want your finished ornament to last.
Craft glue/Mod Podge.
A popular choice is PVA glue (white craft glue) or Mod Podge. It’s cheap to buy and easy to find in most craft shops. However, it won’t make your clay waterproof and can turn yellow if left out in the sun. This could still be a good choice if you’re making crafts with kids and it’s not something you’ll need to last forever.
Varnish or acrylic sealers.
If you want to make your clay water-resistant I always recommend using either a clear polyurethane varnish or an acrylic sealer. Both of these create a non-porous transparent layer that seals your clay project.
They can be brushed or sprayed on and usually come in either a matt, satin or gloss finish. A spray sealer is great for pieces that have lots of nooks and crannies that are hard to get into with only a brush.
DIY homemade glaze.
If you want to go the DIY route I’ve got a cheap and cheerful glaze recipe you can make at home. This DIY glaze can be left clear or coloured with some acrylic paint. All you need is some glue, clear nail varnish, water and the paint of your choice.
I should add this glaze is not suitable for polymer clay crafts as the nail varnish can erode the polymer clay over time.
Supplies:
Finished Air Dry Clay Craft
Chosen Glaze/Varnish
Foam Brush or Paintbrush
My recommended glazes, varnishes and acrylic sealers.
The most popular options are Modpodge (I like the Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge), the DecoArt Triple Thick Glaze and acrylic spray sealers like the ModPodge Spray Acrylic Sealer.
The DecoArt Triple Thick Glaze is a brush-on acrylic gloss glaze that can be found in most craft shops. It creates a nice thick, glossy layer that doesn't bubble or show brush marks easily.
The Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge is popular as it can be used to decoupage on glass or ceramics that can then be washed. While I would never recommend washing anything made out of air dry clay as it would turn soft, it does create a nice water-resistant seal you can wipe with a damp cloth.
Polyurethane Varnish Gloss - A personal favourite that I’ve used in quite a few of my clay crafts.
DIY Clay Glaze - Great if you want to add some colour to your finished decoration at the same time as sealing.
How to create a glazed ceramic look air dry clay.
Place your clay on a non-porous surface such as tile or glass to stop the varnish from ruining your work surface.
To decorate the clay with a faux glaze look start by mixing a thin, watered-down acrylic or watercolour paint. A thin watery paint works best.
You want to apply the lighter colour first and then build up the darker colours on top.
It’s easier to create a mottled glaze look if the clay has some texture like in the Christmas tree decorations in the photo above. The paint will sink and pool into the indentations. You can create texture by pressing stamps or fabric into the wet clay.
Build up the colours layer by layer and leave the clay to dry in between each layer. You can use a hairdryer or heat gun to help speed up the process.
Once dry apply a thin layer of varnish using either a foam brush or paintbrush.
Leave to dry for five to six hours before applying a second layer. Make sure to let it fully dry in between layers.
Add as many layers as you need to create a thick glossy glazed look.
The number of layers you add will depend on the varnish you’ve chosen to use. The DecoArt Triple Thick Glaze for example will only need one layer as it’s a super thick varnish. An acrylic spray sealer on the other hand may need quite a few layers before you get the desired fake glazed finish.
Make sure to test on a trial piece first. Some glazes can become rubbery and even tacky the more you build up the layers.
Want some examples? Here are some of the things I’ve made with air dry clay and how I’ve sealed them.
The Christmas tree decorations above were sealed using watered down PVA glue. They’re six years old now and have hung on my tree every year. There’s no sign of yellowing so far but it could be because they spend most of the year packed away in a box.
I tested my DIY Glaze on some stamped clay discs. They’re nearly six years old as well and still going strong. I popped some magnets on the back and use them on my noticeboard.
At the time I left these clay pots at they were but I’ve since gone back and sealed them with a layer of Polyurethane Varnish Gloss for extra protection.
