How to Repair Chipped or Cracked Pottery

If your favorite pottery dish is chipped or broken, you can have it ready for your next party in no time with a bit of special glue.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA) Adhesive
• Small Brush
• Rice Or Beans
• Razor Blade Or X-Acto Knife
• Large Container

For chips

1. Apply polyvinyl acetate (PVA) adhesive to the back of the chip. (PVA is available at hardware, home supply and art supply stores. Use clear PVA to make the repair less visible.)

2. Place the chip in its original position and hold it for 30 to 60 seconds.

3. Scrape away excess adhesive with a razor blade or X-Acto knife.

4. Let it dry overnight before using.

For cracks

1. 

   Apply PVA adhesive to the cracked edges using a small brush (see A). Use just enough adhesive to cover the broken edges.

2. Applying light pressure, quickly press both pieces together for 30 to 60 seconds.

3. Scrape away excess adhesive with a razor blade or X-Acto knife.

4. 

   Set the pottery down on a flat surface to dry overnight. If the item is broken into two or more pieces, set it in a large container filled with dry rice or beans (see B). The rice or beans will hold the item in place while it dries.

For more serious breakage

1. If the pottery is an antique or of great sentimental value, hire a professional ceramic restorer to do the repair. Ask for a reference at an antiques shop or search the yellow pages or Internet under "ceramic" or "antique" repair and restoration.

Tips & Warnings

• Use tweezers to hold small pieces in place.

• PVA, also known as white glue, is ideal for fixing pottery because you must adjust the broken pieces precisely before the glue sets. Epoxy and instant glues dry too fast for this type of fix.