How to Repair Chipped or Cracked Pottery

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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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.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

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

For chips

Step1

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.)

Step2

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

Step3

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

Step4

Let it dry overnight before using.

For cracks

Step1

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

Step2

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

Step3

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

Step4

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

Step1

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.

Who Can Help:

Comments

deborahcone said

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on 1/4/2007 Where do I find a small amount of PVA. I have looked at several hardware stores and several hobby stores. I don't even find it on the internet for sale. I need 4-8 oz.

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