How to Harden Modeling Clay

There are many projects you can do with modeling clay or play clay and to make them permanent all you have to do is harden the clay. Hardening modeling clay is easy and takes no special skills or equipment to do. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cardboard
• Paper towel

Oven Drying

1. Cover the cookie sheet with wax paper. This will keep your modeling dough from sticking to the cookie sheet.

2. Preheat the oven to around 200 degrees.

3. Place the modeling clay object onto the cookie sheet, on top of the wax paper.

4. Put the cookie sheet in the oven and bake. This will harden the modeling clay. The time varies depending on how thick your items are so check them often.

Air Drying Clay

5. Put the cardboard in an area were it will not be in the way.

6. Cover the cardboard with a paper towel.

7. Place the modeling clay on the cardboard.

8. Let the clay sit until hardened.

Tips & Warnings

• Air hardening will not work in a humid area. Try to find a cool, dry area for the clay to harden.
• Some clays are made to not air harden. Check the packaging.

[nicolehughes85]

on 2/2/2009 Some clays do not tell you if they can be hardened or not. My 4 year old made a tiny bowling set to play with on the table and let it out to dry. After four days we decided to bake it. Well the package didn't say if it could or could not be baked so we did. Turns out the dang clay is made with oil, needless to say poor Joseph's bowling pins and balls are now goo on the wax paper on the baking stone in the toaster oven. -- He is devastated! Check the package to make sure it's safe, or if it's kinda sticky it's probably made with oil=do not bake!