How to Make Ceramic Molds
Ceramics lend an attractive visual appeal and beauty to household items. They can be used for making a variety of products ranging from teakettles and figurines to pots and vases. Making ceramic molds is an easy and inexpensive. The common products that help in creating ceramic molds are plaster of Paris and cooking oil that we use in our homes. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Hard object to mold
- Glass or plastic bowl
- Cooking spray
- Plaster of Paris
- Polyurethane spray coating
Instructions
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The Process
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1
Make use of any tough item or a hard object in the home to create an appropriate mold design. (For this example we'll use a teakettle.) If you are making a large mold be sure to handle it carefully, because it may crack when you add clay.
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2
Coat the inside of your bowl with cooking spray, a spray form of various types of oils that is applied to cookware and frying pans to prevent food from sticking. This spray will help you to remove the mold after it dries.
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3
Mix plaster of Paris in appropriate proportions. Make sure you fill the bowl less than halfway; otherwise you will not get the right texture and consistency.
Spray the hard item (the kettle) with cooking spray. Press it quickly into the plaster of Paris. Let stand overnight.
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4
The next morning, carefully remove the kettle. Spray the mold with polyurethane coating. The clear coat covers the mold and prevents cracking. Store the mold at room temperature so that you can use it again.
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Tips & Warnings
Though it is essential to use plaster of Paris for making ceramic molds, we all know these ceramics are susceptible to water damage and can disintegrate. However, you can minimize this problem. The mold tends to dry overnight and it is not advisable to reuse a wet mold. To make your mold dry quickly, place a sheet of plasterboard on a table. If you place the wet mold on this plasterboard, the moisture will be absorbed relatively quickly. You can also use hair dryer on molds.
