Bakable Polymer Clay Tricks

Use tricks and tips to make your polymer clay projects even better.

Polymer clay comes in many different colors and can be dried using different methods. People who work with the bakable polymer clay have come up with a lot of different tricks and tips to assist the creative process. Use these tips to make your bakable polymer clay projects easier and more aesthetically appealing.

Preventing Odors

Baking polymer clay in a conventional oven is easy, but it will produce a pungent odor. To prevent the smell from turning your work area into a hazard zone, there are a couple of tricks suggested to prevent the odor from spreading through the house. Make sure your oven is in a well-ventilated area of the house and place fans in the windows and in the work area. Try covering your project with aluminum foil to help contain the smell. For a colored polymer clay, try allowing the clay to cool inside the oven to hold the smell inside. If your oven is not specially dedicated to clay, make sure to thoroughly clean the inside to prevent the smell from permeating your food.

Getting Flat

Polymer clay will not maintain its completely flat surface while cooling without assistance. Force a thick piece to remain flat by covering it with white paper immediately after removing it from the oven. Set a thick, heavy book or other heavy, flat object on top of the white paper. This will press the clay down onto the cooking sheet and allow it to maintain its flat surface after it cools. To prevent thin sheets from becoming twisted during baking, sandwich the sheet between two ceramic tiles and keep the clay between the tiles until the clay has cooled.

Oven Positions

Every section of your oven reaches a different temperature while baking. The shelf closest to the heaters will reach the highest temperatures, resulting in possible burning. The area closest to the door will not get as hot as further back in the oven. For the best results on your project, place your piece in the middle of your oven. To ensure accuracy in your baking temperature, place your oven thermometer in the same location you plan to place your clay. This will ensure you use an appropriate temperature when baking your polymer clay, rather than a slightly raised or lowered value.

Preventing Shiny Spots

Shiny spots are a common problem in bakable polymer clay projects. In some projects, this is a desired result, while it detracts from the artistry of the piece in others. To prevent shine on your clay, cover the bottom of a pan with cotton stuffing, such as the filling used to give shape to fabric toys, so the piece does not touch the pan. Another simple solution is to rip brown, non-waxed paper bags until they are flat and use them to cover the bottom of the pan. Make sure that neither the filling or the paper touches the oven coils to prevent fires.

References

• Polymer Tutorials: Polymer Clay Baking Tutorial