A Tip on Sealants for Polymer Clay Jewelry

Polymer clay jewelry usually needs to be sealed. Some people leave it natural, but I have found that dirt and oil from a person's skin gets into the tiny crevices of the clay over time. Cleaning it with an abrasive or bleach will fade the colors of the pendant.

Sealing polymer clay is quite interesting. Some varnishes can turn sticky after a period of time, some remain durable, some just never seem to dry. Since I use Fimo Soft polymer clay, I use Varathane varnish, the gloss kind, as a sealant. It is hard to find it, but usually Home Depot carries it. You can find it online also, but I have found it too be expensive because of the cost of shipping.

There is a great forum on the Yahoo groups called Clay - Polymer. If you look through their archives for the brand of clay you use, you will find info about different sealants and the pros and cons.

It pays to research it. The wrong type of sealant can ruin a piece. I once created a giraffe laying down in a garden. It took a long time to create it and I was quite pleased with it when it was finished. I used some leftover varnish - don't even remember the name of it. The stickiness was amazing and everlasting. Finally, deciding that the piece was ruined anyway, I washed it thoroughly with Dawn dish soap. It did take the stickiness off, along with a few flowers. The flowers weren't missed and after several washings the giraffe felt smooth to the touch. Since it wasn't jewelry I left it natural.

Check out what sealant works for your brand of polymer clay and follow the manufacturers directions about having plenty of ventilation and letting it dry sufficiently.

Happy sealing!