Polymer clay, also called polyclay or fimo, is a modeling material that you can cure or bake at home in your regular oven. Today is a focus on Tips and Tricks for getting the best results when curing (baking) your projects. Check out the other articles, too. Part 1 was on Choosing your Oven and Part 2 was about Temperature.
Polymer Clay Baking Tips and Tricks
- Polymer clay must be baked long enough and hot enough to get complete fusion.
- Delicate structures need to be supported during baking, so use a bed of cornstarch or polyester fiber for this. Toilet paper or paper towels also work well.
- When baking on tile, to keep the back of your item from being shiny, bake on a piece of copy paper or cardstock.
- The oven’s element can be fiercely hot, causing browning even when the temperature setting is correct. Always cover your work.
- Preheating is best as many ovens spike during the preheat cycle.
- Boiling does not give a complete cure of polymer clay.
- Ceramic tiles can help an oven maintain a stable temperature.
- Make sure to read the articles on polymer clay ovens, choosing a temperature, and baking time.
Need baking help?
Learn about the right temperature, times ovens, and baking setups to ensure optimal results. No more broken or scorched projects!
How Long Should I Bake Polymer Clay?
It’s no wonder that people are confused about this one. Here’s what various packages of polymer clay tell you about baking duration:
- Fimo: 30 minutes
- Pardo Art Clay: Minimum of 30 minutes
- Cernit: Approximately 30 minutes
- Kato Polyclay: 10 minutes
- Premo: 30 minutes per 1/4″ (6mm) of thickness
- Sculpey Original: 15 minutes per 1/4″ (6mm) of thickness
These are the absolute minimum times that you should use, and the recommended 10 minutes for Kato is just plain erroneous. Polymer clay becomes much stronger when it is baked longer than these minimum times. You cannot burn or damage polymer clay by baking it for a very long time, even hours, as long as the temperature is correct. Unlike food, which will burn if left too long in the oven, polymer clay will not burn if baked at the correct temperature. The limiting factor, though, is that light colors of polymer clay will darken and brown with longer times in the oven. It does not damage them, but it will easily ruin your effect, especially if you’re working with light or translucent polymer clay.
I always recommend baking at least 45 minutes per 1/4″ of thickness and even longer for thicker pieces. For optimal results, do what works for you, not what a package says.
Not sure you’ve baked your piece long enough? Read about how you can tell if your polymer clay is baked by testing the flexibility here.
Position in the Oven
When you put your polymer clay in the oven, try to center it as far from any heating element as possible. You want good air circulation around your items so that the heat can distribute evenly inside the oven. Put it on the center rack, equidistant from the elements, and keep it away from the oven’s walls. This is obviously more difficult in a toaster oven as the baking chamber is so small. But if parts of your project are too close to the heating element, it will burn.
Protecting your work from the heat
As anyone who has ever held their hand above a stove’s heating element can attest, it gets awfully toasty! Even if the overall temperature in the oven stays where you set it, every time that heating element cycles on, it glows red hot and can singe your polymer clay pieces if they’re too close. Some ovens don’t regulate this very well and the element will scorch things, quite badly at times. The best way to protect your beautiful artwork from baking disasters is to protect it and shield it from the heat by keeping it covered up.
I use an aluminum foil cake pan, most often the 8″ x 8″ size because my 6″ ceramic tiles fit perfectly in the bottom. (Those of you outside the US will need to find the sizes that work for the materials you have where you are. In the UK, I know you can get 150mm tiles and 240mm square pans.) For larger projects I use larger pans and tiles. You could use a sheet of aluminum foil. Or a covered roasting pan. Or an upside down pan. Covering your work protects it from the heating element and it also helps keep the heat contained at a steady level inside the pan, leading to a more complete and reliable cure.
Another fantastic bonus of using a cover is that the chemical smells that come from baking polymer clay will be greatly contained. The few times that I have baked uncovered, my husband has come to me, worried, because he could smell the clay and thought it was burning! (It wasn’t.)
One other nice bonus that comes from using the foil pans is that I have a cover for my unbaked pieces in the studio. Sometimes I’ll have the pan sitting there for days until I’ve made enough pieces to bake. The cover keeps the dust and curious kitties from ruining my clay.
If you use a toaster oven and have a tiny space, you could use the tiny aluminum foil pie pans the same way that I use the larger pans. Any pan with a lid that is oven safe could be used to protect your clay while baking. Keep your eye open for a small unpainted metal box, or even a tin. Run it through the oven by itself first to make sure it will handle the heat, though, just to make sure.
Maintaining a Constant Temperature
Convection ovens are much better at keeping a consistent temperature, but conventional and toaster ovens use a hot element, cycling on and off, to keep the space heated. The radiant heat from the element can burn your clay, as I’ve already stated, but there’s also the problem that curing of your items can be inhibited if the temperature doesn’t stay high the whole time. If your oven is one of those that gets fairly cold before the element kicks back on, it might be helpful to place ceramic tiles on the rack in the middle of the oven. This will act as what’s called a “heat sink” to help hold and evenly distribute the heat. You could also use an old pizza stone if your oven is large enough.
This is why I use a ceramic tile in the bottom of my foil pan baking system. It helps keep the temperature constant. I also use my ceramic tiles as work surfaces, if this is a new idea for you, you might want to read about how ceramic tiles are one of my most indispensable tools.
Support and Protective Material
When you place raw clay on a glazed ceramic tile and then bake it, the places where the clay touched the tile will be shiny. To prevent this, merely place your item on a piece of scrap copy paper, an index card, or a piece of card stock. Don’t worry, the paper will not burn. But make sure that it doesn’t have any printing or writing on it as the inks could transfer to your clay.
If you’re baking round beads, setting them on a flat surface is a recipe for frustration! To keep them from rolling all over the place, merely accordion fold a piece of blank copy paper and set your beads in the folds. They’ll stay in one place and they won’t have shiny spots.
Another method is to use a piece of polyester quilt batting. Again, it won’t burn in the oven, and it keeps your pieces from getting a shiny spot. Batting is a great tool, too, if you work with sculpture and need to support parts of your pieces during baking. Just use lots of polyester fiber fill (Affiliate Link – learn more here) to prop it all up.
One thing to note about using paper, though. Don’t leave your art piece on paper for very long before you bake it. You might notice an oily spot on the paper…that’s the liquid plasticizer that’s leached out of your clay. A small amount won’t hurt your clay (make sure to discard the paper afterward, though). But if excessive amounts of plasticizer are leached out, it might weaken your piece.
How to prevent browning of your clay projects
Translucent and light colors of polymer clay are very susceptible to turning brown during baking. This is not an indication of burning and is not dangerous, but it is frustrating. It’s just one of those things you have to work around and there are some things you can do to prevent, or at least minimize the problem. Before we get to those, though, make sure that you are baking at the right temperature and are covering your pieces during baking to prevent the heating element from damaging your work. Here are a few other things you can try.
Bury your Beads
Another strategy to protect your polymer clay from the heat of the oven is to bury them in baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) during baking. Other people use cornstarch or salt. To do this, just pour an oven-safe bowl of your favorite powder, dig a hole, and put your beads inside. Put the whole thing in the oven to bake. After baking, you will need to rinse the powder off the beads. Some people report that cornstarch is harder to rinse off and leaves a white residue, so you might prefer to use baking soda if that’s the case. Regardless, don’t leave the beads sitting around unbaked in the powder for very long, though, for the same reason as with the paper above. The plasticizer can possibly leache out of the beads, leaving them brittle.
Experiment with Time and Temperature
Higher temperatures and longer bake times lead to more browning. So reducing the temperature or the duration of baking can solve the problem of browning. But, as I’ve discussed previously, that can also lead to weakened and underbaked projects. I suggest carefully experimenting with minimizing the baking time and temperature while at the same time monitoring the project’s strength. You need to bake long and hot enough to be fully cured and strong. Try the other strategies first, and if you still have unacceptable browning, then try experimenting with the time and temperature of baking.
Preventing Plaques and Cracks
Plaques are whitish areas that appear in the middle of a piece of polymer clay after curing. They look like they’re air bubbles but seem to happen when there was no obvious air trapped in the raw clay before baking. It’s more obvious in translucent and light colored clay. It’s been suggested that they are caused by water vapor or air collecting in the clay during curing and that they are caused by or exacerbated by sharp contrasts in temperature during baking or cooling. You will see more plaques when you’re baking too close to the heating element.
Can you bake polymer clay more than once?
A common question for those new to polymer clay is “Can you bake polymer clay more than once?” The answer is YES! There is no reason you can’t bake a piece of clay as many times as you need to. In fact, for complex pieces, it’s common to bake parts of the piece separately and then assemble and attach them after baking. It’s also perfectly fine to attach raw clay to baked clay and bake that. Sometimes it’s the only way you can get certain effects.
High Altitude Baking of Polymer Clay
If you live at a high altitude, then you already know that the laws of physics can do some strange things to your baking times and temperatures. Because baking times for food needs to be adjusted at high altitudes, many people assume this is the same for polymer clay. It is not. There is no water in polymer clay, so the air pressure differences of altitude are irrelevant.
Alternate Methods of Curing
Microwave
Do not use a microwave to cure polymer clay. It’s the wrong kind of heating process. It’s not going to cause sparks or anything like that, but it will cause smoke when it burns! Read more about it in my article about it here.
Boiling
For some reason, there is a controversy about using boiling water to cure polymer clay. Some people say that it works, but that just isn’t realistic. Water boils at 212°F (100°C), which is a temperature too low to cure polymer clay. You’d think that adding more heat would raise the temperature of the water, but in reality, it doesn’t. Blame physics. Now some people will say that boiling for a long time does give a complete cure for polymer clay. I am very, very skeptical of this.
However, I can conceive of why you might want to boil a polymer clay sculpture, for instance, to allow the water to support the item long enough to partially cure. This might be helpful with complex thin projections or pieces that would ordinarily be too floppy to bake without the support of the water. You would then fully bake the item at a proper temperatures in the oven. But that’s not something most of us are going to be dealing with.
Heat Gun
A heat gun is a valuable tool for working with polymer clay. You can spot cure polymer clay with a heat gun but you have to be very, very careful to keep the gun moving at all times and not get too close to the clay. Heat guns (Affiliate Links – learn more here) produce enough heat to scorch and burn polymer clay causing it to blister and turn black (and produce irritating fumes). Yes, I hang my head in shame here. I have done this. But as long as you’re super careful to avoid burning, you can sort of “soft cure” clay to get it to solidify. You might use this technique if using liquid clay to assemble a sculpture, for instance. But it’s not a complete cure and you would still need to fully cure your project in the oven.
Cynthia Tinapple does use a heat gun (Affiliate Link – learn more here) to cure her polymer in place in the wooden bowls she creates with her husband Blair Davis. But she also uses a digital thermometer to make sure the clay is actually reaching curing temperature. For most of us, this isn’t a generally reliable way of curing polymer clay.
Well that’s all I can think of. You should have a pretty good idea of how to bake polymer clay. Now go make something beautiful!
This article was Part 3 of a series on Baking Polymer Clay. Part 1 was about Choosing the Right Oven and Part 2 was about Using the Right Temperature. Next is Part 4, How Long to Bake Polymer Clay.
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191 thoughts on “How to Bake Polymer Clay: Part 3 – Tips and Tricks”
This is a different way of curing clay.
https://www.jessamatutorials.com/bake-polymer-clay.html#top
What’s your opinion on this?
My experience and understanding of these materials do not support some of the points she makes in this article.
Thank you for providing all of us that know so little about a craft we love! I was going to use a toaster oven, but now I know I need to use a larger oven.
Hi there!
I’m super sad because I used translucent polymer clay and got badly burnt, literally black. They seem cured fine, flexible and nice but badly burnt. Same time and temp I normally use for projects without translucent.
I’m sorry. I’m sure that was frustrating! Your oven definitely is curing way too hot. Please do some experiments and use a thermometer to make sure that your oven is curing at the correct temperature and staying there through the entire baking cycle. Also, always cover your clay. It does make a difference!
Thank you for such an informative website! I am unsure about what baking time to use when my item contains BOTH Sculpy 111 and Premo. Premo, as you know has the same temperature setting as Sculpy 111, however, it also suggests double the baking time than Sculpy 111. Which time should I use? Does it depend on how much product of each was used? Thank you for your help!
You can easily bake any clay brand longer as long as the temperature is correct. Mix them together and bake as with Premo.
Hi Ginger. Thanks for all you do. You are invaluable to so many of us.
I am baking my items exactly as you have suggested on a ceramic tile in a foil pan with an inverted foil pan cover (clipped together). The temperature reading inside of my pans is 15 degrees lower than the temperature inside of the oven (even after an hour or more). I am using a convection toaster oven. My pieces are flexible but snap when bent in half (thickness is 1, 2 & 3 on Atlas Machine). Should I increase my temperature by 15 degrees?
Thanks!
YES!
Thanks Ginger. I wanted to add – I cut windows in the sides off of the inverted top foil pan to let heat in and was shocked to find a white paper-towel-like material on the inside! I went back to look at my original packaging and discovered my pans were actually “Grease Absorbing Miracle Broiler Pans”. I never knew there was such a thing.
Just a heads up for others. If you get Grease Absorbing Pans the temperature inside of your pans is way cooler due to the white material in the center of the foil (but absolutely no burning or discoloration).
After cutting the windows in the sides; all is good now.
Thank you for great informations! I bake my FIMO pieces for 110°C (as written on a cover 🙂 So is it better to bake it at 135°C, will pieces be better baked? Thanks a lot. ♡
And if you will look at the back of the package, Fimo can be baked up to 130C. Bake your clay as long and as hot as you can without having unwanted color change. Hotter and longer baking will make a stronger result. Use an oven thermometer and make sure to cover your pieces.
Hi. This may be a silly question. When you say use a ceramic tile, is this glazed or not? If not will a pizza oven ceramic tray / tile work the same?
For baking, you can use either a glazed or unglazed tile. They both work well, and both have other good uses in your studio, too, especially as a work surface.
So do you prefer NOT to use a convection oven? I just purchased one for clay specifically and also bought an oven thermometer. Im a bit intimidated to use it.
A convection oven is just an oven with a fan. Use whatever setting gives you the best results and the most even heat.
Hi there! I am still having a lot of trouble with bubbles forming in my polymer clay when I take them out of the oven. I mainly use sculpey soufflé. I condition the clay pretty well, sometimes I feel like it’s so much. But I’m not sure. And I can’t seem to stop the bubbles from forming. Do you have any tips on this? I’ve heard that placing some glass or tile over flat pieces may help the bubbles from rising to the surface. But I’m not sure what the best way to approach that would be. Thank you!
Don’t assume the bubbles are trapped air. Sometimes this comes from the item being too close to the heating element. Protect the item from the heat by covering it.
Will regular paper work if i dont have copy paper? I just bought a convection oven because my home oven was just not getting to the right temp according to the oven thermometer. Ill be returning it and use your baking method. Is the tin foils too much for earrings? Will ceramic tile paper and foil work? Thsnk you!
Any paper works just fine, but avoid paper with printing on it. Foil is great for going OVER the clay, to tent it, but your earrings will be shiny wherever they touch the foil.
I’m curious if it’s possible to use a ceramic dish with a cover to bake clay in. Or does it have to be a tinfoil dish with a ceramic tile. I just figure instead of two separate items that a casserole dish might do. What are your thoughts? Does the metal container do something a ceramic dish wouldn’t?
No, you can bake your clay on whatever heatproof surface you wish. The only thing is that you want the bottom to be flat, which is why tiles are great. Most dishes are curved, even if slightly. Also, be aware that a ceramic or glass dish (like pyrex) is going to take quite a while to warm up, so adjust your baking time accordingly.
Hi Ginger…..When baking items in baking soda/corn starch in a regular oven…do you need to increase temperature or cook longer? Say, 285 F for premo (or something under 300 F),..maybe an hour instead of 45 mins on average? I stopped using cornstarch a long time ago as my pieces didn’t cure well and were brittle. I’ve use to bake these items in covered bread foil tins. Thanks.
Yes, you need to bake longer. Much longer, such as double. Perhaps even longer. While you shouldn’t really increase the temperature, this method works well if your oven does happen to spike. But duration is the key. It takes a long time for the heat to penetrate.
Thanks Ginger, You’re awesome… as usual. It’s so nice to have a “go to” person with such knowledge.
I’m just getting started with polymer clay, but what I’m hoping to be able to do is to create vessels, basically. Do you have recommendations on materials that you can bake on, which the cost will release from easily?
Anything that can be baked in the oven can conceivably be used to form and/or shape polymer clay. Getting it to release is the trick. Glass is an easy one. You can usually get it off without too much trouble by sliding a thin blade behind the clay to release the connection, then pull it off. Or you can use some foil or paper between the two to prevent sticking. Even then, it’s a complex topic. Some shapes don’t work well (if there’s a smaller neck, for example). The best thing is to get started experimenting and you’ll learn as you go.
I always squash or misshape my work when transferring it from table to baking tray (I use a metal spatula/cake slice tool) – any advice?
That’s way too thick. Get a thin metal blade and slide it behind your pieces, releasing them from the table. They’re sold where clay is sold.
I’m adding translucent liquid sculpey to the back of my already baked earrings to hold my posts- when baking I just use a baking sheet, however when done I am getting a weird coating on the front of the earring (since I have to place face down on baking sheet) I’m getting so frustrated as I have tried just the pan itself & also putting down wax paper. Would a sheet of paper be the answer? Thanks for the help in advance! Xo
Yes, try the sheet of paper.
Can I bake polymer clay with jewelry findings in it? Because my clay falls apart if I cook it and then try to use the findings.
Your polymer clay earrings are breaking because they are not fully baked. Make sure that you’re baking them long enough and hot enough to be strong. Properly baked polymer clay will not break unless you really try.
I am having difficulty trying to get a polymer clay piece onto the cookie sheet without damaging it, since it is soft. When I try to pick it up by hand, it sometimes gets a little misshaped, or fingerprints. I tried using a spatula, but it damaged the back of it. Any suggestions? Thanks, Dottie
Yes, use a long thin blade to slide behind the piece, releasing it from your work surface.
Thank you for such an informative article. I have a question about the binder clips that you use to connect your two aluminum pans. Have you ever experienced any melting? Are there certain brands of clips you would suggest? I had always thought they contained plastic, but I may be wrong. I’m just getting started with working with Polymer Clay, so I want to have a good idea of what to expect.
Standard binder clips from an office supply store are made completely of metal. The brand will likely change depending on the country. Here in the US, they’re commonly Acco. Staples brand will also work.
Other types of clips do contain plastic, so give it a good look first.
Thank you so much for this info, it’s a huge help! I’ll make sure to double check the kinds I use!
I use wooden alligator type clothes pins in the miniature size to hold my pans together
Do you have recommendations on baking thin or 2mm clay? I can’t seem to find the right temperature or time My pieces either end up being under baked or burnt :/ I’ve been using Kato and a variety of Scupley brands if that helps.
Thin or thick, it doesn’t matter. The process is the same for both. The temperature needs to be correct and you should bake at least 45 minutes to an hour. If you are baking that long and it’s burning, your oven is too hot. If it’s breaking, the oven is not hot enough. Oven dials are nearly always incorrect, so you’ll need to get a thermometer. And some ovens have wildly varying temps which make it really challenging to nail down a process. If you’re struggling, I suggest my Baking and Curing tutorial that goes into more detail and gives some troubleshooting ideas. You can pick that up here: https://learn.thebluebottletree.com/product/baking-polymer-clay/
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