No polymer clay group or forum seems to escape the inevitable questions about using polymer clay sealers, varnishes, and glazes. Which ones are “clay safe”? Which ones turn sticky or get cloudy or peel off? Why are there so many opinions? Do you even need to use a sealer at all? (No, you don’t.) There are so many questions and no solid answers. But really, unless you test these products, it’s impossible to know which are the best polymer clay sealers. So that’s exactly what I did. (By the way, I’m using the terms sealer and varnish interchangeably…I found no difference.)
Over the past two years, I have gathered all the polymer clay sealers, varnishes, glazes, and dimensional glazes that I could find. I even brought some varnishes from the UK, so I could find a Varathane alternative for British clayers. I applied these products to five different brands of polymer clay and evaluated their performance over five months. The results are not what I had expected. Frankly, most varnishes failed on at least one brand of clay, and there was only a small handful that performed well on all five brands of clay. Varathane still scores well, but some of the others I’ve recommended in the past, do not. (Yes, I have now changed those articles!)
Summary of Sealer Tests
- For full results on all sealers, check my spreadsheet here.
- Each polymer clay sealer behaves differently on different brands of clay. The same varnish would be great on one brand of clay and fail miserably on another. Choose the right polymer clay sealer for your brand of clay.
- Nearly all varnishes, glazes, and sealers were unsuitable on at least one brand of clay.
- You don’t need to use a sealer in many cases, but if you do use one, choose PYM II, Helmar Crystal Kote Matte, Varathane, Pearl Ex Varnish, or Cernit MATTE varnish for maximum compatibility with all clay brands.
- You may get better performance by matching the sealer to the brand of clay, and not looking for one that works on all.
- Consider using liquid clay when sealing surface treatments on polymer clay.
- Skip to read my TOP VARNISH PICKS.
- Skip to read the best sealers for each clay brand:
- You can also skip to find the best varnishes by gloss level:
Testing Polymer Clay Sealers
This was a big job, and so this article will have a lot of information in it. Grab a cup of something refreshing and settle in for some reading. Based on my spray sealer tests, I knew that different brands of clay would react differently. I chose Sculpey III, Kato Polyclay, Premo, and Fimo Professional. Syndee Holt asked me to test Souffle as well, and I was happy to add it in. I wanted to test for both cloudiness and yellowing, so I needed both black and white clay. I added colored clay as an extra test. Here’s how I set it up.
How Sealers Were Tested
Master Cane
I made a master cane with each brand of clay using black, white, and primary colored clay. These canes were about 4 lbs (1800g) each. You can see how I reduced these canes using square dowels here. I then used my LC Slicer to make slices from each cane. Each slice became a test tile. I baked all tiles at their proper temperatures according to their label directions. Each tile was wiped with alcohol to remove any oils that were on the surface. Finally, the tiles were labeled on the back with a paint marker. Here’s the Kato master cane.
Varnish Application
Each varnish was first stirred with a new wooden stir-stick. I applied three coats to the tile with a soft brush using identical stroke patterns on each tile. The surface was allowed to dry to the touch between coats (typically 30 minutes or so). I did not heat set the tiles by baking them after the varnish dried.
Storage of Tiles
The tiles were stored flat in the open air, on a rack, in my studio for five months. My studio is exposed to normal household temperature conditions with an open studio window at times. Both temperature and humidity changed greatly as the season changed from summer through autumn into winter. They were evaluated at 1 week, 1 month, and five months.
Evaluation of Sealers
I evaluated the sealer itself for color, clarity, thickness, odor, and drying speed. These features are the same for all clays as they refer to the sealer itself. I evaluated the test tiles (the dried varnish) for gloss level, smoothness, cracking, clouding, yellowing, scratch resistance, peeling, stickiness, and thickness of coating (coverage).
I tested the scratch resistance by using my fingernail to dig at the coating, and to see if it would peel once scratched. By pressing my finger onto the tile and lifting, I tested stickiness. If the tile stuck to my finger at all, it gained a “sticky” rating. I also evaluated the tiles for the “feel” of the varnish and for smoothness issues such as brush strokes or bubbles.
Criteria for a Recommendation
As you can imagine, there was a lot of judgment involved here. I tried to be objective, but how do you really quantify “how much” scratching or how much cloudiness is too much? I would still give a “yes” vote for a sealer with poor performance in one area if it was really good in all the others.
However, if there was any stickiness at all, at any point during the testing period (after the initial drying time), the varnish would receive a “no” vote, even if the tile wasn’t sticky later. I also gave a “no” vote to any sealer that could be easily scratched off with little effort. To get my top pick as “the best,” the product had to work well on all five brands of clay that I tested.
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Sealer Results
For detailed results of my polymer clay sealer tests, have a look at this spreadsheet. There you can see exactly how each sealer scored, on each characteristic, on each brand of clay. I would like to give you a yes/no for each product, but because they acted so differently on the various brands of clay, I can’t do that. Here is a summary of how each product performed.
Sprays
- Krylon Preserve-It! Spray – This spray never dried and was extremely sticky and goopy on all brands.
- Krylon Workable Fixatif Spray – This spray was very pebbly and did not spray evenly on the surface. Sticky on Premo, Fimo Pro, and Souffle.
- Molotow Premium Spray – While this spray was only sticky on Fimo Professional, it didn’t spray evenly to make a smooth surface. It was very pebbly.
- PYM II – As with all my other tests of this spray, it worked beautifully on all brands of clay.
- Helmar Crystal Kote – The gloss version works nicely on all brands but Fimo Professional. The matte version, which I highly recommend, is invisible on your project and has a matte finish. Read more about Helmar Crystal Kote here.
For more spray sealer tests, check out my article that is specifically on that subject.
Matte Varnishes
- Cernit Matte Transparent Varnish – One of the very few varnishes that are scratch-resistant on Kato. Makes a lovely dry-feeling and durable varnish on all clay brands tested but is not really very matte. It’s more of a satin.
- Swellegant Clear Sealant – Sold by Christi Friesen, this light-bodied sealer is perfect for fixing surface treatments. Sadly, it beads up on Kato, but is nice on the other clay brands.
- DuraClear Ultra Matte – Very light-bodied dead matte varnish that is scratch resistant on Fimo Pro and Souffle and good for low-wear items made from Sculpey III and Premo. Not suitable for Kato as it can be very easily scratched and peeled off. My new favorite matte varnish!
- Golden Matte Polymer Varnish with UVLS – A dead matte varnish that is highly recommended in the polymer community. However, it scratches very easily from Sculpey III, Kato, and Premo. It gets sticky on Fimo Professional. It works better on Souffle, but can still be scratched off.
- Duncan Matte Sealer – Sold by ceramic suppliers, this sealer is sticky on Premo, Fimo Professional, and Souffle and scratches easily from Sculpey III and Kato.
- Mod Podge Matte – Similar to white glue, this paper crafting stand-by has terrible brush strokes and isn’t very matte. It turns white when in contact with water. There are better choices.
- Daler-Rowney Soluble Varnish, Matte – Used for varnishing acrylic and oil paintings, I just added this in because I had it on hand. It doesn’t work on any brand of clay that I tried. Sticky and gooey.
- Liquitex Matte Varnish (red label) – Also used to varnish paintings, this one peels easily from all clays that I tried, and was sticky on Premo, Fimo Professional, and Souffle.
- Genesis Heat Set Matte Varnish – Not so much a varnish as a version of liquid clay, this mayonnaise-textured gel works great on all brands of clay, chemically. But the texture of your application method will show, whether you sponge or brush. It does not self-level. (NOTE: Sadly, the entire line of Genesis products is no longer being manufactured. I’ve left this info in place for archival reference.)
Satin or Semi-Gloss Varnishes
- Final Coat – Available in low gloss and semi-gloss, this light-bodied sealer works nicely as a fixative for mica powders. Not a heavy-duty protectant, but works nicely on all clays except for Kato which either beads up or scratches readily.
- Liquitex Satin Varnish (red label) – Cloudiness is apparent on dark colors. Peels easily from all clay and gets sticky on Premo and Fimo Pro.
- Sculpey Satin Glaze – Has obvious brush strokes (esp Fimo Pro) and is cloudy on all clays. Scratch-resistant on Kato (which is unusual) and Souffle.
- Polycrylic Clear Satin – This wood varnish has a vinyl-like or rubbery feel to it, but works nicely on Sculpey III, Fimo Pro, and Souffle. Scratches very easily from Kato and Premo.
- Varathane Polyurethane Satin – Also a wood varnish, this polymer clay favorite has a dry feel and no stickiness on any brand of clay. Can be scratched off if you dig at it on all brands but Fimo Pro.
- Future Acrylic Floor Finish – No longer available (replaced by Pledge Floor Care), this light-bodied and completely clear finish is lovely on all brands of clay. Not a true gloss, more of a semi-gloss, but can be glossier with many coats. Smells like apples and pears. Is never sticky. Sadly, this can be scratched off most clays and isn’t terribly durable.
- Pledge Floor Care Finish – Nearly identical to Future (above) except that it has a different smell and is just a smidge more glossy. Does not get white when in contact with water.
Gloss Varnishes
- Golden Polymer Varnish w/UVLS – This popular varnish peels easily from all clays, beads up on Kato, Fimo, and Souffle, and is sticky on Fimo Professional. I know it’s popular, but it really scored badly here.
- Media Gloss Varnish – I found this in HobbyCraft in the UK, but it is available in the US as well. It beads up on Kato, Premo, and Fimo Pro, and scratches easily on all but Souffle. On Souffle, however, it is a phenomenal varnish giving a durable high gloss shine. Highly recommended for Souffle only!
- Cernit Transparent Varnish, Glossy – Beads up on all clays, but it’s so bad on Kato that you cannot get any coverage at all. Cloudy on Kato and Souffle.
- Duncan Gloss Sealer – Here’s another ceramic sealer that had terrible brush strokes and was sticky on all brands of clay.
- Sculpey Gloss Glaze – There were obvious brush strokes and distinct cloudiness on all brands of clay. Oddly, I found that by 5 months, this finish crackled on all brands of clay, and was most obvious on Kato.
- DuraClear Gloss Varnish – This craft store varnish beads up on all brands of clay, but eventually smooths out with several coats. Can be easily scratched off Kato. Has a nice feel on Fimo, but caused the test tile to curl. On Souffle it seemed great until I noticed that it had fine bubbles in the varnish. Few things are good on Fimo, so this is a good one to try.
- Gloss Medium & Varnish (green label) – This was sticky on all clays tested. Do not use.
- Liquitex Goss Varnish (red label) – Cloudy on Sculpey III, Premo, and Souffle. Sticky on Fimo. Fine bubbles on Souffle. Beaded up on application on all clays. There are better varnishes.
- Fimo Gloss Varnish – Beading up and cloudiness are the issues with this varnish. Makes a good varnish for Fimo Professional and Souffle, however.
- Ronseal Interior Gloss Varnish – This is a UK brand of hardware store polyurethane and it’s truly remarkable and scratch resistant on Sculpey III, Kato, and Premo. But it is sticky on Fimo Pro and Souffle. (Some have noted it can also be sticky on Premo, so always test!)
- Wilko Quick Dry Varnish – Another UK varnish, this is lovely on Sculpey III, Premo, and Souffle. It peels from Kato and is sticky on Fimo Professional.
- Polycrylic Clear Gloss – Available everywhere in the US, this varnish has a vinyl-like feel and isn’t very gloss on any clay. Gives a good finish on all but Kato. It’s satin on Fimo Pro, however, but glossier on Souffle.
- Varathane Polyurethane Gloss -This much-loved polymer clay sealer is dry and lovely on all brands of clay. It can scratch and peel off if you dig at it, but it’s perfectly durable for all but the most roughly-handled pieces.
- Mod Podge Gloss-Lustre – This paper crafting glue-based decoupage medium is very glossy but gives terrible brush strokes. Not at all water-resistant, this turns brilliant white when it gets wet. Not really a suitable polymer clay sealer or varnish.
- Darwi Vernis – This alcohol-based varnish from the makers of Cernit gives a lovely thick, glossy coating. But it scratches easily from Kato. It turns white and crackles if flexed, so don’t use it on anything flexible (like thin cutter earrings). But this is a great coating on beads or anything that needs to be hard and shiny.
- Pearl Ex Varnish – There is no mica powder in this, but it is sold by the same company. This satin-sheened varnish has a lovely dry feel and is scratch resistant on all clays. It leaves a slight orange-peel texture on Fimo, but is wonderful on the other brands of clay.
Dimensional Glazes
- Aleene’s Jewelry Pendant Gel – A very glossy dimensional glaze that does show scratches and can peel if you pick at it. Nice and smooth on most clays, but is sticky on Fimo Professional.
- Mod Podge Dimensional Magic – Obvious brush strokes and bubbles make smooth application impossible. Sticky on Premo. Shrinks over time, causing the clay to curl upward. (And this one fared pretty badly on paper in other (unpublished) tests, too.)
- Diamond Glaze – Dries blotchy with brush strokes and bubbles. Gets sticky on Sculpey III, Premo, and Fimo Pro. Shrinks and causes the clay to curl.
- Triple Thick – Readers tell me this glaze turns sticky, but I didn’t see it on any brand of clay (so far). All tiles showed blotchy brush strokes. This is the glossiest of all the products I tested. All tiles curled upward. Has a rubbery feel that shows fingerprints, that are highly visible on black.
Best Sealer by Clay Brand
Because there is so much information here, I’ve struggled to present it in a way that makes sense for you. The above info is great if you want to see how a specific polymer clay sealer works, but it’s pretty hard to figure out the best sealer for the brand of clay that you use. To help clarify, here’s a list of products that worked well with each brand of clay. I’ve highlighted my top pick for each clay brand in green (though this is subjective and you might like a different product better).
Sculpey III
- PYM II
- Sculpey Satin Glaze
- Polycrylic Clear (satin and gloss)
- Varathane (satin and gloss)
- Final Coat (both semi-gloss and low-gloss)
- Cernit Matte Varnish
- Swellegant Sealant
- DuraClear Ultra Matte Varnish
- Ronseal Interior Gloss Varnish
- Wilko Quick Dry Varnish
- Pearl Ex Varnish
- Genesis Heat Set Matte Varnish (no longer available)
- Helmar Crystal Kote Matte
Kato Polyclay
- PYM II
- Sculpey Satin Glaze
- Varathane (satin and gloss)
- Cernit Matte Varnish
- Ronseal Interior Gloss Varnish (UK only)
- Pearl Ex Varnish
- Helmar Crystal Kote Matte
- Aleene’s Jewelry Pendant Gel
- Genesis Heat Set Matte Varnish (no longer available)
Premo
- PYM II
- Polycrylic (satin and gloss)
- Varathane (satin)
- Final Coat (semi-gloss and low-gloss)
- Cernit Varnish (matte and gloss)
- Swellegant
- DuraClear Ultra Matte Varnish
- Ronseal Interior Gloss Varnish (UK only)
- Wilko Quick Dry Varnish
- Pearl Ex Varnish
- Aleene’s Jewelry Pendant Gel
- Genesis Heat Set Matte Varnish (no longer available)
- Helmar Crystal Kote Matte
Fimo Professional
- PYM II
- Polycrylic (satin and gloss)
- Varathane (satin and gloss)
- Final Coat (semi-gloss and low-gloss)
- Cernit Varnish (matte and gloss)
- DuraClear Ultra Matte (and gloss)
- Fimo Gloss
- Pearl Ex Varnish
- Genesis Heat Set Matte Varnish (no longer available)
- Helmar Crystal Kote Matte
Souffle
- PYM II
- Sculpey Satin Glaze
- Polycrylic (satin and gloss)
- Varathane (satin and gloss)
- Final Coat (semi-gloss and low-gloss)
- Cernit Varnish (matte and gloss)
- Swellegant
- DuraClear Ultra Matte
- Golden Polymer Varnish with UVLS (matte)
- Media Gloss Varnish
- Fimo Gloss
- Wilko Quick Dry Varnish
- Pearl Ex Varnish
- Aleene’s Jewelry Pendant Gel
- Genesis Heat Set Matte Varnish (no longer available)
- Helmar Crystal Kote Matte
Um…I had different results!!!
Did your favorite coating receive a poor score? Have you had bad results with a polymer clay sealer that I’ve recommended? This is not surprising. Varnishes, sealers, and polymer clay formulas are constantly being tweaked by the manufacturers. I can only vouch for the clay that I have and the bottles and jars of product that I tested. There are SO many variables and even things such as contamination by brushes can change the results. Even a different manufacturing lot can perform differently. Undercured polymer clay can also result in sticky paints, sealers, and varnishes. Make sure you’re baking your clay properly.
Because of this variability, you should always test any polymer clay sealers and varnishes that you use with your clay. This is even true if you’ve successfully used a polymer clay sealer with a different brand of clay, and especially relevant when working on an important project.
Another factor that comes into play is paints. When you apply a varnish over a paint, the potential increases for chemical interactions. Many paints remain sticky on polymer clay, too, and adding a varnish over that can give highly unpredictable results.
Phyllis Cahill ran a series of tests evaluating how well sealers adhered to various brands of clay and surface treatments such as metal leaf and Perfect Pearls. Her results differed from mine to a degree, which underscores the variability we seem to get when working with polymer clay sealers and varnishes.
Recommendation for Polymer Clay Sealers
So bottom line, what is my top pick for which sealer I recommend? It’s really hard to say because it depends on what effect you want. Few of these sealers are identical. Some are thick and glossy, some are thin and matte. There are no quick and easy answers. Here are some key points.
- Varathane is an excellent all-purpose varnish that shows no signs of being sticky on any brand of clay. If you use many brands of clay and only want to invest in one polymer clay sealer, this is probably the best bet. It is not, however, the best-performing varnish on any one brand.
- Pearl Ex Varnish performed well on all brands of clay, a bit less so on Fimo Pro. Certainly a good varnish to use.
- Cernit Matte Varnish is another stand-out, but it’s not very matte. It’s more like a satin.
- DuraClear Ultra Matte Varnish by Americana gives a luscious dead matte finish on all clays except for Kato.
- Final Coat and Swellegant are both super light bodied sealers that are a great alternative to PYM II when you need to seal mica powders. They go on quickly without much brushing and dry in no time.
- Varathane is now available in the UK from Amazon. But if you go to Homebase, you can get Ronseal Interior Gloss Varnish that performs beautifully on all but Fimo and Souffle.
Changing Recommendations
Don’t ever say I won’t admit when I’m wrong. Sadly, I have given bad advice in the past! Previously, I’ve recommended Golden Polymer Varnish and Liquitex Varnish. I did use both varnishes in practice, and they did work for me. But that was before I tried those varnishes on multiple clay brands. Because these products performed poorly in these tests, I no longer recommend them and have changed the relevant articles. My apologies if I led you astray. I was going on the information that I had at the time. I know more now. 🙂
Also, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS test the particular bottle of varnish you have with the brand of clay you’ll be using. Manufacturers change formulas, and there are different formulas in different regions due to supply issues and local laws. Always test to be sure!
Polymer Clay Sealers – Only If you Have To!
As you, hopefully, can see, there is no one sealer or varnish that works beautifully and perfectly in all situations and on all brands of clay. It’s important to note, polymer clay sealers add an element of complexity and bring in the chance for brush strokes, peeling, stickiness, and cloudiness. Please know that polymer clay does not need to be sealed. It’s a durable plastic (vinyl) and the only thing that needs to be sealed is surface treatments that you put ON the clay.
You can use polymer clay sealers and varnishes to change the gloss level of your work, but if what you’re looking for is a super smooth and glass-like finish, the smoothest and most durable solution is to sand and buff your clay. Not sure how to do that? I wrote a 120 page eBook that covers this very subject, in-depth! Click here to learn more about the Sanding and Buffing (and Finishing) eBook!
Alternatives to using Polymer Clay Sealers?
As I just said, the best way to get a smooth, glass-like finish is to sand and buff your project. Knowing how to do this quickly and easily (and without painful fingertips) is a valuable skill to add to your repertoire. Get the 120 page eBook here!
Another solution is to use liquid polymer clay as a clear coat and fixative. Translucent Liquid Sculpey makes an excellent matte fixative. Just use a cosmetic sponge to (very) lightly dab it onto the surface of your project, then bake again. Yes, this can be done over paint and other surface treatments.
Liquid Kato Polyclay can be used to make a super-smooth and glossy finish and sealer on your clay projects. There is a bit of a learning curve, but when done using a heat gun, liquid Kato makes a hard, non-rubbery, durable, and chemically compatible finish on your clay. To learn more about that, I highly recommend getting Debbie Crothers’ video tutorial Curing Liquid Kato Clay. She takes away all the mystery of learning this essential skill.
Alternatively, resin (both epoxy resin and UV resin) is also a good method for coating polymer clay. But I didn’t test resins in this article…that’s for another day.
Acknowledgments
In conclusion, there are some people I want to thank. Although I did buy most of the clay and sealers used in this article, I was thrilled to receive some of the products to help me with the cost a bit. Many thanks to the following people:
Sculpey sent me a huge package of Souffle in just the colors I needed to make the 4 lb cane I used for the Souffle test tiles.
Bottles of Final Coat were provided by Wendy Orlowski of Shades of Clay. This was one of the first sealers I collected, so it’s been a while. Thank you for your patience, Wendy! Shades of Clay is a great Canadian polymer clay resource!
Cernit Varnishes, both Matte and Gloss, were provided by Marina Taenkova of Marka Decor.
I wanted to include Christi Friesen’s Swellegant sealant in these tests, and she happily sent me some to test.
And if sealers aren’t your thing, learn more about the art of sanding and buffing…
Sand better, not harder
Everyone loves a perfectly smooth, glassy finish, but it seems to be elusive. Does your polymer clay look scratched and rough after sanding? This course will change everything.
129 thoughts on “Testing 41 Polymer Clay Sealers”
You tested water based Varnathane in a can…have you tested the spray version of this polyurethane?
Yes, it’s in my article on spray sealers.
Maybe they came out with a formula, (the container is different than the one I bought several years ago which worked great) but the sculpey satin glaze I recently bought, is now beading up when I try to use it on kato clay.
Thanks for the report. Yes, either product could have changed slightly, which is why it’s hard to make specific recommendations. FYI, if you lightly sand the Kato with some 800 grit sandpaper (or thereabouts), you’ll likely find that varnish applies more smoothly.
Great article, very helpful indeed. Many thanks. Just an update, in case you weren’t aware, the link to Varathane on Amazon UK says it’s currently unavailable
Thanks Emma. It’s hard to stay on top of these things. It comes into stock now and then, so I suggest checking back.
I use plain original sculpey and then paint the figurines I make using acrylic paints. Polyurethane works great for coating. My biggest white whale in finding an answer anywhere on the Internet is —are there any sealants that marry with acrylic painted polymer that would allow it to be weatherproof if exposed to the sun/rain? (Let’s assume I’d take a figurine inside for the winter). I’ve read many articles on sealants but I can’t find an answer for painted clay.
It’s a hard answer. Weathering is harsh, and paint companies spend a lot of money to get a good formula for this. But that’s for house and metal paint for the building trades, not art or craft paints. They’re not formulated to have that kind of durability. The same goes for varnishes. And these materials behave very differently on wood than they do on polymer clay. With polymer, they sit on the surface and do not bond into the fibers like they do with wood. Plus, the plasticizer in polymer clay can (and usually does) soften the paint and varnish, giving it reduced durability. So…it’s not a simple answer. Personally, I would not rely on any paint or varnish to look good more than a few months outdoors when used on polymer clay. I would create something using just polymer…with no finishes at all.
The clays I use are Premo and Souffle and I have used both Gorilla and Loctite superglues (a teeny amount) for years with 100% success. The trick is to rough up the smooth metal to give it some “tooth” and I use my Dremel with a sanding bit for that.
Hi Ginger! I’m doing some testing myself. My sister found this high gloss from Martha Stewart. It said it could be used on jewelry. I talked to a bunch of clay people, and while a few people have heard of it, no one has tried it. So I did! I’ve only had it for two months, but it holds up great on Premo. Have you heard of it before? Wait, let me get the whole name. Martha Stewart High Gloss Finish. It’s water based. We got it at Michaels.
Oh, yeah, thanks for all of this. I’m in an active clay group, and people share your links constantly!
No, I’ve not tried that one. The 40+ ones that I have tried are certainly not a comprehensive list. New ones come out everyday and I’d be testing things full time just keeping up with them! I’m glad you wrote in, though, now the info is here in the comments and others can learn from your experience, too. I wonder how it does on Fimo Pro. Anyone tried it?
Wow! Ty!
Im wondering what is safe to varnish clay earrings with ?!
Thank you so much for sharing this! Kind of you
What ingredients are needed for a good sealer? I don’t live in the US or Europe, and it’s hard to buy online from my country… Any recommendations?
Varnish and sealer manufacturers keep their formulas secret, so I have no way of comparing ingredients. The best thing is to look for a clear, water-based varnish and test it on some baked clay. See what happens. If it dries nicely and smooth, then you have a winner. Be aware that different brands of clay will react differently, so test on the brand of clay you plan to use.
Fabulous research as always! Really appreciate all the detail that went into this article!
What an eye opener! Thank you for all your hard work and dedication!
Great article! Have you tried Polycrylic clear or satin on Original Sculpey, or does another finish work better? I made quite a few tiles for mosaics using the Original Sculpey (had a lot left from a project years ago) to be used with Premo tiles so I need something that will work with both. Any help will be greatly appreciated!
No, I have not tested any sealers or varnishes on Original Sculpey. But in general, I’ve not received many complaints about sticky things on it, so I would expect that it would be good. Always test a bit, though, before investing in a large or valuable project.
Oh, thank you for this wonderful overview!
I mainly use Fimo Pro (sadly I still miss my classic, both behave not the same) and I have the problem of the cloudiness of their sealer (whiich I would also classify as satin and not gloss 😉 ). i it gets to thick or in small details. But I still use it but mostly only one light coat.
I am not sure whether you already covered this topic: Glues to adhere polymer clay to metal but also something a lot of people struggle with. It took me years to find a glue that is easy to work with and works good for my Fimo ear studs. So… if not, this would be another idea for a wonderful but really extensive test 😉
Hi Claire, I did do an article discussing the various glues and gluing strategies. But an even better article is Phyllis Cahill’s glue tests. https://polymerclayjourney.com/2016/12/30/what-adhesives-work-with-polymer-clay/
This helps so much, but I’m having a hard time finding a sealant that works inside a closed terrarium. I know it can be done because I’ve purchased pieces that never peel or get cloudy. I however, have tried at least 3 different sealers on kato clay and they all tend to get get funky after awhile. I make a lot of terrariums and it’s just easier to make my own decor. I do have some Fo clay I’ve yet to experiment with. I can’t find Varathane anywhere in a store near me, but I’ve tried Sculpy satin, Sculpy matte, and a Rustoleum water based polyurethane called “Ultimate Polyurethane” gloss. Humidity is the killer here I believe. Any suggestions would be most helpful!!
The problem is that polymer clay contains chemicals that soften varnish and paint. You don’t need to use a varnish to seal polymer clay. The clay itself is strong enough and waterproof enough on its own.
Thank you for the help. Is there anything else I can do to get the glossy finish?
Polymer clay can be sanded and buffed to a perfect shine. Or you can use resin. Have a look at my article Understanding Glazes and Clearcoats.
I will. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.
Amazing work, thanks for all of the information, super informative!
Amazing and comprehensive chart, thanks so much! You saved me a ton of time and testing 😀
I so wish I would have read your article prior to using a varnish on my polymer clay. I spent two weeks making a gift and now it’s tacky. Is there anyway to help it become less tacky? I’m so upset. I have a feeling it is what it is. Maybe you have some ideas? Thanks so much.
I am new to PC but I was wondering if ” Clear Nail Polish” would work or this layers of ” resin” like ” Little Windows” has. Non toxic and she uses it for many things.
I never recommend clear nail polish. Some brands work fine on some clays, but knowing which ones is like playing roulette with your creations. There are much better options. Yes, you can use resin to cover polymer clay. Either epoxy resin like Envirotex Lite or Little Windows works well. You can also use UV resin, too.
Hi Ginger. You have polycrylic highlighted as a favorite to use on Premo. I have used polycrylic (learned from you in my early days of PC crafting!). However, now I’m wondering if humidity is a factor with how various sealers work for different people. Don’t know where you are, but I’m in Oklahoma, USA. I have used polycrylic (semi-gloss) on jewelry or trinkets but I’m rarely, if ever, happy with the results. In every project I tried to use polycrylic on, it never dries, stays sticky even after months. I end up sanding and buffing for shine instead, and it seems to peal or scratch off if I manage to get a dry set. I have been looking for a better sealer and so far I seem to get the best results with Aleene’s jewelry and pendant gel. I read somewhere that if you get bubbles (which I do) to simply run a lighter across the gel surface (Do NOT touch the product or clay piece with the flame!) to pull up and pop the bubbles. That works most all the time but does make for extra steps in a project.
I do make sure items are fully baked (I usually bake for an hour, longer for thicker items, no matter the size). Trying to figure out why this sealer works for you and not so much for me, humidity is the only variance I can think of that would affect polycrylic so differently in various geographical areas. Oklahoma has high humidity nearly year round.
Thanks to you, I now have a plethora of other products to look into!
How do you feel about bake-setting polycrylic?
I’m in SW Missouri and we get Oklahoma’s weather, just six hours later. So I know exactly the humidity of which you speak. (Gotta love that Gulf moisture, eh?) Personally, I am not fond of Polycrylic. I just don’t like the way it feels. But I didn’t have it get sticky in the tests. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t get sticky for others! One possibility is that the can could be contaminated. Or maybe you’re painting the Polycrylic over paints and they’re reacting? Bottom line, you have to find a varnish that works for you. My tests are only a guideline because there are SO many variables out there. The least of which is that the manufacturers could change the varnish! If you don’t like Polycrylic, I suggest getting Varathane. You can get it on Amazon, but seldom in stores. Though, Menard’s does carry it if you have one of those down your way yet.
Lisa,
I second your Polycrylic results. Just just peeled off a coating from a pendant. Location: Swarthmore PA. Humidity high for the last week. Although many of my other peices completed last month coated with it took the varnish well.
Re: baking after sealing with polycrylic~tried it and it promptly peeled off a pendant face once the piece cooled.
Ginger,
Many thanks for all you do and research for us polyclay addicts, I mean artists. What a wonderful world we live in. 😉
Hi Ginger,
I wholeheartedly thank you so, so much for all the information you provide for us.
Did you ever give the Verathane Polyurethane Matte finish a try?
I’m feeling from your articles that the Verathane Polyurethane is probably the best sealer for my jewelry, however I’m hoping to get the least shiny version of this that still works well for Polymer jewelry. I’ve heard from a few sources that the Satin and Semi Gloss versions of this are still quite shiny and are more easily scratched off than the Gloss version. Do you think a thinner watered down coat or two of the Satin would make it less shiny and/or less durable? Any suggestions for getting a less shiny finish with this product?
Thanks so much again
Josie
Hi Josie, I already replied on FB, but here’s what I said there: Hi Josie, the Varathane that is I use doesn’t actually come in matte. People have told me that it does, but I can’t find that label anywhere. I suspect they’re thinking of a different version. Satin is less shiny than the Gloss. None of the Varathane varnishes are all that shiny compared to, for instance, nail polish. One coat of the gloss is, to me, rather satin-like. And I honestly don’t see a huge difference between the semi-gloss and the gloss. I just bought the gloss and use that for everything. For satin or matte, I use other products. If you need a true matte varnish, try Dura Coat Ultra Matte. There are details about this in my recent article comparing sealers. https://thebluebottletree.com/testing-polymer-clay-sealers/ and also my article here on comparing the various clearcoat types: https://thebluebottletree.com/understanding-polymer-clay…/ and finally, my article on Varathane itself: https://thebluebottletree.com/varathane-best-polymer…/
Ginger,
Another amazing article! You put so much effort into finding out all of this information and then sharing it with us. Thank you.
Thank you ginger for doing all the had work to advise us on the tech of working with polymer clays.
Have you considered Nunn Design Sealant? It is made for sealing collage paper and transfers but since Becky is showing more polymer clay work in her lines I wonder about the compatibility with polymer. Since I have it I sometimes reach for it to use but hesitate.
I’m sure Becky would be happy to add it to your tests.
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excellent! i will be picky, though, and say the krylon ‘preserve it’ is only meant for digital art, and digital (photo coated) papers, so should not be used on anything else, really- i sell this stuff (along with many other coatings/sealers (family owned art supply retail!) and i follow your work- you’ve helped me help customers tons!
You’re correct, that’s what it’s for. But there’s method to my madness. That’s actually what PYM II is intended for, too. I had hoped that it would have a similar chemistry. Also, the inks the are used in some printing processes (not inkjet, though) are plastisol inks and are chemically similar to polymer clay. I was taking a wild stab in the dark, trying for something that might work!
I use Triple Thick for a beautiful glass gloss finish on my Premo jewelry. It’s water based & dries very fast. I’ve tried several vanishes but this is the one I always use now.
I see a lot of polymer art made by a lot of people. I have many pieces collected from artists all over the world. And Triple Thick looks great. It’s very glossy and thick looking. It dries well. But when several pieces sit together for a while, they stick together. It isn’t sticky to the touch, but pieces stick to each other the same way a painted drawer sticks shut. I do not recommend Triple Thick…for good reason.
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