How To Seal Indoors/Outdoor Air Dry Clay Projects

Air dry clay does not have a natural glossy finish, to achieve this you will need to seal your projects once the clay hardens.

If you are new to air dry clay, let me assure you, once you learn the basics it’s so much fun to play with.

It’s very versatile and the only limitation is your imagination.

The projects you can create using air dry clay are endless and what makes this clay stand out from the other clays is that it doesn’t need to be baked in the oven or a kiln to harden.

How to seal air-dry clay projects? For outdoor projects, you can either use a clear varnish, liquid epoxy resin or acrylic sealer all of these will give your outdoor projects protection from water and moisture.  For indoor projects, you have many options such as Mod Podge, PVA glue, tacky glue and even clear nail varnish.  Sealing your projects will not only give them a layer of protection but also a nice finish.

When it comes to sealing your air dry projects you have many options, which option you go with will depend on whether your project is going to be located indoors or outdoors.

Outdoors	Indoors
Clear Varnish	Mod Podge
Liquid Epoxy Resin	PVC Glue
Acrylic Sealer	PVA Glue
	Tacky Glue
	Nail Varnish

How To Seal Indoor Air Dry Clay Projects?

When it comes to sealing your indoor air dry clay projects you have a few options available.

I will be looking at the following sealers for indoor air dry projects.

• Mod Podge
• PVA Glue
• Tacky Glue
• Nail Varnish

Before using any sealer always make sure you take all the safety precautions to keep yourself safe and your workspace protected.

Always make sure you have plenty of ventilation.

How To Use Mod Podge To Seal Air Dry Clay?

Steps:

1. Take necessary precautions to protect yourself, your work surface and your clothing.
2. Make sure that the clay is completely dry before applying a sealer.
3. Shake well before using.
4. Using a paintbrush apply a very thin layer of Mod Podge to your project.
5. Allow enough time to dry before you add another layer of Mod Podge.
6. It can take up to 6 hours for each layer to dry.
7. It can take between 3-5 layers until you get great results.
8. The more layers the more glossy your project will look.
9. Leave it at room temperature to dry, avoid direct sunlight.

Mod Podge is one of the most popular glues used for sealing indoor air dry projects.

It can be found in most craft stores and can cost around $5 online for a small bottle, which is great value for money as it will last a while.

The one thing that makes Mod Podge stand out from the other white glues is that it is available in different finishes such as:

• Clear
• Glitter
• Gloss
• Matt, etc.

Some crafters even use Mod Podge to seal their outdoor air dry projects however, it is known to turn yellow after some time in the sun, plus it is not waterproof, so if it rains a lot where you live then this may not be the best option for your outdoor clay projects.

How To Use PVA Glue To Seal Air Dry Clay?

Steps:

1. Take necessary precautions to protect yourself, your work surface and your clothing.
2. Make sure that the clay is completely dry before you start applying your sealer.
3. Shake well before using.
4. Using a paintbrush apply a thick layer of PVA glue to your project.
5. Spread out evenly using a paintbrush
6. Allow enough time to dry.
7. Keep in mind thicker the coat the more time it will need to dry.
8. Apply another coat if needed.
9. Leave it at room temperature to dry, avoid direct sunlight.

PVA glue is probably one of the cheapest options for sealing your indoors air dry clay projects.

You can easily find this type of glue at your local craft store, the great thing about this type of glue is that a large bottle can cost around $10 and it will last a very long time.

If you have kids helping with your projects then PVA glue is considered to be safe to be used by kids.  This said, always read the safety instructions on the glue bottle before using, as this may vary from brand to brand.

When you first apply PVA glue it will appear white but once it dries it will become translucent.

How To Use Tacky Glue To Seal Air Dry Clay?

Steps:

1. Take necessary precautions to protect yourself, your work surface and your clothing.
2. Make sure your clay project is completely dry before applying Tacky glue.
3. Shake well before using.
4. Using a paintbrush apply a thick layer of Tacky glue to your project.
5. Using a paintbrush spread it out evenly.
6. Allow enough time to dry.
7. Add more coats if needed.
8. The thicker the coat the more time it will need to dry completely.
9. Leave it at room temperature to dry, avoid direct sunlight.

Tacky Glue is another version of PVA glue.  It is very user-friendly which makes it a delight to work with.

If you are into your crafting, then you will be happy to know that Tacky glue can be used for more than just air dry projects such as:

• Cardmaking
• Wood crafting
• Fabric crafts to name a few.

There are many brands out there, but the one I prefer to use is Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue.  This brand can easily be found at your local craft store if not online.

When you first apply Tacky glue to your projects it appears white in color but once it dries it becomes translucent.

It gives a nice glossy finish so if that’s what you are after then this is one of the options you can go with.

How To Use Clear Nail Varnish To Seal Air Dry Clay?

Steps:

1. Take necessary precautions to protect yourself, your work surface and your clothing.
2. Make sure your clay is completely dry before applying clear nail varnish.
3. Shake well before using.
4. Using the brush that comes with your nail varnish apply a thin coat.
5. The thinner the layer the quicker it will dry for the next coat.
6. Apply additional coats if needed.
7. Let it dry at room temperature and avoid direct sunlight.

Using clear nail varnish is great for small projects and when you are out of your other sealers.

It’s cheap and easy to work with, the fumes can become a bit strong but always make sure you have plenty of ventilation when using any sealer and not just nail varnish.

You don’t need to use any fancy brand, any cheap varnish will do.  The only thing I have noticed is that some cheap nail varnishes require more than one coat, which I personally think is worth the price.

A great trick to get a different finish is by adding glitter to your nail varnish it will take your project to the next level.  This trick particularly goes well with Christmas air dry projects.

How To Seal Outdoor Air Dry Clay Projects?

Sealing your outdoor projects will not only make them waterproof and give them a nice glossy finish but it will also help prevent cracks from appearing on your air dry projects.

Even if your project is for indoors the following sealers can be applied to indoor projects to give them an extra layer of protection and a nice finish.

How To Use Clear Varnish To Seal Air Dry Clay?

Steps:

1. Take necessary precautions to protect yourself, your work surface and your clothing.
2. Wear gloves, a face mask and eye protection.
3. Always check your clay is completely dry before applying clear varnish.
4. If possible apply it to your project outdoors otherwise make sure you have plenty of ventilation indoors.
5. Shake and stir well before using.
6. Using a paintbrush apply a thin layer of clear varnish to your project.
7. Allow enough time to dry.  Read instructions for drying time as it may vary.
8. Apply another coat if needed.
9. Leave it somewhere to dry that has plenty of ventilation.

Using clear varnish for your outdoor air dry clay projects will give them some protection from water and other outdoor elements.

Not only will it protect your projects from outdoor elements but will also give them a glossy finish.

Depending on your project you could even use a non-clear varnish to give them some color if you have not already painted your project.

If you are planning to make projects for the garden or the outdoors, adding a layer of clear varnish will make them waterproof, which is great because air dry clay is not waterproof as it comes.

I like to use Varathanes water-based polyurethane, I find this clear varnish to be easy to use and it gives protection from scratches.  As it is water-based the fumes are not as strong as oil-based varnishes, but it still needs lots of ventilation.

You can easily find a tin of clear varnish online for around $10.

How To Use Liquid Epoxy ResinTo Seal Air Dry Clay?

Steps:

1. Take necessary precautions to protect yourself, your work surface and your clothing.
2. Wear gloves, a face mask and eye protection.
3. Always check your clay is completely dry before applying the sealer.
4. If possible apply liquid Epoxy Resinto your project outdoors otherwise make sure you have plenty of ventilation indoors.  Ventilation is vital as the fumes are very dangerous.
5. Liquid Epoxy Resin comes in two parts, the epoxy and the hardener. Once mixed together that’s it ready to seal your project.
6. Always read the epoxy instructions on how much of each you need, usually, the ratio is 1 to 1.
7. Using a paintbrush apply a thin layer of epoxy over your project.
8. Allow enough time for it to dry.  Read instructions for drying time as it may vary.
9. Leave it somewhere with plenty of ventilation.

Liquid epoxy resin gives the best results for your outdoor projects in my opinion but it is also the most hazardous due to the dangerous fumes it gives off.

Whenever using this as a sealer always make sure you have plenty of ventilation or better still apply it outdoor to your project.  Also, wear gloves/facemask and eye protection.

Once dried it gives a glossy transparent finish.

What makes epoxy stand out from the other sealers is that it doesn’t turn yellow in the sun, so if you plan to make outdoor projects that will be sitting in the sun then this option could be the one for you.

Liquid epoxy resin is probably the most expensive option to seal your outdoor projects and it can cost around $15 for a set of bottles.

Even though this is the most expensive option, there are so many things you can do with it.  This will definitely take all your crafting projects to the next level.

How To Use Acrylic Sealer To Seal Air Dry Clay?

Steps:

1. Take necessary precautions to protect yourself, your work surface and your clothing.
2. Wear gloves, a face mask and eye protection.
3. Always check your clay is completely dry before applying the acrylic sealer.
4. Make sure you have plenty of ventilation.
5. Shake well before using.
6. Using a paintbrush apply a thin layer of acrylic sealer to your project.
7. Allow enough time to dry, read instructions for drying time as it may vary.
8. Leave it somewhere well ventilated to dry.
9. Apply another coat if needed.

Acrylic sealer is a popular choice for many crafters.  There are many benefits to using it to seal your outdoor projects such as:

• Non-yellowing in the sun.
• Brushstrokes won’t show on your projects.
• Waterproof, perfect for outdoor projects.
• Comes in different finishes gloss and matt, etc.

Acrylic sealers can easily be found in all crafts stores, they come in many different sizes and brands. 

The brand I like to use is Aleene’s, it comes in spray form which makes it so easy to apply to your air dry clay projects.

It costs around $10, which is a great value. A can at this price will last many projects which is fantastic.

Final Thoughts

Even though air dry clay is very versatile, when it dries it has a matt finish plus it is not waterproof.

There are many sealers available that can be used for your air dry clay projects such as:

• Mod Podge (indoors)
• PVA Glue (indoors)
• Tacky Glue (indoors)
• Clear Nail Varnish (indoors)
• Clear Varnish (outdoors & indoors)
• Liquid Epoxy Resin (outdoors & indoors)
• Acrylic Sealer (outdoors & indoors)

By applying a sealer to your projects, not only will it give your projects a layer of protection but it will also give them a glossy finish, which will take them to the next level.

Depending on the final location of your project, indoors or outdoors, will determine which sealer you should use.

Even though you can apply all the sealers mentioned in this article to your indoor projects,  however, if you plan to locate your projects outdoors then you will need a sealer that makes your outdoor projects waterproof, such as:

• Clear Varnish
• Liquid Epoxy Resin
• Acrylic Sealer

No matter which sealer you decide to go with, always read the safety instructions before using them.

Most crafters use Mod Podge for their air dry clay projects, however, it is not waterproof plus it is known to turn yellowish if exposed to long periods of sun.

For this reason, I like to use Aleene’s spray form acrylic sealer.   Not only does it provide protection from water and other outdoor elements but also gives your projects a nice glossy finish which is perfect for both outdoor and indoor projects.

This said, if you are planning to store your clay projects indoors, somewhere that doesn’t receive direct sunlight then Mod Podge is a good choice to go for.

I hope you have found this article helpful and that you have a better idea of which sealer you should use for your next air dry clay project.

If you have any tips or advice regarding sealers for air dry clay projects then please share them in the comments below.

Let’s share and learn together.

Happy Crafting!