Are you thinking about creating a unique candleholder or a one-of-a-kind plant vase? Perhaps you have a box of old wine glasses you want to spruce up. Polymer clay-on-glass combination may be just the style you are looking for. When you are dealing with more than one material in a project, you need to question the compatibility. Polymer clay has been known to not mix well with nail polish, and it's never to be used as a food-safe surface. So, how does polymer clay react with glass? We have gathered our research to break down this relationship and answer if polymer clay can be baked on glass.
Glass in the oven sounds counterintuitive, but you can bake polymer clay on glass. You will need to if you want your clay to match the shape of your glass piece. There is a catch — The process of baking won't stick your clay to your glass. After baking, you'll need an adhesive to keep your clay bits in place.
Now you know it is safe to bake your polymer clay on glass, but this raises new questions. How will you adhere your clay designs to your glass pieces, and what else can you bake polymer clay on? Keep reading as we discuss these answers and more.
Can You Put Polymer Clay On Glass?
You can put polymer clay on glass, and many crafters have. The clay-on-glass combination has created beautiful stain glasses earrings, specialized wedding glasses, and many other projects. Unlike air dry clay, polymer clay will need some assistance to stick onto your glass surface. Luckily, there are plenty of adhesives to help with this.
Have a look at these festive glasses decorated with polymer clay.
Glass can be decorated with polymer clay, but you can also utilize glass as your work surface. Glass work surfaces are common and benefit from being easy to clean. If you get a tempered glass work surface, this can double as a baking sheet for your polymer clay.
Amazon offers a tempered glass cutting board that can be used as a work surface here.
Learn more on our blog post, Can You Sand Polymer Clay?
Can Polymer Clay Adhere To Glass?
Polymer clay in its unbaked, raw form will adhere to glass. Polymer clay is sticky before it's baked and seems to adhere to just about anything, including you. This allows you to create the design, shape, and movement of the clay piece you desire.
After polymer clay bakes, however, it will no longer adhere to your glass. After you bake your polymer clay and glass object, allow time for your project to completely cool in the oven. Once completely cool, you can gently remove your clay pieces and move on to adhering or bonding your project together with a form of adhesive.
You can find a value pack of multi-colored polymer clay here on Amazon.
Read more on our blog post, Polymer Clay Not Hard After Baking — What To Do?
How Do You Attach Polymer Clay To Glass?
How you attach polymer clay to glass is important. You don't want your clay pieces to fall off or erode when you gift or sell your work. Polymer clay has trouble adhering to smooth, nonporous surfaces, like glass. Luckily, there are adhesives or glues we can utilize in these situations.
Non-compatible glue may work at first but can break down your clay later. What is the best way to attach your polymer clay to glass? Let's take a look at the options.
Super Glues
Super glues include glues made from cyanoacrylate (CA), and we see these used in many polymer clay projects. Super glues are ideal to use on surfaces that will not bend or flex, like your glass.
Super glues come in an array of brands, sizes, and styles. You'll want to grab a higher quality one to ensure a strong bond and decrease the chance of wear over time.
You can find Loctite here on Amazon, a strong super glue made with a fast-acting formula.
Starbond is a waterproof super glue that you can view here on Amazon.
Epoxy Glues
Epoxy glues can be used as adhesives and coatings, depending on the project. This has been referred to as an all-around glue, and many crafters keep a bottle in their cabinet. Epoxy glues are best when working with polymer clay, with little to no glue failures and an invisible bond.
A 2-pack of Epoxy 330 glue can be found here on Amazon.
E600
Super glues and E600 have some similarities. They are both best used on surfaces that will not flex or bend, as they can become brittle over time. There are many pros to E600. This glue is water-proof and dries clear. You can also paint over E600 if that is part of your design idea. This glue is temperature resistant, but it is not recommended to bake it with your polymer clay.
You can find a pack of E600 here on Amazon.
PVA Glues
PVA (poly-vinyl acetate) is white glue. Many of us think of Elmer's glue when we hear PVA, which is not necessarily strong or resistant. There are far better options out there when it comes to PVA glues. These glues are non-toxic, do not emit any fumes, and dries clear.
The video below showcases how to keep your polymer clay stuck to your glass utilizing super glue:
Learn more on our blog post, How To Attach Earring Posts To Polymer Clay — 3 Ways!
Can You Bake Polymer Clay On A Glass Jar?
You can bake polymer clay on a glass jar. This is a common method of creating decorative candle holders, night lights, or secret storage containers for the kitchen. Like other glass to polymer clay projects, you will need to utilize an adhesive or glue to attach your clay design to your glass jar securely.
Look at the tutorial below to learn how to create a decorated mason jar perfect for gift giving:
When baking your glass and clay, ensure you follow the heat and bake time requirements for both pieces. You want to avoid burning your polymer clay and allow sufficient cooling time for your glass.
Read more on our blog post, Can Polymer Clay Air Dry Without Baking?
What Can You Bake Polymer Clay On?
There are a variety of surfaces you can bake your polymer clay on. You may want to experiment with different options to see what you prefer. Your preferences may change with each project as well. Surfaces that you can bake your polymer clay on include:
- Baking sheets +/- silicone baking mats
- Bead making rack
- Wood
- Metal
- Glass
For some projects, like those involving beads, you will need specific materials like the bead-making rack and batting. These tools allow your beads to maintain their shapes effectively. Silicone baking mats make a great pan protector when working with glitter, paints, powders, and other materials on your clay.
Have a look at this variety pack of silicone mats here on Amazon.
Read more on our blog post, Can Polymer Clay Get Wet? Is It Waterproof After Baking?
In Summary
You can bake polymer clay on glass. Many projects involve a mix of polymer clay and glass items. You can be on your way to gifting a unique set of kitchen glasses or a witch-house-themed mason jar lantern. When working with these materials, you will need to involve an adhesive or glue to keep everything in place after baking.
We talked about a few glue options here. It is best to experiment with a few to find the right fit for you and your project. We hope you found this article helpful when diving into your polymer clay adventure. Happy crafting!
Are you interested in other glass crafts? Have a look at our blog post, 15 Types Of Glass Crafts.