Glazing Polymer Clay: Resource and Recommendation

People often ask how I get my dragon figurines so shiny. The short answer is that I coat each dragon in a gloss varnish after baking. But that's not the whole answer. I've tried a number of different clay glazes over the years, and I've learned a lot about what I like and dislike about them. If you're interested in reading my thoughts about the different glazes that I've tried, as well as where to find them, you might find this information helpful. If you just want the TL;DR version, get this stuff, it's awesome.

Before I get started, I'd like to state that I use water-based air-drying gloss glazes. My understanding is that oil-based glazes may end up eating into your clay, even if it's already been baked. Plus, cleanup for water-based glaze is soap and water - it doesn't get much easier than that. Now, let's dig in.

Brands and Impressions


I started out with the Sculpey brand glaze. It's easy to find, as you can usually found it being sold in the craft store right next to the polymer clay. It comes in two finishes, gloss and satin. I really liked this glaze, as it went on thick, was fast to dry, and felt nice when dried. Unfortunately, the glaze would inevitably thicken up over time, and while you can thin it with water to improve the consistency, eventually the glaze would harden into an unusable lump and I'd have to throw it all away. I got tired of this happening around the fourth or fifth time and switched away. I think that the problem was that the glass jar that the glaze came in was not airtight and ironically, using the glaze more often made it dry out faster as I kept opening and closing the jar.


I switched to Minwax's water-based polycrylic a few years ago when I started selling at conventions on a more regular basis and started needing a more economical varnish. This has been my go-to glaze for a long time as it's a very common brand and you can find it at just about any hardware store (check the wood varnishes rack in the paint section). The material itself is not actually designed for coating polymer clay - it's meant to be applied as a protective coating for wood floors, but it works just fine on clay. The glaze comes as a milky white liquid that is quite thin and dries clear. I like that it dries quickly, but since it's so thin, I always need to apply at least two coats to my pieces. It's susceptible to scratching, but the worst part is that it dries to a slightly rubbery texture. Sometimes it feels almost tacky, especially if the weather is humid. It's not a deal-breaker since my dragons aren't usually handled a lot, but I've been unhappy with that tacky feel for a very long time and wondered if I could find something better.



Finding definitive information on what makes a good clay glaze is surprisingly difficult. I found a lot of posts and pages about how Future floor polish makes a good clay varnish (it's another floor-protecting acrylic), but the brand doesn't exist anymore. I was eventually able to track down the rebranded version, which was being called Pledge Floor Care with Future shine, but it looks like they have rebranded yet again in the past few months, and now it's Pledge FloorCare Finish. Note that this is a floor finisher, not a cleaner, but it was being offered in the floor cleaner section of my local Target. I bought a container of the stuff to test it out, and what I found was a liquid that is even thinner than the polycrylic. It was very easy to apply and clean up after, but I was surprised at how long it took to dry - the instructions say to expect it to take an hour. I'm used to my polycrylic drying to the touch in mere minutes, so having to wait an hour between coats is a bit of a setback. Also, the finish was scented with 'clean scent', which gave my test piece a slight odor. The scent was faint, but it didn't completely fade over the course of a few weeks, so I wasn't very happy at the prospect of scented dragons. Needless to say, that option was scrapped.



I have heard really good things about Rust-oleum's Varathane water-based polyurethane (specifically the water-based gloss liquid variant). The problem with using this stuff is that it's incredibly difficult to find! Minwax has pretty much taken over the wood staining section of the local hardware stores, and I didn't really want to pay double the price to get it online. I recently went on a pilgrimage to the various local hardware stores and managed to find one jar of gloss hidden among the cans of satin finish at my local Orchard Supply Hardware. Home Depot carries Varathane, but the small cans of water-based gloss polyurethane were out of stock in both of the stores that I checked. Polycrylic and polyurethane are VERY similar to each other, especially while liquid, but my gosh! The dried polyurethane finish feels SO NICE in comparison. Completely smooth and dry. I love it, and it was definitely worth the hassle of tracking down the right brand. I've only glazed a half dozen dragons with the polyurethane at this point, but I love the feel so much that I don't ever see myself going back to polycrylic. So if you're looking for a great glaze for your polymer clay works, that's my recommendation. And if you're not a fan of the super-shiny look, it comes in a satin variant which is much more toned down. Yes, I bought some of the satin out of desperation before I found my beloved gloss. <_<

Tips for use:
- If you buy a large can of glaze, don't glaze straight from the can! Buy a small air-tight jar to keep a working amount in - this will extend the life of your glaze since you won't be exposing it to air as often. I use a small spice jar and find that it works well.
- Don't use really nice brushes for applying glaze as they inevitably become gunky and unusable. I switch to a new one every few months.
- Apply multiple coats for improved scratch resistance. Let the glaze dry between coats.
- If the glaze goes on milky, don't panic! It will clear up as it dries.
- I prefer a glossy finish for my dragons. I realize that the ultra-shiny look is not for everyone, so if you're looking for a softer finish on your clay pieces, you might consider a semi-gloss or satin finish.
- Be sure to mix up your glaze if you're using a non-gloss variety, as there's usually a particulate mixed in that cuts down on the shininess and it settles over time.