The Proper Way To Cook Polymer Clay Beads

After completing your polymer clay bead designs, the next thing to do is set them. Setting them involves cooking the beads in the oven. Polymer clay is a special type of material that requires individuals that are creating things with it to cook it for a specific amount of time. Once the polymer clay has been cooked, it cannot be altered.

You must make any changes that you want to be made to your polymer beads prior to cooking them. This involves creating the correct size bead holes, so you can utilize the beads, after they have been cooked as part of your jewelry designs.

1. Most polymer clay molds will instruct you to preheat your over to 275 degrees F. If your particular brand of clay that you are using asks you to set your oven to a different setting, then follow the instructions that are given to you.

2. Utilize a glass baking dishes or some type of metal baking pan with inlaid aluminum foil so the clay will not stick as it bakes. The pans you use should have sides, so the baked mold does not fall off when it is being put in or taken out of the oven.

3. Place the beads on the baking dish, so no beads touch each other. You also do not want the beads to touch the side of the pan that you are using either. It can be difficult to space the beads out correctly, so take some time when engaging in this step. Make sure that the flat ends of the beads are pressed downward to the bottom of the pan you are using.

4. Bake the polymer clay beads for at least ten to fifteen minutes. The size of beads that you are making will determine the length of time the beads will need to be cooked for.

Article and image courtesy of BeadsBarn.