Using Ceramic Tiles With Polymer Clay

What’s just as exciting as purchasing another package of Sculpey® polymer clay? Knowing some great hacks to make innovating and creating even easier, of course!

Many of our top enthusiasts and clayers use ceramic tiles for their polymer clay projects and musings. If you’ve never considered adding ceramic tiles to your polymer clay toolkit, read more to learn about all the benefits. 

What Do We Mean by Ceramic Tiles?

Before diving into several advantages of using ceramic tiles when working with polymer clay, it’s important to understand more about the tiles themselves. Ceramic tiles are plain and shiny — often the type you see installed in bathrooms and kitchens as flooring or backsplashes. For the best results, you’ll want to use larger, square ceramic tiles for polymer clay. You can find them in local hardware stores, and they’re fairly inexpensive.

You should only use unadorned, glossy tiles with polymer clay. Tiles that haven’t been glossed, such as terracotta tiles, aren’t appropriate for the following uses. Neither are tiles that have any kind of surface texturing.

So how can ceramic tiles elevate your polymer clay projects? Check out our four favorite uses for basic, but essential, tiles.

1. Movable Creation Surfaces

Have you ever been working on one polymer clay project, only to decide to move it aside to start another? That’s not always straightforward, depending on your work surface. 

However, if you’ve been molding your polymer clay on a ceramic tile, you just have to pick up the tile and set it aside. This allows you to have several projects in different stages at once.

2. Nonstaining Workstations

The plasticizers in polymer clay can work their way into porous surfaces such as wooden work desks. Instead of finding a free polymer clay mat to put on a porous workstation, just grab a ceramic tile.

The tile isn’t likely to stain because it’s already been baked and glossed. If some clay sticks to it when you’re finished, simply wipe it off with a clean cloth and some warm, soapy water if necessary.

3. Baking Surfaces

Your ceramic tiles can also be useful when you pop your clay creations in the oven. As the ceramic warms, it will help transfer the heat evenly to your project.

For example, you could make a polymer clay sculpture on a ceramic tile. For the best results, place a clean sheet of white paper on top of another ceramic tile. Carefully move your Sculpey® sculpture onto the tile with the paper. Then, place that tile directly on the cooking rack or a baking sheet.

4. Heat Helpers

Does your toaster oven tend to heat unevenly? It happens and can be tough to fix. That’s where putting a ceramic tile inside the oven can be helpful.

The tile will hold onto the heat and distribute it evenly throughout the small oven. It’s a quick way to get more consistent results from all your polymer clay innovations. 

Purchase Products From Sculpey® to Start Creating

Are you interested in using ceramic tiles with polymer clay? Purchase a few today to get started, and don’t forget to restock your Sculpey® supply.

 

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