Can I Bake Air-Dry Clay? — Spinning Pots

When looking for cheap and easy-to-use clay, air-dry clay is the best to start with. It is commonly used by beginners as well as a favorite among kids. With air-dry clay, you don’t need to worry about purchasing an expensive kiln to harden it to a durable state. If you are someone who loves to experiment, air-dry clay is an ideal option.

However, one thing that ails most air-dry clay users is the fact that the drying time can be tedious and slower than that of traditional clay that needs firing.

So, what can you do to speed up this drying process?

The quick and easiest method to dry up air-dry clay is to put it in an oven.

Oven-Drying for Air-Dry Clay

Drying your air-dry sculpture in the oven is very easy and simple. All you need to do is simply place parchment paper on the baking tray and place the sculpture on top of the tray. When you do this, make sure you keep the oven door a bit open and start heating the same to a 200 oF temperature.

Now, leave your sculpture inside the heated-up oven for a minimum of 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the model. Finally, turn off your oven & leave your sculpture inside the oven as it cools down.

Is baking the air-dry clay safe?