How to Sand and Finish Polymer Clay Earrings
How to get smooth edges on polymer clay earrings: what to fix while the clay is raw, the wet sanding grit order, how to buff, and when a sealer is worth using.
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Before baking: the cheapest smoothing there is
- Peel the scrap clay away from the shapes instead of lifting the shapes out.
- Run a fingertip lightly along each raw edge.
- For a soft, rounded edge, cut through plastic wrap. The wrap compresses the edge as the cutter goes through.
- Smooth fingerprints and marks on the face now. Sanding the face later is slow and easy to overdo.
After baking: wet sanding step by step
- Wait until the piece has baked and cooled. Sanding is for cured clay.
- Dip wet and dry sandpaper in water and keep it moist. Wet sanding keeps the dust down and gives a smoother result.
- Start at 400 grit on the edges to take off ridges and cutter marks.
- Move up through 600 and 800, then finish at 1000. Each grit removes the scratches left by the one before.
- Rinse and dry the piece, then buff.
| Grit | Use |
|---|---|
| 400 | Removes ridges, cutter marks, and small bumps |
| 600 | Takes out the scratches left by 400 |
| 800 | Refines the surface |
| 1000 | Leaves the edge smooth and ready to buff |
Dry sanding
Dry sanding at a low grit removes larger flaws quickly, but it makes a lot of dust. If you sand dry, do it away from your clay table so the dust does not end up in the next batch.
Buffing
Rubbing the sanded piece with a soft cloth gives a gentle sheen. A rotary tool with a buffing wheel gives a higher shine with less effort. A polishing cloth on its own will not take out scratches or fingerprints, so buff after sanding, not instead of it.
Do you need to seal
No. Baked polymer clay is durable as it is. A sealer earns its place only when it protects something fragile on the surface, such as glitter or chalk.
Sand less next time
Rough edges start at the cutting stage. Cutting on a glossy tile, wiggling the cutter before lifting, and smoothing the raw edge leave very little to sand: see how to use polymer clay cutters. If a printed cutter leaves drag marks along the edge, how to 3D print polymer clay cutters covers the causes. And keep sandpaper off the face of the piece where you can.
Make a clay cutter in your own shape
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do you sand polymer clay before or after baking?
- After. Before baking, smooth the raw clay with a fingertip instead, which is faster and leaves less to sand.
- What grit sandpaper do you use on polymer clay?
- Work up through 400, 600, 800, and 1000 grit, in that order.
- Is wet or dry sanding better for polymer clay?
- Wet. Keeping the paper moist cuts the dust and gives a smoother finish. Dry sanding is faster for large flaws but dusty.
- How do I make polymer clay shiny?
- Sand through to 1000 grit, then buff with a soft cloth or a buffing wheel.
- Do I have to sand polymer clay earrings?
- No. If the edges are smoothed while the clay is raw, many pieces need little or no sanding.
Related: 12 polymer clay earring mistakes and how to bake polymer clay earrings.
Sources: Sculpey, how to sand polymer clay and tips for using cutters with your clay. The Blue Bottle Tree, polymer clay earring mistakes.