Can you bake Crayola air-dry clay? (3 Aspects)

In this brief guide, we will answer the question, can you bake Crayola air-dry clay? We will discuss the method used to bake Crayola air-dry clay and reasons to refrain from baking. We will also discuss the manufacturer’s instructions and alternative drying methods.

Can you bake Crayola air-dry clay?

Crayola air-dry clay can not be baked; it is meant to be air-dried.

While some people do bake Crayola air-dry clay, the instructions advise deciding against it. Crayola air-dry clay is not meant to be fired in a kiln or baked. 

To bake Crayola air-dry clay, people place aluminum foil in the oven, Crayola air-dry clay on it, and heat it at 170 to 175 Fahrenheit for half an hour. After which, they let your Crayola air-dry clay mold stay in the oven as it cools down to prevent an abrupt change in temperature. 

There are plenty of reasons to avoid baking Crayola air-dry clay, you risk burning the clay and causing a fire. 

For polymer-based clay, it burns when the temperature exceeds 350 Fahrenheit or 177 Celsius. The polymer releases hydrogen chloride fumes that are an irritant. Hence, it is not advised to bake clay that might have polymer added to it.

How do you bake Crayola air-dry clay?

To bake Crayola air-dry clay is an intricate procedure that can easily go wrong. To bake Crayola air-dry clay, you can easily use your home oven. 

• Place an aluminum foil on your baking tray to prevent the model from sticking.
  
• Bake the Crayola air-dry clay sculptor at a low temperature of no greater than 250 Fahrenheit.
  
• Your model that is six-inch thick will take around 20 minutes to bake. Thus, adjust time accordingly.
  
• When the  Crayola air-dry clay has dried, turn the oven off and let the model sit inside until it has cooled off.
  
• If the Crayola air-dry clay has not hardened, turn the oven on and repeat the entire process again. 

What is Crayola air-dry clay and how to use it?

 Crayola air-dry clay is natural earth clay manufactured by the Crayola company. It air-dries and turns into a hard solid. Crayola air-dry clay can be turned into sculptors, decorative items, and plaques. For professionals who use Crayola air-dry clay, it can be used on a potter’s wheel as well.

Crayola air-dry clay does not need to be baked, according to the instructions on the package. 

When the Crayola air-dry clay is wet, you can mold it into any shape you like. 

To print a design on wet clay, use rubber stamps or textured materials. Beads, stones, or other decorative items also work well. 

You can even make it soft, if and when it shows signs of dryness. However, make sure not to overdo the water as it can cause cracking when you air-dry it. 

When you mold Crayola air-dry clay, remember to score or roughen the surface, apply slip, and press to dry before you join pieces together. Slip is made when you add to clay until it takes on a runny consistency. 

After the Crayola air-dry clay has dried, you can paint them using acrylic or tempera paint. You could even use watercolors.  Crayola air-dry clay takes 24 hours to 72 hours to dry completely. 

The dried sculptor or design that you make or the wet clay must be kept away from any flame and must not be molded into a candle. Moreover, the Crayola air-dry clay must not be fired in a kiln or placed in an oven or a microwave.

You need to be careful with Crayola air-dry clay because it is prone to cracking.

What other methods can you use to dry  Crayola air-dry clay?

You can place Crayola air-dry clay under the sun to let it dry faster or even near a humidifier.

Put your Crayola air-dry clay model on a baking sheet and let it sit covered under the sun. Do not expose your model to scorching heat and cover it with wax paper. Make sure that wind does not reach your Crayola air-dry clay sculptor.

A dehumidifier works by reducing humidity from its environment. It can do the same for your sculptor if you place it near a dehumidifier. It will draw out the moisture faster and quickly harden your Crayola air-dry clay mold.

You can use other types of heating equipment such as a space heater, heat lamp, or a hair-dryer to dry your Crayola air-dry clay model.

Other FAQs about Baking that you may be interested in.

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Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question, can you bake Crayola air-dry clay? We discussed the method used to bake Crayola air-dry clay and reasons to refrain from baking. We also discussed the manufacturer’s instructions and alternative drying methods.

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