How to Make Clay Powder

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Things You'll Need

  • Clay

  • Cookie sheet

  • Oven

  • Zip-seal plastic bag

  • Dishtowel

  • Wooden mallet or rolling pin

Rehydrate clay powder to use for making pottery.

Making clay powder is simply a matter of removing the moisture from clay and then pulverizing the dry remains. Powdered clay can then be rehydrated by adding water for artistic uses, or may be used in certain face masks. Clay powder can be easily stored in a zip-seal plastic bag.

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Step 1

Roll the moist clay into long strands approximately 1/4-inch in diameter. The smaller the diameter of the strands, the more quickly they will dry out when baked. Pre-heat the oven to 250° F.

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Step 2

Place the rolled clay on a cookie sheet with at least 1/4 inch of space between each strand.

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Step 3

Bake the clay strands in the oven at 250° F until they become brittle and dry. Depending on the moisture content of the clay, this could take between one and three hours.

Step 4

Remove the clay strands from the oven and allow them to cool completely. When cool, break the strands into small chunks and place them in a zip-seal bag.

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Step 5

Lay a dishtowel over the bag and push as much air from it as possible. Finally, crush the small dry chunks of clay with a wooden mallet or a rolling pin until the clay powder has reached the level of fineness you desire. Store the clay powder in the zip-seal bag.

Tip

Use only pure clay base, available from hobby and craft stores, to create powder. Clay from the backyard may contain impurities that could make pulverizing the clay more difficult.

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