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How to Repair Broken Ceramic With Missing Pieces Using Clay or Resin
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 Ceramic Repair and Restoration before and after pictures - examples

In these two examples, (A) a unique bowl broke to several pieces, but the base of the bowl was chattered to tiny little pieces and powder, thus, requiring creating a large segment.

The other example (B) is a green platter that was missing a large rim segment.

This tutorial / illustration was created as examples showing how Lakeside Pottery Studio handles missing pieces using these two options:

A) Sculpting with clay and firing in the kiln.

B) Taking mold impression and casting replacement with Resin Epoxy

Two missing ceramic segments repair examples with Kintsugi repair

A) USING CLAY TO MAKE MISSING SEGMENT
broken pottery
Broken antique pottery bowl
Missing ceramic pieces at bowl's foot
Missing pieces at bowl's foot
prepare surface for clay impression
Missing pieces at the base of the bowl

 Take impression with clay
Use clay and mold over missing parts
Let clay dry over night
Let it dry in place

 Once dried, take off
Once dried, take off
Back side of filler clay piece
Dried clay back view

 fire in a kiln
Fire in kiln
all fired and ready to be cemented with two parts clear epoxy
Fired missing pieces replacement

 Verify fit
Verify fit
Segment filler to a few pieces if fit has shifted in the firing
For better fit, segmenting is an option

 Apply epoxy
Cementing with 2-part epoxy where to get adhesive
Place on bowl
Place on bowl

 Sand paper for a tighter fit
All cemented and cured
Ready for epoxy filler
Sand for tighter fit

 Epoxy gap filler mixed and applied
Fill in gaps where to get filler
Bowl is ready for color restoration
Ready for coloring How to paint repaired ceramic

 Cover repair line with original clay color
Color clay base color over repairs
Color repair lines with glaze base color
Color white base color over repairs

 Touch up painting's details and apply cold glaze
Color details and apply "cold glaze"
Finished bowl restoration side view
Finished restoration - side view

 Finished bowl restoration - bottom view
Finished restoration - bottom view

IMPORTANT: Ceramic restoration materials are not food safe, liquid or heat proof (over 190 degree F) and repaired items should not be used on cooking or food serving ware more...

B) Casting Segment With Resin Epoxy
Platter with broken and missing segment
Platter with missing segment
Casting mold
Casting mold

Where to get materials

Two even parts of casting mold to be mixed
Mix two even parts of casting mold

Casting mold mixed
Casting mold mixed
Apply casting mold to an unbroken segment
Apply mold to an unbroken rim area

 When shaped casting mold cured, add more casting mold on the side opening
When mold cured, add more casting mold on the side opening
Grind off sharp edges
Scale and casting-resin-epoxy

Verify fit before cementing rod
Pour equal parts of resin-epoxy
Mix the two part resin epoxy well
Mix well the two-part resin epoxy

Where to get materials

 Fill the mold impression with casting-resin
Fill the mold with casting-resin
Wait for casting-resin to cure
Wait for resin to cure

 Remove newly made segment when cured
Remove made segment when cured
Segment ready to be applied
Segment ready for next steps

 Verify if size is sufficient
Verify size


See This lesson in a Video Format
Mark cutting area
Mark cutting area


 Marked casted segment ready for shaping
Marked segment ready for shaping
Cut close to the penciled line
Use cutting disk to cut close to the penciled line

 Grind for final sizing
Grind off for final fit
Verify proper fit
Verify fit

 Mix two parts epoxy
Mix two-part epoxy

Apply epoxy
Apply epoxy

 Place segment
Place segment
Segment applied and ready for a filler application
Segment applied and ready for epoxy filler application
Apply the Kintsugi process
Apply the Kintsugi process
 Project Complete
Project Complete


IMPORTANT: Ceramic restoration materials are not food safe, liquid or heat proof (over 190 degree F) and repaired items should not be used on cooking or food serving ware more...



Another Example of Making a Missing Segment



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