Step-by-step process of performing a seamless repair on a chipped large Italian platter using the best commercially available materials including cementing, filling, painting, and glazing. This process can apply to chipped plate, chipped vase, bowl, pitcher, figurine or any pottery, china or ceramic vessel.
What Will You Need | Cementing
1. Two-part clear 5 min Clear epoxy 2. Wooden stick, or a pin-tool
3. A container with pvc pebbles or rice
4. Razor blade
5. Denatured or 91% Alcohol
6. Paper pad to mix Epoxy on
7. Good light
8. Protective eye wear
IMPORTANT: Ceramic restoration materials are not food-safe, liquid or heat-proof (over 190 degrees F) and repaired items should not be used on cooking or food serving ware more...
Cementing Ceramic Broken Pieces
Make sure the pieces are clean using alcohol. If the item has been fixed before clean off any old adhesive, or the new adhesive may not bond properly. Instruction to remove old adhesives.
Place even amounts of 5-minutes clear epoxy on a paper or cardboard pad
Mix epoxy well with a pin tool, paper clip or a wooden stick.
Apply epoxy mix to one side using a pintool or a wooden stick
Use only enough adhesive to cover the edge. Too little will leave gaps, resulting in a weak repair
Place broken piece over the epoxy. Important: You have only about 60-90 seconds from start of epoxy mixing to complete the broken piece's permanent placement before the epoxy becomes gummy and not workable
Quickly join the pieces together while applying light pressure to squeeze extra epoxy out. You only have about 60–90 seconds from start of epoxy mixing to placement before the epoxy becomes gummy and unworkable. Do not wipe off the squeezed-off epoxy to avoid smearing.
If your item is broken to more than a couple of pieces, plan the attachment sequence to avoid being left with a final piece that cannot be easily attached or fit in. Numbering the pieces after a dry run is a good idea and will assist in the actual implementation.
Verify that pieces can stay steady during the cure period (let it cure at 75 degrees F or warmer)
Verify fit with next piece. Immediately after applying the previous piece, if epoxy squeezes out into the next piece space, clean it with the pin tool and alcohol to insure it will not interfere with subsequent pieces proper fit
Apply epoxy
Spread epoxy
Push hard to squeeze out epoxy
Apply next pieces
Wait 15-20 minutes before addressing the other side
Other side remaining damage
Rear side pieces
Apply epoxy
Place pieces
Wait 1-2 hours before clearing squeezed epoxy
Small pieces are not used and can be thrown away
Bend blade for better access clearing unwanted cured epoxy.
Warning - wear protective eye wear
Let the epoxy cure for 60 or more minutes before removing excess cured epoxy with a blade
Ready for filler
What You Will Need | Filling and sanding
1. Two parts Epoxy filler PC-11 2. Dremel with EZ lock 120 grit disc
3. 220 grit sand paper
3. 400 grit sand paper
4. Rag
5. Mini Spatula
6. Paper pad to mix Epoxy on
7. Denatured or 91% Alcohol
IMPORTANT: Ceramic restoration materials are not food-safe, liquid or heat-proof (over 190 degrees F) and repaired items should not be used on cooking or food serving ware more...
Filling, Sanding and Surface Preparation
Wipe all surfaces with a 91% alcohol to remove dust and hand oils prior to applying filler epoxy
Mix even parts of PC-11 epoxy filler. For ease of application, work in room temperature of 75 degrees F or warmer. We place the PC-11 in a small heater and keep it at 100 degrees F.
Apply thin layer of filler while pushing in to fill cracks and missing fragments
Allow filler epoxy to cure for 12-24 hours (or longer) at a temperature of 75 degrees F or warmer. We place our filled projects in a 140 degrees F oven over night.
Placing under a lamp is another good option to optimize hardness for better sanding performance. Place at least 12" away from repair item to avoid overheating.
Use Dremel EZ lock sanding disc 120 grit for sanding.
Use low speed to avoid burn marks and apply light pressure. Leave the last 10% or so for sanding by hand.
Warning - wear protective eye wear
If Dremel is not available, sanding the whole job by hand (using grit 220 sandpaper) will take longer but will yield the same results
Repeat process on platter's other side
Blow or wipe dust away
Continue sanding by hand using grit 220
Apply long strokes for accurate surface continuity
If upon inspection, missed cracks are found, repeat the steps above for the selected areas
Use 91% alcohol for clean up
Wipe for any dust or oil
After the first round of sanding, a second finer filling is required using a small sepulcher tool
Same filler (PC-11) is used for second application
Mix well the epoxy filler two even parts
Inspect surface with UV light or a spotlight for any surface defects (cracks, pits, pumps, etc.)
For seamless surface fill the defects with PC-11 lightly
Wait for filler second layer to cure in a warm room (see more above) before sanding
Sand second layer by hand with long strokes using grit 220, then grit 400 and finish with grit 3600. It may be necessary to apply a third or fourth layer if UV / light close inspection reveals more surface defects
For translucent effect, paint several coats of thinned paints
In this example, apply black color last
Wait for painting to properly dry (a couple of days) and airbrush clear glaze
A second layer of clear glaze may be required. Sand surface with a 3200 grit micro-mesh (after waiting a day or two for 1st layer curing), wipe dust off and reapply cold glaze
Platter ready for shipment
Video: Repair Lesson With All Steps
Removing old repair, Mending the broken segments, filling gaps, sanding filler, painting and glazing the repaired areas.
Choosing your adhesive
Specific kinds of adhesives are generally used to mend ceramics. We recommend clear, 5 minute setting two-part epoxy. There are cases where a slower setting epoxy will work better. In order to choose the correct adhesive for a ceramic repair, you must first identify the type of ceramic involved. Because an exact fit is essential in repairing ceramics, you must adjust the pieces precisely before the glue sets. Five-minute epoxies and instant glues might cure too fast and are not recommended if you need longer time to match and adjust a precise fit. We use different adhesives for different applications. For the purposes of this tutorial, we recommend more commercially available brands that are listed in our Where to Purchase Ceramic Repair material.
Preparing the surface
The most important step in repairing a broken ceramic is to make sure the pieces are clean. If the item has been fixed before, undo the old repair (see how to remove old adhesive lesson), or the new adhesive may not bond. Before handling the pieces, you may want to put on clean gloves to protect your hands from sharp edges. Clean the pieces with alcohol.
Applying the adhesive
Using a wooden stick, paper clip or a pin tool, apply glue to only one of the broken edges. Use only enough adhesive to cover the edge. Too little will leave gaps, resulting in a weak repair; too much will make it difficult to achieve a tight joint. Warming up the ceramic pieces to 110-140 degrees F will thin the epoxy, creating a better fit, but will result in a faster cure time. Quickly join the pieces together while applying light pressure squeezing extra glue out. Fill a container with plastic pebbles, rice, or sand which will hold the repaired piece in place while it cures. Avoid shifting the pieces; small particles may come loose, ruining the repair. Any glue that oozes from the joint can be removed with a rag and alcohol if excess epoxy is in the space where the next broken pieces need to fit, or later using a razor blade. You may use tweezers to apply small pieces.
Fixing an item with multiple breaks
If you have a piece of pottery, ceramic or porcelain that is broken into more than a couple of pieces, plan the sequence in which you will attach each piece to avoid being left with a final piece that cannot be easily attached. Numbering the pieces after a dry-run is important and will assist in the actual implementation. Let each joint cure before repairing the next one.
Filling in for missing pieces
We use different products and the choices are too numerous to list here. PC-11 filler is a very good option and is more commercially available. The key elements with fillers are:
A) Exceptional adhesion
B) Will not shrink while curing
C) Workable - can be drilled and sanded
D) Paintable
E) Water / oil proof
F) Will tolerate wide temperature range without shrinking or expanding. We let the filler epoxy cure at 140 degree F enabling the filler to cure very hard, which is optimal for sanding.
Painting / color touch up
If the repair lines are not acceptable to you, and a seamless repair is desired, the required skill is much greater. Color matching and re-creating an artist's work and style takes time. We use high end acrylic paints or coloring pigment powders and colored hardeners, mixed with the proper additives to create strength. And finally, it is essential to match the glaze sheen and the right light reflection to emulate the broken item's glaze affect as close as possible - See painting theory and detailed tutorial.
