Air Dry Clay Magnets: A Quick Beginner Project

A golf-ball-sized lump of clay is enough for a handful of fridge magnets, which makes this a good project for leftover clay or a short first session. The shapes are small, the drying is quick compared with larger pieces, and the only step that needs real care is choosing and gluing the magnet.

What You Need

• Air dry clay, about a golf-ball-sized lump for four to six magnets
• A rolling pin and a non-stick surface such as baking parchment or a silicone mat
• Mini cutters in simple shapes, or a craft knife and paper templates you draw yourself
• A soft sponge and a small cup of water
• Fine sandpaper
• Acrylic craft paint and small brushes
• A clear water-based varnish
• Flat craft magnets, round or strip
• Strong craft glue suitable for both porous and smooth surfaces

Plan for a Light, Flat Shape

A magnet has to carry the clay piece plus whatever it is pinning to the fridge, so weight is the main design limit. Three guidelines keep things manageable:

• Size: 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) across is a comfortable range.
• Thickness: about 3/16 inch (5 mm). Much thinner and the piece chips easily; much thicker and it gets heavy and sticks out from the door.
• Outline: compact shapes such as hearts, circles, stars with short points and simple flowers. Long, thin parts such as stems or tails snap off when the magnet is knocked.

The back must be flat so the magnet sits flush. Any decoration belongs on the front.

Step-by-Step: Making the Clay Shapes

1. Roll the clay. Knead it briefly, then roll it out to an even 3/16 inch (5 mm). Two stacks of craft sticks or two pencils of equal thickness work as guides for a slab this small.
2. Cut the shapes. Press each mini cutter straight down, give it a tiny wiggle and lift. If you are working by hand, lay a paper template on the slab and trace around it with the knife held upright. How to cut air dry clay cleanly covers both methods.
3. Release the pieces. Peel the spare clay away from around the shapes first, then slide a blade under each shape to lift it. Pulling a shape up by one edge bends it.
4. Smooth the edges. Run a barely damp fingertip around each outline to soften the cut edge. Small pieces need very little water; see how to smooth air dry clay if the surface turns sticky.
5. Add texture, if you like. Press dots with a toothpick or lines with the edge of a ruler. Keep impressions shallow so the piece stays strong.
6. Check the back. Set each shape on a flat board and press it lightly with a flat object so the underside is level.

Drying Small Pieces Flat

Lay the shapes on baking parchment on a flat board, at room temperature and out of direct sun. Turn them over after a few hours and again a couple more times as they dry, so both faces lose water at a similar rate. That helps keep the backs flat, which matters here more than on most projects.

Pieces this small and thin often dry within a day or two. Humidity, airflow and the type of clay all shift that, so follow the instructions on your clay’s package and wait until the shapes are evenly pale and no longer cool to the touch. If the timing is hard to judge, how long air dry clay takes to dry lists the signs to look for.

A shape that has curled slightly can often be saved: rub its back in circles on a sheet of fine sandpaper laid flat until the high spots are level.

Sand, Paint and Seal

1. Sand. Tidy the edges with fine sandpaper. Sanding makes fine dust, so work outdoors or in a ventilated spot and wipe the pieces and the table with a damp cloth.
2. Paint the front and edges. Two thin coats of acrylic craft paint cover better than one thick one. Add dots, stripes or a contrasting center once the base color is dry. Brush choice and coat timing are explained in how to paint air dry clay.
3. Seal the front and edges. Brush on one or two thin coats of clear varnish. Fridge magnets get handled constantly, and sealer adds some resistance to fingerprints, dust and light moisture. It does not make them waterproof.
4. Seal the back lightly. One thin coat is enough. Let everything dry for the time on the varnish label before gluing.

Attaching the Magnet

1. Wipe the back of the clay shape so it is free of dust.
2. Put a small dot of strong craft glue in the center of the back. Too much glue squeezes out past the magnet.
3. Press the magnet into the glue and hold it for a few seconds. Center it, or place it slightly above center so the piece hangs straight.
4. Lay the piece face down on a soft cloth and leave it flat until the glue has fully set, following the time on the glue’s label.

Matching the Magnet to the Piece

Craft magnets vary a lot in pull, and packaging does not always make that clear. Test before you glue: hold the magnet behind the dry clay shape against the fridge and see whether it stays put.

Using and Looking After Them

Clay magnets are decorative and best kept dry. Place them on the upper part of the fridge door, out of young children’s reach and away from spots where wet hands or condensation reach, and dust them with a dry cloth. If a magnet comes loose, scrape off the old glue, wipe the surface and glue it again. A chipped edge can usually be sanded smooth and touched up with paint and varnish.