How to Make Salt Dough
Many crafts involve modeling clay or other air hardening clays and are great for children. But with recent concerns over toy safety and lead content, not all parents want to use commercial modeling clays. Many adults are looking for a less expensive, more natural, air drying clay as an alternative to the expensive and low quality clays available in most craft stores.
Salt dough is a simple clay like mixture that anyone can make with ingredients found in most homes and/or grocery stores. It’s durable, can be air dried or dried in a normal oven, and is versatile enough to be used in place of almost any basic air drying clay. It’s perfect for making Christmas ornaments, small knick knacks, and other low use decorative items.
The Process of Making a Basic Salt Dough
Making a basic salt dough is a simple process. The only three ingredients needed are:
- Salt
- Flour
- Lukewarm water
Pounds of salt dough can be made for a few dollars, which can save artists and parents plenty of money over store bought clay.
The Basic Salt Dough Recipe
The basic recipe is one part salt, two parts flour, and one part warm water.
Start by mixing the salt and flour thoroughly in a large bowl, and then slowly add the water while mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add half of the water first, and then mix completely, and only add more if the clay seems too dry or if it’s clumping.
Next, turn the bowl out on a smooth and easy to clean surface, such as a countertop or cutting board. Cover the surface with plastic wrap for an easier clean up. Knead the lump of dough as you would bread dough, adding extra flour if the dough is too sticky or wet, or extra water if it’s too dry and cracks when kneaded.
The longer you knead the dough, the more elastic and workable it will be in the end. For higher quality and better details, knead the dough until it’s completely smooth. For children’s art projects, you can simply knead it until it’s fully blended and of the proper consistency. You can also add 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar to make the dough smoother and more resistant to cracks. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice if you’d like the finished project to be harder.
Cool Stuff to Use Salt Dough For
Salt dough can be sculpted and molded like any air drying clay, and it’s perfect for making holiday ornaments or figurines for a school diorama. Since the dough costs so little to make, mistakes can be thrown away without stress over buying more expensive clay. Salt dough can also be molded or pressed with different materials to create interesting textures and effects.
Most salt dough recipes call for normal table salt, but coarse sea salt can be used to add a rougher texture to the dough. Coloring can also be added to the dough while mixing. For earthy natural colors, use natural dyes like coffee, tea, tumeric, or no sugar added cherry juice. Kool aid also works as a safe and non toxic coloring agent, or use diluted acrylic paints. Salt dough can also be painted once it is dry, with poster or craft paints.
If you intend to air dry your new salt dough crafts, it will take around 36-48 hours for a small piece. Of course, the tempature, humidity, and air circulation all affect the drying time. Air drying does take longer than any other method, but it also puts less stress on the piece, and is less likely to crack or warp the craft.
For a quicker drying time, salt dough pieces can be dried in any conventional oven. Don’t set the oven higher than 200F, and give each piece about 30 minutes per half inch of thickness. Check the pieces regularly so they don’t overbrown or break. Support any pieces that are not flat, or they may bend and droop during drying. Some may need to be rotated or flipped during the drying process to completely cure. To brown items, coat them with egg white. To keep items white while baking, cover them with aluminum foil.
Salt dough is a great crafting material, and is the perfect alternative to expensive air drying modeling clay that can contain toxic or unknown ingredients. Salt dough can be made at home with a minimum of handy ingredients, and can be colored with all natural dyes to make a safe and healthy clay for children or adults to have fun with. Salt dough is also easy to paint, mold, and sculpt. With a little bit of creativity and experimentation, anyone can create a beautiful and customized holiday ornament or small decoration with handmade salt dough.
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