5 Types of Pottery Repair:

I offer five types of pottery repair. Contact me for a free quote of all five types.

1. Clear Repair

The first type of pottery repair that I offer is a clear repair so that the repair shows as a clear thin line but no colour is added. This is the least visible repair. If you want your pottery to be as close as possible to the original, this is the repair you probably want. The colour of the clay sometimes shows through the glue, so the repair is not entirely invisible. With this type of repair, you cannot use it with hot drink or food, you cannot use it in a microwave, and you cannot wash it in the dishwasher. You can paint the repair line using an acrylic or ceramic paint available from craft stores. This type of repair is the least expensive.

• Least expensive
• Clear line and least visible repair
• Safe to use with food or drink but not hot drink or food
• Can’t use in microwave or dishwasher
• Repair lines can be painted to match the rest of your pottery

Dave was great to communicate with, a true professional with a smooth process. Great upfront information and transparent pricing. And I am so pleased with the repair! Thank you so much Dave!
— Sophie B.

 

2. Dark Grey Repair

The second type of repair can be used with hot drink or food and can be washed in a dishwasher, and can be used in a microwave. This is a dark gray (not quite black) line where the parts fit together. If you want to hide the repair, you can paint it with an acrylic or ceramic paint available from craft stores.

• Dark grey line
• Safe to use with hot drink or food
• Okay to use in microwave
• Okay to wash in a dishwasher (though I recommend washing by hand)
• Repair lines can be painted to match the rest of your pottery

Dave did a fantastic job repairing 3 different items using 3 different methods. I’m really happy with the result and would definitely do this again for things I care about. I also thought the cost was very reasonable.
— Emma S.

 

Three Types of Kintsugi Repair

The final three types of repair use the Japanese art of kintsugi. This repair shows as a slightly raised gold line where the parts are fitted together.

3 & 4. Faux-Kintsugi

The first two kintsugi repairs are faux-kintsugi where I use strong but inexpensive pottery glues to repair your pottery. This is the type of kintsugi pottery repair most people outside Japan talk about.

The first of these two faux-kintsugi uses the clear glue described above. With this type of repair, you can eat or drink from it (but not with hot drink or food), you cannot use it in a microwave, and you cannot wash it in the dishwasher.

The second type of faux-kintsugi repair uses the dark grey glue mentioned above, which means you can use it with hot food.

You probably can’t tell the difference between these and a true kintsugi repair (described below).

• Gold line (I use gold mica, but if you want real gold, just let me know.)
• If you choose the dark-grey-glue kintsugi repair, you can use your pottery with hot drink or food
• Can’t use in microwave or dishwasher
• Looks nearly identical to true kintsugi (kintsukuroi)

Dave has done the most amazing job in fixing a much loved ceramic sculpture that got broken over 20 years ago when our daughter and friend were playing ball! It has been in pieces in corn flake box all these years. To see it beautifully resurrected, with the added story of the breakage and stunning repair is very special – thank you.
— Gerald B.

 

5. True Kintsukuroi Pottery Repair

True kintsugi (kintsukuroi) uses a rare and expensive tree sap (urushi) imported from Japan as the glue. This repair takes several weeks (one to two months) to complete since each time urushi is applied, it has to set up for at least a week. And it takes several applications to complete the repair. The other repairs are usually completed within a week or so, depending how busy I am.

With true kintsukuroi, you can use your pottery with hot food and drink but not in a microwave, and you can wash it in a dishwasher (but I recommend handwashing).

• Most expensive
• Gold line (I use gold mica, but if you want real gold, just let me know.)
• Safe to use with hot drink or food
• Can’t use in microwave
• Okay to wash in a dishwasher but I recommend washing by hand

 

So, only one of the repairs can be used in a microwave. Two types of repair can be washed in a dishwasher (but I recommend hand washing).

Note: Most of the time I cannot fit tiny bits of pottery into the repair, but I do the best possible. Where bits are missing, there may be visible gaps I fill in with either the glue you choose or a bluish-white filler. Kintsugi covers these filled spaces nicely. If you opt for one of the non-kintsugi repairs, you can paint the lines and spaces with an acrylic or ceramic paint available from craft stores.

 
Google Reviews for Dave’s Ceramic Art (Scroll down the left-hand column.)

Shipping is an easy way to get your broken pottery to me, or you can drop off and collect from Khandallah, Wellington. I provide instructions for safely shipping broken pottery to Khandallah, Wellington, and have never had any breakage when pottery is packed properly. Nor have I ever had any breakage in returning repaired pottery.

I do not use super glue to repair pottery.

Find out why.