Heat Resistant Coatings for Decoupage

Thinking Outside the Box

Are There Craft Coatings That Will Stand Up to Hot Pots?

If you can't take the heat, get out of the - craft room.

Seriously, the supplies you need for your art are not necessarily found in the craft section.

Think creatively about materials, as you do about the art you are envisioning.

Here is a good example from Madge. She is already "thinking outside the - craft room" and I'm nudging her to push the envelope even further.

Okay, did I get enough platitudes into that paragraph or not? lol

Hi there,

Just wanted to ask a question about decoupage.

I am making both coasters and trivets using Travertine marble which is fairly porous.

I take a colored illustration, place it on the marble and apply numerous layers of Outdoor Modge Podge on the stone over a matter of weeks.

Every several layers of glue I wet sand the surface. After about 7 or 8 layers, I spray the coasters with Rust-Oleum Painters Touch ultra matte clear which has a heat tolerance of 200 F.

These work fairly well with both hot cups and cold. However with the Trivets I spray Dupli-Color Engine Enamel which has a temperature tolerance of 500f. Still with that sealant, the glue is melting.

Are you aware of any adhesive, or coating I can use on the trivets so they may be able to handle a pot off the stove? Any advice about any of this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much.

Madge

First I want to commend you. This is a wonderfully illustrative letter of issues with decoupage and how to address them.

Your process couldn't be better. You've allowed proper curing time every step along the way (the biggest mistake people make with decoupage). You've chosen compatible media to achieve a higher level of heat resistance in the coatings.

Yet still you can't get the level of heat resistance needed for hot pot trivets. Perhaps that's because it simply isn't possible with today's craft materials.

However that doesn't mean there isn't a product that can do the job.

There are heat-resistant coatings designed for industrial use that list heat tolerance of 1200 F. I'm not sure what kind of finish texture they would give or if they would be economical for your trivets.

Why not contact a couple of manufacturers of industrial coatings for their expert advice?

One other thought: You say the "glue" is melting. I assume you mean the Mod Podge, rather than the heat-resistant coatings.

If so remember that, just because you're doing decoupage, doesn't mean you must use a glue/sealer designed for decoupage.

The original decoupage artists used varnish alone. You could experiment with using one of the heat resistant products you have for the entire project, from gluing down the images to leveling them to the final coat.

I'd be interested to hear what you come up with.

Here is a list of all decoupage related articles on The Artful Crafter.