How to Polish Beads

When you make your own handcrafted beads from clay, you can use the beads in many different crafts projects, such as necklaces or tree ornaments. Without polishing clay beads, they appear rough and unevenly textured. One solution is to burnish the clay before it is fired in a kiln, which will smooth out the surface of each bead. Once finished, you can paint the polished beads with ceramics glaze, which will go on evenly because the roughness has been smoothed out.

• 1

  Make clay beads from terracotta clay. Roll a piece of clay into a ball, then poke a nail into and out of the middle of the ball to make the hole of the bead. Shape the bead into the desired form, and allow the bead to air dry until it is hard. Repeat this with each bead you want to make.

• 2

  Rub a polished rock over the surface of the bead. Use small, circular motions with the rock, and moderate pressure, Avoid pressing too hard or the bead could break. The bead will be rubbed smooth. If you rub the rock onto the bead long enough, it will even shine.

• 3

  Rub a toothpick around the edges of the hole in the bead to make it smooth like the outside of the bead.

• 4

  Paint ceramics glaze onto the polished bead, and allow it to dry completely.

• 5

  Fire the bead in a kiln. Allow all of the beads to cool completely before using them in your crafts projects.