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No more searching for the right joint compound for paper mache clay!
This new recipe for paper mache clay doesn’t use PVA glue, so you can use any brand of pre-mixed drywall joint compound.
The original idea for using “home-made glue” in paper mache clay came from Rich, “The Ghoulish Cop.” Thanks, Rich!
I simplified Rich’s recipe so it’s now much easier. It only takes a few minutes to make in your kitchen, and it uses inexpensive ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
Why bother to make your own glue?
It’s starting to get really hard to find drywall joint compound brands that will work with the PVA glue that’s used in my original paper mache clay recipe. I’m really excited about this new recipe – I like it even better than the original recipe that I’ve been using for years. If you try it, please let us know what you think of it in the comment section below.
No-Glue Recipe for Paper Mache Clay
For the DIY glue/paste:
In a small saucepan, mix:
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons white flour
Whisk together thoroughly to remove any lumps. Then add:
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 capful (about a teaspoon) of white vinegar.
Whisk again until well mixed. Put the pan on a burner set to Medium to Medium-High heat, and stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Then stir another minute until you start to see bubbles and the mixture comes together.
Put the mixture into a heat-proof container and allow to cool.
For the paper mache clay:
In a medium size bowl, mix:
- 1/2 cup wet toilet paper (24 grams dry, 110 grams wet – see video above)
- 1/2 cup pre-mixed drywall joint compound, any brand
- All of the ‘glue’ you made previously
When the paper has mixed in completely and there are no lumps, add:
- 1/2 cup corn starch, divided
Put about half of the corn starch into the bowl, and mix well. Then add the rest. If the paper mache clay starts to get too stiff for the motor on your mixer, or if it tries to ride up the beaters, you can finish mixing by hand with a spoon.
To make the paper mache clay the consistency you like, add:
- More corn starch, a little at a time.
When the mixture is too stiff to mix with a spoon, turn it onto a work table and knead by hand. When it’s very close to the way you want it, add:
- 1 capful (about 1 teaspoon) of mineral oil, baby oil, or linseed oil
Knead the clay some more to mix in the oil. Add more corn starch if needed.
Your new paper mache clay is now ready to use. Keep it in a plastic bag to keep it from drying out. If you can’t use it within a few days, store it in the refrigerator. You can use your new paper mache clay for almost any pattern or project on this site.
If you try this new recipe, be sure to let us know what you think of it. 🙂
Hello I am excited to try this. Someone gave me “Corn Flour” and said sometimes it is used instead of “Corn Starch” in various countries (I am in the USA). Can I use that in LIU of the corn starch in THIS recipe? I use CS for my Polymer Clay so it would stick to the things….Thanks so much!
I think they may be two different things. Corn starch is very finely ground, and feels silky when you rub it between your fingers. I believe it’s called corn flour in some countries. There’s also corn flour that makes tortillas, and it’s a very different thing. So I don’t actually know if it would work. You would need to try it.
Hi Jonni,
I’ve made a large number of paper mache piñatas. My current project is the Marvel character “Groot”, which has bark-like skin and I’m keen to try paper mache clay (for the first time) to get this effect.
I’m worried about what will happen when the piñata is smacked apart. Will your clay mixture explode into tiny pieces, or come apart (in large chunks) like normal paper mache? It will have several coats of paint on top.
Hi Michael. I’ve never tried hitting one of my sculptures with a baseball bat, but I think there’s a good chance that some very hard pieces will go flying everywhere. You can test it by covering a small plastic bag that’s filled with more bags with a thin layer of the paper mache clay, and then let it dry. Pull out the bags, make sure the paper mache is dry all the way through, and then throw it on a concrete sidewalk. If you just get cracks, drop it again, until it falls apart. That will give you an idea of how it will act when used as a piñatas. You can tell that I don’t think you’ll be happy with the result, but I’ve never tested it so I could be wrong. If you do the experiment, please let us know what happens. 🙂
Hi Jonni – I love your site and your recipes. I made your glue based clay last year and used it to make heads for cloth dolls. I will have to upload a picture for you. Now I’m about to make up your “no glue” recipe, but I’m wondering if it’s okay to double it? Are all the proportions the same for a double recipe?
Thanks.
Hi Sandy. I can’t wait to see your dolls! And yes, doubling all the ingredients for the no-glue recipe should work just fine. Have fun with it! 🙂
Hello. I have been following this recipe for years dreaming to make it!
I got the chance recently, and got my drywall compound. I’ll be making giraffe beetles and other small animal sculptures.
My roommate asks the following:
Can you make pots for plants out of this?
No, it isn’t at all waterproof. Your roommate might want to try the paper cement clay for pots, although it should be an experiment. I know it hold up well for outdoor sculptures, but I haven’t tried making something that would hold water long-term.
Hi! Thank you so much for your recipe and video.
Have you ever dyed your clay a color? If so, and it has worked, what type of dye did you use?
I’ve used powdered pigments to make colored paper mache clay, but I haven’t tried using dye. I don’t remember anyone else mentioning it, either. If you try it, be sure to let us know if it works! 🙂
I want to try making this but am totally new to it so I have a question about the potential for mold. After you’re done sculpting and it’s dry, do you have to worry about it molding in the future? Should it be sealed in some way?
Thank you!
Hi Emerson. You will want to let it dry as fast as possible, by using thin layers. I do recommend sealing your sculpture, and protecting the painted finish with a good artists’ varnish. But if you live where it’s really humid all the time and it’s difficult to get anything really dry, you might want to ask local paper mache artists how they protect their sculptures.
Thanks so much, Jonni! Thankfully I live somewhere really dry haha. I appreciate it a lot!
Hi Jonni!
I’m working on a project and am thinking about trying this recipe for my sculpture.
A few questions for you:
1) Does the glue have to cool/set before adding to the toilet paper and drywall compound?
2) Is a finished sculpture with this recipe relatively heavy? Similar to ceramic clay I’m assuming?
I appreciate you sharing this online, it might just be perfect for my project!
Hi Mandy. I let my glue cool, and I’m sure it’s a good idea. I just stuck mine in the fridge for a few minutes. The weigh of a finished sculpture depends on how thickly it’s applied. I try to keep my layers under 1/4″ when applied over a foil or crumpled paper armature. They weigh a little more than a sculpture made with paper strips and paste, but not much. Try it once so you can get a feel for how it works with your own projects. 🙂
Hello! I just found your videos and I’m so grateful for you and your tips! I made this recipe today and just sculpted a goblin nose that’s about 2” wide and 1.5” long. I am only now realizing that you recommend using this in thin layers. Now I’m nervous about my nose! Can you build larger sculptures out of this clay? Will it still be strong? It’s being used as a headpiece and I plan to seal and paint it once it dries. I’m ok with a bit of a longer dry time because I have about 6 more of these bad boys to go. Thanks for any and all advice!!
Hi Lukas. The paper mache clay recipe is meant to be used a substitute for traditional paper strips and paste, and should be used in thin layers. I left a blob of paper mache clay on my table, just to see what would happen. It was slightly bigger than your nose, but not much. Mold happened, as I expected, but it took over a week before it started to show. Even a two inch thickness will take way too long for the inside to dry, and a tiny amount of water is enough for mold.
If you can put your goblin nose in the oven at 250°F for a few hours, it might dry out without cracking. If you can get it dry quickly enough, it will be strong and hard as a rock.
For the rest of your goblin noses, build them first with crumpled foil, and cover the foil noses with a thin layer of the paper mache clay. They’ll be quite strong, and much lighter. Good luck with it! 🙂
Hi Jonni! Thank you for the quick reply! I’ve set the goblin face in front of a space heater for a the last 24 hours and it seems to be doing ok. Thank you for the reminder of the armatures. Progress is moving along nicely!
I’ve made a second batch and I doubled the ingredients. This second batch, however, isn’t as sticky. I’m guessing I added too much cornstarch. Would you recommend adding a little more oil or a little more water to get it to the right consistency?
Thanks again for your insight!
Hi Lukas. You can a bit more water or drywall joint compound to soften it. I don’t know if the oil would work, but you can try it. 🙂
Hi
I would recommend not using sugar but salt instead. Flour contains gluten and after cooking it will be sticky anyway. Sugar is always a breeding ground for fungi, yeast and small worms. Life likes sugar. Salt keeps life away. You can then use thicker layers without fear of something rotting. Of course, the works need to be set in a dry, warm, sunny place anyway. But there is no longer such a concern as with the sweet variant 😉
Thanks also in advance for the cool recipe without PVA glue :*.
Interesting idea – but have you actually tried the recipe with salt instead of sugar? We would need to know if it dries as hard as the current version.
Hello, I’m making a large hot air balloon sculpture with an inflatable beach ball. The ball from top to bottom is about 3 feet.Can you advise how much clay I will need and how many layers I might need to add? I intend to dedicate the ball and add some fairly lights.
Hi Marcella. I’ve never made a hot air balloon, and figuring out the surface area, and how many square inches one batch of the clay will cover at a certain thickness would require a lot of math. I’m not that great with math. I would just make a batch and see how far it goes, and then make some more. 🙂
The paper mache clay dries very hard, so you shouldn’t need more than one thin layer. For anything that’s made over a ball or balloon, I would use a layer of plaster cloth first. The ball will change shape and size as the temperature changes, and even small size changes will cause any kind of paper mache to crack or wrinkle as it dries. Plaster cloth hardens within minutes, so you have a stable surface to work on while you’re adding your paper mache.
Wow! Ty for the suggestions and your prompt response ! I will certainly try the plaster cloth as well as your other recommendations and follow up in a week or so to share the outcome ??
Hi there! I’m new to using the clay recipe but I’m also covering a beach ball that’s 18” round and so far have used about 6 batches to do the first layer. I would follow Jonnis recommendation on putting plaster tape on the ball first. I didn’t do this so I had issues with it expanding off of the ball leaving gaps that I needed to fill and try and level out.
Any tips on making the layering easier would be great. Thanks.
If you add the plaster cloth first, you might try adding just a small amount of joint compound to the paper mache clay mix, just to make it easier to spread in a really thin layer. I don’t have ideas for adding a layer to the rubber ball on its own, but maybe one of our readers can help you with that.
Hi Jonni!
Your suggestion to just make small batches is prudent but if you want to know the surface area of a ball, the formula is pretty straight forward:
4 x pi (3.14) x radius squared—i.e. radius of 6 inches, squared, is 6×6 which equals 36. So a balloon with a radius of 6 (or diameter of 12) is pretty close to 452 square inches surface area.
You can figure out the volume of your clay by multiplying length x width x height of your container, then multiply by 8 (for a coverage of 1/8th inch thick) to see how much area your batch will cover.
If you have a container of clay that is 4 inches square, 1 inch of volume is 16 cubic inches (4x4x1) of clay and will cover about 128 square inches of surface area at 1/8th inch thick. If your container is then 4 inches high, your clay will cover about 512 square inches of area.
Sincerely
Math Nerd ?
ha ha ha- I’ll say.
Dove in with this recipe and overall the consistency I achieved seems like it would allow for a very smooth finish but was very soft, somewhat tacky, and it’s very damp. I started my mix with what I can only describe as a very “fluffy” water/paper amalgam. I would describe the working consistency as something like ground chicken. Yes, that squishy/tacky. I know it should be a good deal firmer but what should be added? Flour? Cornstarch? Or more joint compound?
It sounds like your paper was too wet, but more flour should make it better. Cornstarch would work, too. Just play with it until you like the consistency.
Hi. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I’ve tried it a few times but for some reason I just can’t get the mixture smooth enough to apply to my object? I let the toilet paper sit in hot water to break down but still my end result is a lumpy clay? Please help. Thank you.
Are you using the recipe on this page, with home-made glue instead of Elmers Glue-All? I haven’t heard of anyone having that problem with this recipe, so I’m not sure what be causing your problem. You could try adding a few spoonfuls of the premixed drywall joint compound, and mix it in for a few minutes. That might help the paper break apart, and give you the consistency you were looking for. If you try it, let us know if it works. 🙂
thanks for your reply Jonni! So should I put the spoonfuls of Joint compound into the water with the paper? or after? seems like a silly question, I know. Thanks in advance.
No, just squeeze out most of the water from the paper, like you normally would. Then, if the paper fibers aren’t falling apart after you’ve mixed it for several minutes, try adding a small amount of joint compound and mix again.
PS I’m using the recipe with the home made glue.
When I use Jonni’s (original) recipe, I squeeze water out of the soaked paper until it weighs three times what it did when dry. I’ve been doing this for years, and the clay works well, dries rock hard (and unused clay lasts in the fridge for months).
I should add that I always add a capful of bleach to the hot water that’s soaking the paper.
Great tip, Melita. Thanks! 🙂
Hi, have loved watching your videos for years, your book,,,and I have soooo many projects in mind, seems I’ll be 90 tho before I have time and space to do my thing! But I will, never too late to start. One question especially with the new diy glue,,,won’t the bugs come? Sugar/flour…?
Hi Christine. Almost all of my paper mache clay recipes include flour, including this one. If you have bugs in your area that eat traditional paper mache sculptures made with paper strips and paste, then they might also like paper mache clay. I haven’t had any problems with bugs, but I live in Minnesota. Maybe our cold winters keep the paper mache-eating bugs from living here.
Adding peppermint essential oil to the mix may help repel insects. Most insects hate the smell/taste. It doesn’t have to be much, a few drops, and the smell will fade so that you won’t smell it but the insects sure will. I use it everywhere I don’t want insects. The other thing is you can dust the inside of your sculpture with diatamceous earth. Make sure to get the food safe kind sold at farm supply or greenhouse departments at big box stores. It is harmless if not inhaled but any eggs laid by adults will turn into larvea that will eat the DE and die. Use this anywhere you have ant hills or on wasp nests, etc. It is not waterproof and looses it’s ability to work once it is wet so adding it to your recipe won’t work.
Hi Jonni.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and recipes! Can this recipe be used with kids? I would love to be able to use it in a sculpture project that I have planned. How long does it take to thoroughly dry? Are there any problems with it molding? Can I double or triple the batch when making it or should I make many small batches?
Thanks so much.
Susan
Hi Susan. This recipe is used in place of traditional paper strips and paste, so it needs to be thinly applied over an armature. Younger kids may have difficulty making an armature with crumpled paper or foil. They may also have difficulty spreading it thinly with a knife. If spread thinly, it will dry in a few days, but if spread too thickly, it could grow mold before all the water has evaporated. So, it really depends on the age of the children. Try it yourself first, before starting a project with the kids.
Use vinegar in your mix. I use it in my traditional clay and paper clay using mid fire clay to keep mold at bay. Of course it burns out in a kiln but in this case the odor won’t be noticeable once it dries.
Hello Jonni.
I just made this version of your clay for the 1st time today. Used the entire double batch. I was very pleased with the texture! I will be sticking with this recipe!
Thank you!
Susan
I’m so glad you like it! 🙂
Hi Jonni!
Love all your posts and works!
I have 1 question and 1 tip:
Question:
– how much milliliter is 1 cup water?
Tip:
– with your hand mixing machine you usally get 4 tools. You are using the 2 for cream etc. But you better use the 2 spirals for dough when the ingriedients become clay.
Regards
Amber
Hi Amber. According to an article I found, 1 US cup = 236.5884mL. You can actually use any size cup for this recipe, as long as you keep all the ratios the same. And I agree that the dough hooks can really help, because the paper mache clay likes to crawl up the beaters. Thanks for the tip. 🙂
Hi Jonni,
Thank you very much.
In your video you mention you was not sure about the sugar. I was informed by a friend that the sugar is probably used to activate or support the cellulose in the paper.
Thanks for all your cool video’s and information.
Regards
Amber
Thanks, Amber. That’s an interesting idea – thanks for telling us. 🙂
Hi Jonni,
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and art! So when making the outdoor paper clay do you recommend homemade glue, tp, joint compound and Portland cement? Still use mineral oil? The Portland cement is taking the place of the cornstarch? Is it the pva glues that have changed with it working with joint compounds or have the jc’s changed their formulas? Once again, thank you so much for sharing!
Mandy
Hi Mandy. If you’re making an outdoor sculpture, I recommend following the recipe on this page. It’s the only version that has been tested by readers, and so far it’s working quite well. If you make substitutions, you’ll be experimenting. If you can’t find a brand of joint compound that works with the PVA glue (USG Sheetrock seems to be the only one left that works with Elmer’s), then use the recipe on the weatherproof paper cement clay that doesn’t use the joint compound.
The reason why most joint compound brands don’t work with PVA glue is probably because they’re adding boron as a mold inhibitor. If you mix glue with Borax, it makes flubber. Fun stuff for kids, but useless for sculpting. 🙂
Love this new clay recipe…easy to make and very is smooth! As a side note… because I didn’t have old unwanted beaters, since it was still food grade ingredients, I beat the glue with the wet toilet paper first with my good hand held beater then added the drywall paste and mixed with an old spoon…worked great!
I’ve done a couple small projects (because it couldn’t find what I needed) from your original recipe and they turned out just perfect! Somehow I ended up only having Dap drywall compound at this point in time so was thrilled to see this new recipe you have. Am wondering why this time you didn’t mention being able to freeze it for long term storage. Is there a reason I couldn’t do so? Love seeing your sculptures and having the advantage of your knowledge and experience!!
That’s a good question, Linda. I really never mentioned freezing it, because I still haven’t had any left over from a project that I might want to use on the next one. Go ahead and try it – I can’t see why it wouldn’t work. 🙂
I definitely will..always love having it on hand!!
Hi Jonni,
I’m new to your invaluable website. Thank you for all your hard work.
When you have time I wonder if you could briefly answer my questions:
Firstly, why corn starch and not plain wheat flour ( at the end stage of kneading etc) Are they interchangeable? Corn flour in Australia is harder to source and more expensive ..
Secondly; what is the role of sugar in the initial stage?
I live in a subtropical zone and attempting large scale work and considering applying a coat of limewash when the works are finished to deter silverfish. Do you have any thoughts or experience of the use or would you advise a very matt sealant/ paint instead. I have used homemade ‘traditional’ limewash throughout my house and studio and like its breathability and no off gassing qualities, however It might effect the paper?
best Elle
Hi Elle. I’m not sure what the role of the sugar is, but several people have suggested that it works as a binder. I don’t know if flour would work just as well as the corn flour, but you can go ahead and try it. I don’t think it will make much difference. The corn flour is more absorbent so you might need to reduce the amount of flour that you add. We don’t have any silverfish in my area of the country, and I’ve never used limewash on anything. You could test it on a small experimental paper mache item, and see what happens.
Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever received such a prompt reply. You might be right regarding the use of sugar as a binder, many other recipes in the internet wild use salt, however I suspect it may draw moisture in?
The information I have gleaned concerning the difference between plain wheat flour and cornflour as it is called here in oz; is that the latter contains no gluten only the starch component. Wheaten cornflour (more widely available in the supermarkets) is the starch component of wheat not corn/maize.
This is an interesting article regarding wheat based glues:
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00804#
And a brief paragraph here; https://solarcooking.fandom.com/wiki/Wheat_paste#:~:text=Wheat%20paste%20is%20a%20glue,it%20liquid%20enough%20to%20pour).
Points out that sugar strengthens wheat paste. of interest is that they recommend adding the sugar after cooking and thickening the wheat paste?
Sorry to be so longwinded. Again thanks for all your good work. Best Elle
Is it supposed to stick to your hand
Yes, it has to be sticky to stick to your armature. I never spread it with my hands, because a knife works much better. If it sticks to the knife, you can dip the knife in water. Then you can spread a nice thin layer.
Hello, Jonni, I am wondering how long the glue can sit before it has to be mixed to make the clay? A day, two, an hour? What? And how long can the clay sit before you need to mold it into the form you are making?
If you keep the glue covered in the fridge, it should last a few days. The paper mache clay can be put in the fridge, too. But mold spores are everywhere, and they grow on anything that has moisture in it. I recommend making the paper mache clay as close to when you’ll be using it as possible.
Hi Jonni. I absolutely adore your posts! Regards storing the clay, I make a big batch; I don’t like running out of clay before my project is finished. When I am done for the day, I spritz the top of my clay with a bit of water, then lay a sheet of saran wrap tightly over it being sure to tuck the edges down well so there is minimal air trapped on the surface, then put it inside a gallon storage bag. Seems overkill maybe but the clay stays really fresh. I did freeze a bunch and when it thawed, it seemed a bit gooey, so I kneaded in a bit of flour as well as cornstarch to stiffen it up and have been using it with no problems; it still performs beautifully!
Great tips, Vickie! Thanks. 🙂