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How to repair broken ceramic with kintsugi

By Bunnings magazine /

A cup, vase, and flower-patterned plate repaired with kintsugi techniques, each with a vein of gold running through

Overview

Dating back to the 15th century, kintsugi reflects the philosophy of embracing the flawed. Give your favourite ceramic pieces new life and meaning with this Japanese art project.

Steps

  1. 1

    Piece together the broken item

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: The epoxy adhesive dries very quickly. Protect your skin by wearing disposable gloves and cover the work area with a drop sheet or cardboard.
    Patterned ceramic plate broken into pieces
  2. 2

    Activate and apply the adhesive

    Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to activate the adhesive on a timber offcut, mixing with a craft stick. With the largest unbroken piece as the base, take the largest adjacent piece, apply adhesive along the joining edge, position it against the base and hold it until the adhesive dries.
    Craft stick used to apply a clear glue to a broken plate
  3. 3

    Stick all the broken pieces together

    Working from the largest adjacent pieces to the smallest, apply adhesive along the broken edges that join with the repaired base section, holding in position until the adhesive dries.
    Broken ceramic plate is pieced together
  4. 4

    Clean up the adhesive

    Scrape away excess adhesive using a sharp craft knife, holding it at 45° to run over the surface.
    A craft knife is used to scrape off excess glue
  5. 5

    Paint over the joins

    Stir gold oil-based enamel paint with a clean craft stick. Using a fine paintbrush, paint over the joins and leave to dry completely.
    Green Bunnings hammer
    Keep in mind... Repaired items are not food-safe and might not be watertight, so must be used for decorative purposes only.

    Paint colours may vary on application.
    A fine paintbrush is used to paint over ceramic plate joins in gold
  6. 6

    More craft ideas

    Check out our D.I.Y. advice page for a tonne of inspiration and step-by-step guides.

    Photo Credit: Belinda Merrie and Sam van Kan
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Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer.