Rolling polymer clay out evenly is a real challenge, but when you’re making miniatures, even a slight difference in depth is noticeable, so it’s a good idea to perfect the art of an even roll!
Rolling guides (also known as depth guides) are blocks or strips of plastic or card and are used with an acrylic rolling pin to help you roll out the perfect depth of clay.
You use polymer clay rolling guides by placing one guide on either side of the area you’re working on and place your polymer clay in the middle. Roll out your clay with an acrylic rolling pin until you can roll no more because your pin has reached the surface of the rolling guides.
For the best results use a glass or acrylic work surface to stop your clay from slipping too much and roll your clay out slowly and gently to prevent the guides from moving about.
The above sounds simple, and it is! But there are a few more options you might want to consider – including pasta machines and rolling pin rings, to find the perfect rolling guide for your polymer clay.
What Are Polymer Clay Rolling Guides?
Rolling guides (also known as depth guides) are acrylic strips that look a bit like plastic rulers. They are sold in pairs and are available in a range of different thicknesses, depending on how thick you want the clay to be. You’ll need one on each side of your clay and then roll the clay out using a rolling pin or hand roller until the clay is level with the top of your rollers.
If you don’t have rolling guides, you can use two long items of the same size to roll out your polymer clay, such as two pencils or two rulers. You’ll also need wax paper and a rolling pin – either acrylic or wooden. Put a pencil on either side of the clay, lay the baking paper on top of the clay and roll. Your clay will end up the exact thickness of your pencils.
You could also use two pieces of card stock either side of your clay as a super affordable way to roll out your clay evenly.
I made these two guides from a cardboard envelope. I cut out six pieces of card and stuck three of them together to make two guides approximately 3mm thick and they worked just fine. Some of the fibres from the card did stick to the edges of the clay but they were very easy to pick off. Alternatively, you can seal the edge of the card stock with sellotape to create a smooth, fibre-free finish.
TOP TIP: Rolling out on baking paper can mean the clay slips about, instead use a sticker surface, such as a worktop or glass chopping board to reduce the amount your clay slips.
You can buy rolling guides in different shapes, such as square ones that look a bit like picture frames, where you put the clay in the centre of the guide and roll it out until it fills the ‘frame’. But there’s no real advantage to doing this as you’ll likely still have to cut the clay to a square shape once you’ve rolled it to get perfectly neat edges.
What Rolling Pin Can I Use With Polymer Clay Rolling Guides?
In theory, you can use anything round to roll out your clay – a pen or pencil, or even a glass bottle, but for the smoothest results it’s best to use an acrylic roller.
Acrylic Rolling Pins
Acrylic rolling pins have a super smooth surface, they are usually non-stick and come in a range of sizes. They are lightweight, so won’t weigh your clay down too much as you’re working on it and they won’t tire your hands out!
Acrylic rolling pins often come with polymer clay kits (I got this kit off Amazon a while ago and still use the rolling pin that came with it) but they only cost a few pounds from craft shops if you need to buy one separately.
Wooden rolling pins are not a good choice, even though you probably already have one in your kitchen! The texture of the wood can leave marks on your clay and clay can easily stick to it as it can leach out sticky oils onto the wood.
If you’re just getting started and want to use a wooden rolling pin, then make sure you place a piece of greaseproof paper over your clay. This is so that the rolling pin doesn’t soak up any excess moisture in the clay.
Brayers Or Hand Rollers
A hand roller, also known as a brayer, is another great option, these were originally used in printing to spread out ink, but they work great with polymer clay too.
The only downside is they tend to come in narrow standard sizes, so are not ideal if you’re rolling out large pieces of clay. This isn’t usually an issue with miniatures though! I borrowed a brayer from my kids Play-Doh set and it worked just fine.
Fondant Rollers
Fondant rollers are used for rolling out fondant icing, they are made from plastic and have a smooth, non-stick surface. They’re a great option for rolling out sticky brands of polymer clay, if you’re finding your clay is getting stuck on your acrylic rolling pin.
In fact, fondant rolling pins and acrylic polymer clay rolling pins are pretty interchangeable, but if you’re having issues with sticky clay you might get on better with a non-stick fondant roller.
Pasta Machines And Conditioning Machines
Conditioning machines usually consist of two rollers that you run your clay through to condition it and roll it out into a sheet. These machines can be quite pricey – the Sculpey Clay Conditioning Machine costs at least £40 on Amazon, but prices differ depending where you look online.
Many crafters swear by using pasta machines to roll out their clay instead and it is a great option if you have a bit of money to spend on your hobby.
Pasta machines and polymer clay conditioning machines can be expensive, so if you’re trying out polymer clay crafting for the first time, it might be best to wait to see if it’s craft you want to stick with before investing in a conditioning or pasta machine.
The main bonus of using a machine to roll out your clay is that it’s very easy to get even results, you simply set the machine to the thickness you want and roll your clay through.
Rolling Pin Spacing Rings
You can add thickness spacing rings to either end of your rolling pin and this should help you get a more even thickness all the way through when rolling your clay. These cost a few pounds and are available in different sizes to fit different rolling pins. There are videos on YouTube with instructions to make your own, so this could be a thrifty option if you want to save a few pounds.
Just add the ring to each end of your rolling pin and roll out your clay as normal, stopping when the rolling pin rings reach your work surface. The rings will help prevent you from pressing down too heavily on areas of the clay and you can swap the rings depending on how thick you want your clay to be.
Conclusion
I use polymer clay rolling guides made from card stock as it’s the cheapest and most eco friendly way to do it. It also means I can easily change the thickness of the guides by adding more card stock, without having to buy more guides.
I use them with an acrylic roller and I’ve never had any issues with rolling even-depth polymer clay sheets.
Further Questions
How Do I Get A Smooth Finish With Polymer Clay?
When you’ve finished making your model, use a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cotton bud to gently smooth away any finger prints or inconsistencies on the clay’s surface.
How Do You Roll Clay Out Without It Sticking?
Keep the room as cool and dry as possible, and chill your clay for a few minutes before using it – this will help make sure the clay isn’t too sticky. Lay baking paper underneath and on top of the clay so the clay doesn’t stick to your work surface or the rolling pin.
If your clay is very sticky, leach out excess oils by sandwiching the clay between two pieces of plain white office paper and then two ceramic tiles to add weight that will gently squeeze out any excess moisture.