A first kintsugi repair takes one unhurried evening plus a day of waiting: dry-fit the broken pieces so you know the order, mix equal amounts of the two-part epoxy, join one seam at a time holding each for 30 to 60 seconds, then brush gold along the set seams and leave the piece alone to cure. That is the entire craft, and there is no kiln, no firing and no artistic training involved anywhere in it. What follows is the same sequence in detail, with the small decisions that make the difference between a repair that looks deliberate and one that looks like an accident twice over.
The one piece of advice worth taking before anything else: do not start with the heirloom. Practise first.
What do you need before you start?
Our Kintsugi Repair Kit contains a two-part epoxy adhesive, gold-effect powder, a mixing card and applicator, two china practice bowls and the instruction booklet. Beyond that you need a well-ventilated room, a covered work surface, the gloves, and a piece of ceramic that is clean and completely dry.
The practice bowls are not a token gesture, they are the most useful thing in the box. Wrap one in cloth, break it with a single confident knock against a hard surface, and mend that before you go anywhere near something you care about. Your first join teaches you more about how much glue to use than any set of instructions can, and by the second bowl most people have found their rhythm.
Read the safety notices in the booklet properly before you open anything. The epoxy is a strong adhesive that can bond skin in seconds, so it wants gloves, ventilation, and keeping well away from children, heat and flames. This is an adults-only craft.
How do you plan the repair?
Lay the dry pieces out and assemble them without any glue at all. You are looking for two things: the order the pieces go back together, which is almost always largest first, and any piece that has to go in before another one traps it. A three-piece break needs almost no planning. A seven-piece break rewards five minutes of it.
While the pieces are dry, check every broken edge. It must be clean, free of dust and grease, and completely dry. A fingerprint's worth of oil is enough to weaken a join, and dust is the reason most failed repairs fail.
Glass deserves a particular note here. The kit works on glass, with two caveats. Because most glass is transparent, a gold seam reads very differently on it than on opaque ceramic, and you should plan the reassembly carefully in advance, taking real care with sharp edges and exposed shards.
How do you mix and apply the epoxy?
This is the step that decides whether the repair works, so it is worth doing slowly.
Squeeze out equal amounts of part A and part B onto the mixing card and combine them thoroughly. Both halves of that sentence matter. Two-part epoxy only cures when the two parts are mixed at roughly fifty-fifty and stirred properly, and by some distance the number one cause of glue that never sets is an uneven or under-mixed batch. Stir until the mixture is completely uniform.
Then work one seam at a time:
- Spread a thin, even layer along one of the two broken edges using the spreader, which gives you far more control than a brush would.
- Align the pieces carefully and press them together.
- Hold firm for 30 to 60 seconds. The epoxy is strong but it is not an instant-grab adhesive, and letting go early is how joins come apart.
- Wipe away any excess promptly, then move to the next seam.
Mix in small batches rather than one large one. From the moment parts A and B meet, the clock is running, and a card full of setting epoxy while you are still fiddling with piece four is an unhappy place to be.
How do you apply the gold?
Once the join has set, brush the gold-effect powder along the seam. That is the moment the repair stops being a repair and becomes kintsugi, because the entire point of the craft is to celebrate the crack rather than hide it.
Timing helps. Powder applied while the seam is still very slightly tacky grips best. If the seam has cured hard and the powder will not take, run a fine extra line of adhesive along the join and brush the powder onto that instead, then leave it to set.
The thickness of the line is entirely yours to design. A more generous layer of glue squeezes out into a bold, dramatic vein, while a sparing layer keeps the seam fine and delicate. Neither is more correct. Kintsugi grew out of wabi-sabi, the idea that beauty lives in imperfection, so a line that wanders slightly is not a mistake, it is the story of the break written down.
What happens after the repair?
Leave it alone. There is no kiln and no oven involved: the repair simply needs to be undisturbed while the glue cures fully, and then it is finished.
Three limits are worth knowing before you decide what to mend, and any honest kit will tell you all three:
- Not food safe. The adhesive is not food grade, so a repaired piece is a decorative object from that point on rather than daily crockery.
- Not waterproof. Repaired pieces are not guaranteed watertight, so this is not the technique for a vase you intend to keep filling.
- Not dishwasher safe. Ever. Dust it by hand and wipe it gently.
None of that is as limiting as it sounds. A mended bowl is a superb home for tea lights and candles, all of the beauty with none of the food contact, and repaired plates, vases and ornaments live happily on a shelf. Once your two practice bowls have taught you what you need to know, the kit has plenty left for the piece you actually wanted to save.
Kintsugi step by step FAQs
How long does a kintsugi repair take?
About an evening of unhurried work for a straightforward break, holding each join for 30 to 60 seconds, then time left undisturbed for the glue to cure fully before you handle it properly.
Why is my epoxy not setting?
Almost always because parts A and B were not mixed in equal amounts or not stirred thoroughly. Two-part epoxy only cures at roughly fifty-fifty, well combined, on clean dry surfaces.
Do I brush the gold on before or after the glue sets?
After the join has set, while the seam is ideally still slightly tacky. If it has hardened completely, add a fine extra line of adhesive and brush the powder onto that.
Can I eat or drink from a repaired piece?
No. The adhesive is not food grade, so repaired pieces are for display, decoration and tea lights rather than the dinner table.
Do I need a paintbrush for the gold?
No. The kit includes a glue spreader, which is easier to control with epoxy than a brush would be.
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