- Cheese cloth, gauze, burlap and other materials are sometimes used to help the latex mold hold its shape.
- After applying your 15-20 coats, drape the material around the object and brush the latex over the material.
- Because this drastically reduces the latex’s ability to stretch, this technique should only be used on simple molds, with no undercuts.
- A mother mold can be made once the mold is finished.
- Common mother mold materials for are plaster and fiberglass.
Finishing Your Latex Mold:
- To maximize the strength of the latex mold, allow to it to
fully cure for 72 hours in a warm area before using.
- Concrete mold releases are available on-line and in most hardware
stores. A 1% liquid dish soap in water solution or 1 part castor oil in 5 parts denatured
alcohol solution also works as a mold release for latex.
Cleaning & Storing Your Latex Mold:
- Clean your latex mold with soap and water and let it air dry.
- It is always best to store molds with a piece in them to help them keep their shape.
- Place mold and piece in an air tight container and store in a cool, dry area, out of direct
sunlight.
Tips:
- DO NOT EVER USE THIS LATEX ON HUMAN SKIN!
- Latex “air dries”, like paint, but much thicker. To speed up the drying process, you can use a heat gun to blow warn dry air over the freshly applied latex.
- Cheesecloth makes a good reinforcement for a latex mold. After brushing on at least 4 coats of latex, add some cheesecloth to reinforce the mold.
- Since it is so flexible, you may want to put the latex mold into a bed of sand so that the mold does not distort when being filled.
- When storing your latex mold, leave a casting in it to help the mold to preserve its shape.
- To make your latex thicker and to reduce the cost of making a mold, consider adding our black rubber powder. This is an eco-friendly product made from reclaimed rubber tires!
- If you must thin the latex, distilled water is preferred, although tap water seems to work.
- Thinning latex is not recommended because it slows the process and increases shrinkage.
