How to Seal a Diamond Painting

Project Overview

Keep your diamond painting protected with an easy sealing method. Find the best sealant and step-by-step instructions here. I have a lot of crafting hobbies, but creating beautiful diamond art is one of my favorites! It really is amazing how those little plastic drills look like sparkling diamonds. The finished product really is a work of art. I like to work on my diamond paintings in the evening while I listen to my favorite podcast. It is very relaxing and is a great way to unwind from a busy day. Many of you have asked me the best way to seal diamond art, so I am here to answer your questions! If videos are your thing, you're in luck-I've got a full tutorial ready for you! Subscribe to my YouTube channeland stay inspired with every new project. Skill Level:Beginner TotalTime: 5 minutes + dry time This post is not sponsored in any way. The opinion given is 100% my own. The sealing process is really quite simple. It is basically painting over the top of your finished canvas with a sealant. An important step before you apply the sealer, it is a good idea to go over the top of your finished canvas with a brayer roller or even a rolling pin to really push all of those drills into the glue adhesive of the canvas. Then apply the sealant to the entire painting, and spread the liquid between the small diamonds using a paintbrush or foam brush. Let dry. The bigger question about sealing diamond art is what sealant to use. There is a huge variety of finishes, so I will compare 4 of the most popular types of brush-on sealers for diamond paintings. We will not be covering any spray-on types of sealants. To create our test, I took a finished diamond painting with round drills and taped the whole painting into four sections to test our different finishes. In the top left corner, I applied Triple Thick Gloss. I scooped the gloss out of the jar with a silicone brush, followed the directions on the container, applied the gloss with an acrylic brush, and left it to dry. They weren't kidding when they called this gloss Triple Thick. This brush-on sealant is very thick First off, I think I added too much. Because the gloss is so thick it kind of pools around the drills. Once dried, the gloss is very sturdy and I don't see how any drills could become unlodged, but it is also harder to see the individual diamonds. I give Triple Thick 3 stars out of 5. It is too thick and detracts from the definition of the diamond art. In the bottom left corner is Mod Podge Glitter. One of the biggest complaints I have heard is that sealing the diamond paintings removes the sparkle of the plastic drills. With this sealant, I am hoping sparkle really helps the sealed art glimmer. I followed the directions on the container and applied the gloss using a foam brush, then left it to dry. I did not like the foam brush at all, it made it more difficult to move the glue-like substance around the art. After a couple of strokes, I changed to a smaller brush and that was much better. The Sparkle Mod Podge has glitter in it, and I found once it dried, the glitter specs were very distracting and I did not like the overall look. I give Sparkle Mod Podge 2 stars out of 5. Once I moved to the brush it applied pretty well, but I am not a fan of the glitter. The Dura Clear comes in a squeeze bottle, making it super easy to apply the sealant to the canvas. I followed the directions on the container and applied the gloss using a flat brush, then left it to dry. The gloss application was super easy! I loved that didn't have to scoop out the gloss, I could just squirt a line of it onto the canvas and move it around with a brush. The Dura Gloss has a nice consistency too, not too thick and not too watery. I give Dura Gloss 4 stars out of 5. It went on so easily, and the tiny diamonds still shimmered nicely once the gloss had set. This application made me nervous because the tip of the bottle has a sponge applicator, and that was the only way to apply the gloss. Plus, I didn't like using the foam brush with the previous gloss. I followed the directions on the container, applied the sealer using the sponge applicator on the bottle, and then left it to dry. The gloss went on very smoothly, and I could control the amount of sealer applied by squeezing the bottle. The application is super simple, the gloss is a perfect consistency, and I love that I didn't even have to clean any paintbrushes afterward. Once dried, the diamond beads are very stuck to the canvas, and I love that you can still see the shine of the diamonds. Plus, the plastic drills still have a beautiful, shiny finish. I give Diamond Painting Sealer 5 out of 5 stars. Looking at the final product, I think that both Diamond Painting Sealer and Dura Gloss are very similar in appearance once dried, but DPS is getting an extra star because of the foam applicator. I think Diamond Painting Sealer is the clear winner! It is definitely my personal preference, although the Dura Clear is a close second. From now on, the final step of my diamond painting process will always be applying Diamond Painting Sealer. Have you used a different type of sealer that I need to know about? Let me know in the comments section! No, diamond art does not have to be sealed once finished, but there are some good reasons to do it.Sealing the diamond drills to the canvas with a clear sealant will make sure that you don't lose those little plastic diamonds over time. After all of that hard work, we want it to last a long time!A lovely gloss finish can also enhance the shine and sparkle of the art.If you aren't putting the art behind glass, sealing also protects it from dust particles and other debris. Yes, there are spray-on sealer options, although I haven't used any myself.Mod Podge Spray Acrylic SealerandAleene's Gloss Finishare both options with great reviews. After all of that work, of course, you want to display it!My favorite way to showcase my diamond art is by wrapping a canvas. LearnHow to Frame Diamond Paintingin 4 easy steps. A thin layer of Mod Podge takes about 15 to 20 minutes to dry onto diamond art. My favorite place to purchase diamond paintings isDiamond Art Club. They have so many different designs that it's hard to choose what to make next!I prefer square drills, and those can be harder to find, but Diamond Art Club has a huge selection! Now that you're done, it's time to start a new diamond art craft. Here are a few ideas! Hi, I'm Katie! I'm so glad you're here. Want to make something fabulous? I'm here to help!