Finishing Projects with Mod Podge

Did you know you can finish wood with lots of different kinds of materials!  One of the easiest way to do this is using Mod Podge.  This can be found at craft stores, Walmart, Target and some DollarTree stores.  It is easy to use and creates awesome finishes.  There are a lot of different Mod Podge finishes, some for outdoor use or dishwasher safe, so you can choose the one for you project that will work best!  So let's get to it!

Decide on your project.  

-What type of base material do you want? Wood, acrylic, something else?  

-What do you want to put on the base material?  Fabric, paper, glitter, etc…. 

-Do you want to add it before or after you laser your project?  If you do it before, make sure whatever you add to the base is laser safe.  

-Where are you going to display your project and does it have any requirements. This is important to know so that you can decide on which finish to use.  For example, If it is for a sign outdoors, use the outdoor finish.  If it needs to be dishwasher safe, use the dishwasher safe finish.

Once the basics are figured out then the fun can begin!

For our example we are going to be attaching fabric to a base of MDF wood.

-Make sure your MDF is clean and dust free.

-Put some protection paper down on your workspace so that if some Mod Podge  gets off the MDF it won’t stick to your workspace.

-Place the MDF on the protective paper. 

-Using a paint brush apply a thin coat of Mod Podge to the MDF.

-Starting at one side evenly place the fabric on the MDF.  Make sure the fabric is attached smooth and flat with no air pockets or bumps. A Brayer roller helps here but you can also just use your hands. If you find a wrinkle just pull up the side and push the wrinkle out.  Work fast.  It dries fast!

-Apply a thin coat of Mod Podge to the top of the fabric.  Use straight even strokes because the stroke lines may show on the finish.

-Let dry for 20 minutes or so and then apply another coat of Mod Podge to the fabric using the same technique as the last coat.

-Let dry.  Check the label on the Mod Podge that you are using for curing time.  I have successfully lasered regular Mod Podge gloss covered material/wood without any masking after 24 hours and with masking before 24 hours.

-Use a wet wipe or cloth to clean off any laser residue.

That is all there is to it!