Comparison of Fabric Hardeners - Sculptin, Paverpol and Powertex
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 พ.ค. 2020
- This video talks you through a few tests I did to compare the branded fabric hardeners that are currently available in the UK - Sculptin, Paverpol and Powertex.
(I also included my own formula of hardener that I have developed for my own use, although this is not commercially available)
In the tests I compare the hardeners on different types of fabrics to assess how well they harden the fabrics, how well they preserve textures, their ability to cover strong colours and how well they can be coloured using powdered pigments, varnish and a dry brushing technique.
Spoiler alert: The ultimate conclusion is that for fabric sculpting projects, they all perform equally well in terms of how well they harden fabric and overall the end results after colouring are almost identical.
If you'd like to learn how to create fabric sculptures and projects using fabric hardeners, check out my online workshops at:
curiously-contrary.thinkific....
You can also find starter kits and project kits on my website.
Thanks for watching
Abigail - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Thank you very much for your detailed comparison video. It is very helpful to our future development to hear your opinion.
Thx just what I'm looking for. Once your formula is available pls let us know
شكرًا جزيلًا على مشاركة الفيديو المهم والمفيد ، اتمنى لكِ النجاح المستمر 🌷🙏🏻
Fantastic video
The main difference in these is that Paverpol has another property that makes the item you make weatherproof. You can put sculptures outside 365 and they are impervious to water, it is a liquid polymer that is made in Holland.
Hi Cheryl, thanks for watching and thanks for your comment.
All four of the hardeners I show in this video have this same property. You can use any of them to create a sculpture that is weather resistant and that can live outside.
Fab video, I have recently used Sculptin due to current situation and only found slight difference when applying, as in more sticky I found but end result is same as powertex. I did love the shade of your fabric hardener and I have never used Paverpol. Thanks for sharing. Stay safe xx
Hi Jinny, thanks for watching and commenting, it's lovely to hear from you. I was surprised how little difference there was in the end result to be honest, I at least expected the added colour to look more different. As mentioned the speed of drying was a bit different between them but nothing that stopped me working with them as I usually would. I'll have to do some outdoor durability tests next. :) Take care xx
@@curiouslycontrary can I ask what mica/pigments you used? That blue/ green is gorgeous and yes your end result when coloured they all looked exactly the same! 😁 x
@@mumsshed on this one the colour was just Powertex's powercolor in turquoise, lightened with the white. I much prefer matt colours to mica/metallics for most things 😊 xx
Very helpful, thank you .
You're welcome Chris, glad you found it useful :) xx
Hi there! Just wondering if the recipe for your homemade one is available? Also are these very different from favric stiffener? Would it be correct to say that these will make things much harder? Or are they about the same?
I’m looking to harden papercraft masks, and am hoping this will be hard enough and protective enough to use instead of polyeurethane varnish.
Thank you!
Wud luv to see how they work on wool felted fabric
would any of these harden fabric enough to make a silicon rubber mould?
Great video - thank you for posting that!! The one question that I had was which one was more cost effective? If they all behave pretty much the same (with some slight exceptions), which one would have the best performance relative to the cost? Also, would your personal recipe be quite a bit cheaper or would it cost about the same as the others? Thanks again!
Hi Lance,
Thanks for watching and for your question.
Unfortunately Sculptin is no longer available so that one is out of the running straight away.
All of them use about the same amount for the same sized project so it really is just down to how much you can find the products available for. Currently in the UK, Paverpol is cheaper than Powertex weight for weight - this is buying it directly from their own websites and therefore based on the rrp (this is often the cheapest you will find it).
My own mix is quite a bit cheaper as it uses products that aren't marketed as 'craft' products. ;)
Will you share your recipe?
Thank you for the thorough material hardener demonstration! Have you sculpted with canvas not stretched?
Would you have a suggestion for a hardner that would make canvas hard enough to be displayed,
hanging or in a stand . This would need to be translucent Thanks you
May b mdf or ply wood works best
What a great experiment! It is hard to find information which compares all the main brands. I really appreciate this. I will be checking out your website and subscribing. Question: I see that Powertex has many projects for a crackle effect. Do you think Paverpol products would crackle using the same technique? Also, what do you think the Powertex bister product is? I know it is a water based stain, but I wonder how I could make that? Maybe just mica powder/alcohol inks? Curious minds and all… :)
Hi, thanks for your comment and apologies for not responding sooner.
Bister is a traditional, natural ink/stain made from walnut shells, so quite different to mica powder or alcohol inks.
I've just done a very quick test and the answer is yes it works exactly same way to create the crackle effect with Paverpol as it does with Powertex. 😁
This is great - you answered my #1 question about the stiffness/hardness of the fabric. My #2 question is regarding the clear/transparent versions of these products. Do they make the fabric darker or is it truly clear? I'm using denim and the products I've tried so far have changed the color too much for what I want.
Thank you for watching and I'm glad you found it helpful. To answer your second question I'm afraid the transparent versions do make the fabric darker. Pretty much the colour the fabric would go if you wet it. Obviously this is less noticeable on darker fabrics but can be quite a big difference on lighter fabrics.
Thanks.
Just the video I have been looking for! Thank you. Q? How high I could go with peaks without structure? What finish do they leave behind before being painted? Matte or gloss? I like using inks to stain my fabrics and matte is best. Thank you. W
Thank you for watching and really glad if it has helped you. :)
In answer to your questions:
Thicker fabrics hold their shape much better than thinner ones although they do of course use more hardener. Also using multiple layers will help you create higher peaks that can support their own weight. If the finished piece gets hot (e.g. direct sunlight) or wet this can cause the fabric to bend/sag if it is thinner and there is nothing supporting it.
The finish is matt as the hardener soaks into the fabric and you still have the woven fabric texture visible, although very fine weave fabrics can end up a bit more shiny than coarser weave fabrics. T-shirt fabric is a great all rounder to start off with which creates beautiful folds/ruffles/drapes.
Hope that helps. If you have any other questions please feel free to get in touch. Abigail xx
@@curiouslycontrary Thank you for such in depth answer! Really helpful :) Will be experimenting and if anything thank you for the invite to conversation. Hugs W
I have a 30" antique doiley that I want to stretch over an exercise ball to Create a pendant shade For a light. The online tutorials use Modge podge and smaller doylies. Since it is so large I don't want gravity to pull it down... And I don't want it to have a "crafted" look. This technique seems like it would have a more sophisticated look. Which brands have a clear finish and how many coats would you recommend for a hard finish to a fabric that has a whole lot of holes? 😊 thanks for your time.
Gracias por este video que nos compartes , quisiera saber si el pawertex transparente endurece igual que los de color , agradezco tu respuesta .
Hi, thanks for watching and for commenting. Yes, the transparent hardens just the same as the coloured ones. However it is not suitable for sculptures for outside as it doesn't have the same weather resistant properties. Hope that helps 😊 x
Gracias por tu ayuda , bendiciones !
great video! do think all of these work well on larger pieces of fabric? like corset sized
Hi, yes they would all work fine on any sized project although it's harder to make the folds look in proportion for very large projects. If it is to be worn, keep in mind that it goes very solid so may be uncomfortable and can also shrink a bit so use a starting garment that is a bit bigger.
If it is to be a larger free standing structure then you need a good base structure to work on. 😊
@@curiouslycontrary thank you!
I want to use Powertex on a thin sheet of fine wool, what surface can I use to stop the wool from sticking to the surface, would a silicone mat work ?
Hi Rebel Rose, thanks for your question.
Yes a silicone mat would work or any other plastic surface as the Powertex won't fully stick to it and it will peel off.
However, the side of the wool sheet that is in contact with the plastic/silicone will have a flattened texture to it.
Obviously, that may not be a problem if only one side will be visible but if you want both sides to retain the texture of the wool then I would try carefully hanging it to dry with plastic pegs.
As with anything, if you have a spare bit to test it on first, that would be a good idea.
Hope that helps and let me know how you get on, A xx
Thank you so much for this, it was just what I was looking for! Are you able to share the ‘recipe’ for the own made version at all? I always try to do my own versions where I can and you have obviously cracked it so it would save me a lot of experimenting! Thanks
Hi Lindsay, I'm so glad you found my comparison helpful. I'm still tweaking my own formula but may share it in the future, so keep an eye out. :)
Is powertex water proof?
Hi Runa, once it has completely dried on your project, Powertex (and Paverpol and Sculptin) will be water resistant. So fabric sculptures will stand up to being outside and can endure rain & snow, etc perfectly fine. However, you cannot leave you project immersed in water for a long time. :)
The one exception is the transparent version of Powertex - this is not water resistant and should not go outside unless given a coat or two of varnish first.
But the most interesting things to know would be the price and the formula of your own.
Sounds to me that you promote Povertex , but Poverpol is the best.
Hi, I create using all brands of fabric hardener as well as my own formulation. As with anything, I prefer using particular ones for particular projects, it all depends what I am trying to achieve. None of them are 'the best' for everything in my experience ;)
would any of these harden fabric enough to make a silicon rubber mould?