SELVA’s Tips
Ex pe rt
Cold Glazing
Cold Glazing is a two-component material (mixing
proportion 1:1), consisting of modified epoxy resin
and a hardener (cyclo-aliphatic diamine). Mixing
the two components will result in a high-quality,
lacquer-like liquid resin, which hardens at room
temperature (18–20 °C) to a glossy finish or a solid
shape with a multitude of properties.
The transparent Cold Glazing can be applied as a
scratch-proof, chemical-resistant coating to tiles,
vases, terra cotta bowls, table tops, fashion jew-
ellery, relief-like pictures, self-cast sculptures of
ceramic materials or clay figures, wooden boxes,
decorations made of glass, metal, stone, ceramic,
cardboard, etc. It is transparent and can be shaded
with Resin Toner so that coloured transparent and
opaque (enamel-like) glazed surfaces can be
achieved.
Cold Glazing is free of solvents, which broadens
its usage. It can be applied to Styrofoam shapes or
can be used to bond Styrofoam to other materials
such as fibreglass-reinforced plastics, metals, etc.
Mixing the Glazing
In two separate beakers, weigh equal quantities of
Cold Glazing and Hardener, and then pour them in-
to a single beaker (e.g., mix 50 grams of Cold
Glazing with 50 grams of Hardener). Mix the two
components intensively. The glazing is now ready
for use.
It has a very low viscosity and is well suited for
impregnating textile fabrics such as lampshades.
Objects can be placed and embedded on the im-
pregnated fabrics.
If the glazing does not flow well enough, it can be
diluted (see »Diluting Cold Glazing«).
With time, the mixed Cold Glazing changes its
viscosity. While it has a very low viscosity at the
beginning, the consistency becomes honey-like
after 30 minutes, after one hour it is viscous, and
after 90 minutes highly viscous. This fact offers
great possibilities when using the glazing for var-
ious finishing techniques.
When coating jewellery, such as brooches, pend-
ants, etc., the glazing is not applied until it has
become viscous. It is applied to brooches with a
raised surface making the fillings of the finished
brooches look like valuable jewels.
The transparent glazing is also suited for the repair
of enamelled signs and dials. For repairing valuable
porcelain, e.g., the broken-off spout of a coffee can,
the shaded Cold Glazing is used in a syrup-like
consistency. The repair area is covered with a thin
coat, which will perfectly hide any cracks.
Vertical areas are coated with transparent or
shaded Cold Glazing, e.g., vases, bottles or bowls.
Here the glazing is applied with a honey-like con-
sistency. It is applied evenly with a spatula, will
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slightly run off toward the bottom, and create a
thin coating. Pushing the glazing over them with
a spatula so that an evenly glazed surface will be
obtained can close holes and other areas that are
not covered.
There is a possibility of applying the glazing in
drop shapes with varying thickness and »tears«
of differing lengths to vessels, which is very dec-
orative – particularly if various shades of glazing
are applied. To achieve this effect, apply the first
glazing with a syrup-like consistency at the top
edge of the vessel and let it run down slowly.
Next, apply the second or third layer of glazing in
a viscous consistency with a spatula either next
to or on top of the first coat.
This layer can also be started directly underneath
the first layer so that the upper
layer will flow into it, creating These products from the
very interesting colour effects.
This technique shows the great
SELVA Programme help you
creative latitude, which helps to do a professional job:
to make vases and vessels into
unique pieces of art. One thing Description
is certain: No piece of work Resin Toners
resembles the next, fantastic
Metal Powder Pigment Set
originals are created, each piece
a precious object on its own! Resin Dissolver
Cold Glazing Thinner
Important:
Book »Beschichten mit Kaltglasur«. 101
If the glazing is not to be used
immediately, it must be poured
into a shallow dish and be allowed to react.
The filling height should not exceed 15–20 mm,
otherwise the material will react too quickly and will
become hard and fast within a few minutes. (If
Cold Glazing is poured too high in a vessel, it will
react too quickly.
A poly addition occurs causing heat to travel from
top to bottom and vice versa – the chain reaction
will result in immediate hardening.)
The reaction (hardening) time of Cold Glazing can
be accelerated with heat or slowed down with cold.
When heating the glazing, it will first become less
viscous, but then harden very quickly. Depending
on the heat, e.g., a hairdryer or curing in a baking
oven, the hardening period can be shortened to
5–10 minutes.
These properties are used in the manufacture of
jewellery, e.g., to coat a ring with glazing. The
ring is placed on a slowly turning shaft while vis-
cous Cold Glazing is applied. By applying heat to
the ring, the glazing will become warmer and
more viscous. It will spread evenly on the ring,
but will change its viscosity after a few minutes
and will become hard and fast.
Of course, this technique requires the know-how
and much experience. But seeing the fantastic re-
sults, you will agree that perseverance pays off.
Transparent Glazing
The transparent, untinted glazing is used for coating
nicely grained wood objects (table tops, wooden
bowls, dials and handles). The artistically painted
or inlayed covers of music and jewellery boxes,
chessboards, handles – painted or tinted – made
of ceramics, porcelain, bowls, terra cotta objects,
coasters made of casting or modeling materials,
mosaic pictures: They all can be coated with
transparent Cold Glazing for a non-yellowing,
scratch-resistant and mirror-smooth surface.
If a viscous glazing is applied, the depth of pictures,
ornaments or wood grains will
be accentuated. There are other
usages where the glazing is
applied as a chemical-resistant,
Page Illus. Order No.
101 5+6
101 7 540-280-600
101 9 542-908-400
101 14 540-279-900
4 450-206-900
protective coating, e.g., when making trays. Here,
the tray – whether made of wood, glass or thin
sheet metal – can be ornamented with decoupage,
dried flowers and grasses, postage stamps, coins
and many more objects. After applying these
decorations with low-viscosity glazing, the bot-
tom of the tray receives another, more viscous
coat to create a smooth surface.
Glass Painting
Paint a nicely shaped glass, a vase or bowl using
transparent glass paints. After the paint has dried,
coat the object completely with Cold Glazing.
After hardening, the object is dishwasher-proof!
Shading Cold Glazing
Cold Glazing is mixed with
Set I Transparent Resin Toners, No. 546-102-900,
or Set II Opaque Resin Toners, No. 546-103-800,
or Metal Powder Pigment Set, 3 parts, gold,
silver, copper, No. 540-280-600.
In addition, Dry Colour Glitter Set I,
No. 540-549-300, or Special Effect Colours Set II,
No. 540-550-900, can be used for shading.
Using Resin Toners
Set I, Transparent No. 546-102-900
Set II, Opaque No. 546-103-800
Resin Toner Set »Metallic«
541-403-600 541-410-700
 These are high-quality pigments mixed with cold
glazing resin. The shades are very intensive so that
a small quantity is sufficient to shade a glazing.
When mixing, it is important to just add very
small quantities of toner. If more toner is added,
the equivalent quantity of Cold Glazing Hardener
has to be added so that the 1:1 mixing ratio is
maintained.
The individual resin toner shades can be mixed.
This makes it possible to create any shade desired.
The toners are available in transparent or opaque
versions.
Transparent Resin Toners
Transparent Toners are the choice when coating
self-cast or -modelled reliefs or figures – the glaz-
ing gives them a porcelain-like surface. Figures
that were modelled with dark clay, e.g., terra
cotta, should first receive a light-coloured primer
coat, so that the glazing can have its full effect.
Untreated figures made of a ceramic casting material
or plaster must receive a thin coat of Primer
No. 540-530-400 to prevent the glazing from being
absorbed by the material. After applying the glaz-
ing, it will settle in the small crevices of the object
causing a dark/light effect, which will bring out
the body of the object. As a result, you will have a
valuable sculpture, which can hardly be distin-
guished from a genuine porcelain figure.
Four different basic shades are available:
Set I No. 546-102-900, transparent shades:
05 Golden yellow, 11 Cherry red, 21 Dark blue,
29 Turquoise.
This selection is sufficient to mix all desired
shades:
Golden yellow + cherry red =Light red to orange
Golden yellow + dark blue =Light green
to medium green
Golden yellow + turquoise =Green to dark green
Cherry red + turquoise =Reddish violet
to lilac
Cherry red + turquoise =Russet to violet
Cherry red + turquoise + Golden yellow =
Light brown to dark
brown / russet
to light grey
In addition, the transparent shades can be mixed
with Metal Powder Pigments No. 540-080-600 to
create colourful metallic effects.
Opaque Resin Toners
These toners are used to cover areas, e.g., for
coating vases, wooden and metal boxes, table tops,
match boxes, handles, key fobs, door plaques,
dials, coasters, picture and mirror frames, etc.
The following shades are available:
Set II No. 546-103-800, opaque shades:
08 Light red, 10 Dark red, 23 Medium blue,
38 Grass green, 47 Yellow, 54 Brown, 68 White,
78 Black.
These shades, too, can be mixed –
with transparent toners as well:
White + Yellow = Pastel yellow
White + green = Pastel green
White + red = Pink
White + turquoise (transparent) =
Ocean green – ice green
White + blue = Light blue
White + black = Gray
White + black + blue = Bluish grey
Yellow + red = Orange
Yellow + green = Light green
Red + blue = Violet to lilac
Red + green + yellow = Brown to dark brown
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or russet
The toners are mixed into the ready glazing and
then applied to the object(s). They can be dripped
on, drawn across and combined so that unique
colour effects are achieved.
These toners are suitable for shading all resins,
e.g., polyester and polyurethane resins.
Sample Applications
With Cold Glazing, simple objects such as a
machbox, a cream pot, etc., are coated with a
single shade. This is one possibility. It becomes
more interesting, when two shades are applied
next to each other. With a matchstick, the shades
can then be drawn into each other resulting in a
“saw tooth”-effect. This, too, is very attractive
and offers many shade effects. It becomes even
more interesting, if a contrasting shade is dripped
onto a coloured, glazed surface. For example:
Apply a base coat of blue, then a drop of yellow
glazing and let rest for approx. one minute. The
drop will slightly spread on the blue background.
Now, you can apply another drop of coloured
glazing to the yellow spot, e.g., white or light red,
creating another decorative effect.
You can further continue with this technique. Set
a matchstick in the centre of these coloured spots
and draw it to the outside so that a line leads into
the bordering blue surface. The colours of the
spot will mix with the blue glazing resulting in
beautiful colour effects. If you repeat this proce-
dure, you can create a star-shaped design. Alter-
natively, you can draw loops with a pencil or
toothpick – in a curve from the centre of the col-
our spot to the outside and back again. Repeat
the procedure in other areas. The lines in the glazing
create colourful accents and will form a smooth
and even surface coating.
These are but a few examples that show what can
be done with this outstanding glazing material.
The interplay of glazing and colour is fascinating
and offers decorating ideas not known before.
Cold Glazing is a magic lacquer, which will turn
simple objects into valuable pieces of decoration!
The Candle Trick!
Coat an object, e.g., a matchbox, with white
Cold Glazing. Let the glazing react for approx.
60 minutes, then apply a small colour spot, e.g.,
red. Turn the object so that the coated side faces
down and briefly hold it over a burning candle
(distance 4 to 5 cm). This must be done very quickly.
The heat of the candle will make the glazing in the
respective area somewhat more liquid again. At
the same time, the soot from the candle settles
on the glazing and turns it grey or black. Turning
the object upright again and setting it down will
cause the heated glazing to shift. The blackened
soot area will tear open and mix with the white area
and the red spot. The glazing blends together and
forms a uniform, smooth surface. The resulting
effect is unique and cannot be reproduced. The
black of the candle soot lies over the glazed sur-
face – which appears torn and in between shows
the red of the drip-on spot – like a fine veil! This
technique creates decorative effects, which are
only possible with this material. Of course, exper-
imenting is required since various colour combi-
nations – even with 3 or 4 different shades – are
possible and should be tried.
Diluting Cold Glazing
Cold Glazing does not contain solvents so that it
does not shrink during hardening. However, it is
not liquid enough for all applications and then
has to be mixed with Cold Glazing Thinner No.
540-279-900, e.g., if textiles (lampshades, back-
drops, fabrics) are to be impregnated or these ma-
terials and objects should be hard and fast.
Mix the Cold Glazing Resin with up to 10 % of
thinner. Afterwards, the liquid resin is mixed 1:1
with hardener as usual, stirred well and processed.
Of course, this thinned-down glazing can be
shaded as well.
Spray Application of Cold Glazing
In model building and many decorative applications,
Cold Glazing is applied in a very liquid state with an
airbrush or spray gun. Use a No. 1.5 nozzle. It is
important that the spray gun and the paint reservoir
are cleaned thoroughly within an hour. This is best
done with Resin Dissolver No. 542-908-400 and will
prevent a hardening of the glazing inside the tool.
Hardening of the Glazing
The glazing needs at least 18 hours of hardening to
become dust-proof. The final hardness is reached
after 48 hours. To avoid damage to the glazing
from dust or flying insects, particularly at the be-
ginning of hardening, glazed objects should be
stored in a separate, clean room or covered with
a protective sheath. The Chinese used to take
their Chinoiserie work out to the open sea for
drying to ensure that not a speck of dust would
mar their artful objects.
The Glazed Surface
During the hardening of smooth surfaces, it is
important that – after a reaction time of approx.
60–120 minutes – the area is worked with a
smooth brush. The fine bristles of the brush will tear
open any remaining air bubbles in the surface of
the glazing. Even though the brush barely touches
the surface, it is sufficient for this effect. Afterwards,
the surface looks like a »crater landscape«, but
shortly thereafter, the glazing spreads again, the
surface becomes mirror-smooth, and the air bubbles
are eliminated. Instead of using a brush, small
objects can be freed from air bubbles by blowing
across their surface. You can see, how the surface
is covered by many small craters, which will,
however, disappear. Instead of blowing, a hairdryer
on cold setting can be used with the air stream
approx. 10–15 cm from the glazed surface.
More Examples
Wall Lamps with Cold Glazing
Cut the shape of a wall lamp from a block of
Styrofoam. Choose your own design so that a
unique model will be created. The finished Styro-
foam block is then coated with transparent Cold
Glazing. Please make sure that the glazing covers
all crevices and areas of the object. Cold Glazing
does not contain solvents that would affect or
etch the Styrofoam. After the base coat has hard-
ened – in approx. one day – the next coat can be
applied. The glazing should be coated with either
colourless or shaded, transparent glazing. Sel-
ected areas or gaps can, of course, also be
coated with opaque glazing. It all depends on the
contrast or effect you want to achieve.
Metallic glazing, too, is suitable for this technique.
It is important, however, that the larger area of the
Styrofoam is covered with transparent glazing,
since the object will later be used as a translucent
lampshade.
After the second coat of glazing has completely
hardened (approx. 48 hours), turn the object over
and pour a solvent, e.g., nitro, on the Styrofoam.
The latter will be dissolved leaving the shaded layer
of Cold Glazing, which is impervious to solvents.
The lampshade is finished.
It is possible to laminate fleece or fibreglass-
reinforced fabric to the Styrofoam surface, which
will give the shade stability as well as an inter-
esting structure. This will make the appearance of
the translucent lampshade even more interesting.
Model Building
Airplanes, automobiles, and boats: In combination
with fibreglass-reinforced fabrics and Cold Glazing,
very sturdy, elastic yet lightweight models can be
realized. In addition, they can be shaded or coat-
ed with a coloured glazing afterwards. The coat-
ing is chemical-resistant and is impervious to
model plane fuel. The glazing can also be used to
bond Styrofoam to balsa wood (airplane wings).
It is also suitable for bonding fibreglass-reinforced
polyester parts, for binding pre-foamed polystyrene
as well as for coating foamed polystyrene with
fibreglass-reinforced fabrics and mats. Also suited
for bonding Styrofoam parts to sheet metals,
polyester, stone, ceramics, etc.
 Model Landscape
Cold Glazing is excellent for imitation lakes and
rivers. Moving water, spray, etc. can be achieved
with an almost syrup-like glazing, which – in this
highly viscous state – is stirred vigorously to create
the desired wave and spray effects. The glazing
can be shaded accordingly.
Bonding with Cold Glazing
Cold Glazing firmly bonds to the areas it is applied
to. It is a preferred bonding agent whenever the
bond has to be 100 % secure and it is acceptable
that the object cannot be moved during its curing
time of 12 hours. Cold Glazing adheres to all ma-
terials with the exception of plastics so that a
multitude of materials can be bonded, e.g., glass
with metals, wood with ceramics, metals with
plaster, polyester resins, etc.
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Electro-Plating
Spot-coat parts with Cold Glazing before electro-
plating. The plating bath will not dissolve the
glazing, which is advantageous when plating
pieces of jewellery. If tin parts are to be coated
with Cold Glazing, they first have to be treated
with hydrochloric acid and then coated with
glazing.
Chemical Properties:
Hardened Cold Glazing is resistant against chem-
icals, acids and caustic solutions as well as being
water- and weather-resistant. Ceramic, crockery,
clay, terra cotta or porcelain objects coated with
this glazing are dishwasher-proof.
Physiological Properties:
When working with Cold Glazing, please avoid skin
contact (wear protective gloves). When working
with spray guns, etc., protective goggles must be
worn. When working with large quantities of Cold
Glazing, the guidelines of the chemical industry
for polyester and epoxy resins must be followed.
First Aid
If eye or skin contact with Cold Glazing, hardener
or a mixture thereof occurs, rinse off with running
cold water at once. In case of contact with the eyes,
please consult an ophthalmologist and report that
contact occurred with a mixture that contains a
slightly alkaline-reacting hardener (cyclo-aliphatic
diamine).
Storage:
Keep containers closed, store cool and dry.