Milliput, Modroc, and resin: the making materials most crafters have never tried
Most people who come into Craft and Canvas are familiar with the materials we stock for painting, drawing, and yarn work. Fewer are familiar with this corner of our range — three materials that sit just outside the mainstream of craft supply but that open up genuinely remarkable creative possibilities once you know what they are and what they can do.
Milliput is a two-part epoxy putty made in Wales that sets rock hard, bonds to almost any surface, can be sculpted, drilled, sanded, and painted, and has been used by model makers, sculptors, ceramics restorers, and industrial engineers for over fifty years. Modroc is plaster-impregnated bandage that sets in minutes, is exceptionally affordable, and is used for everything from school sculpture projects to professional prop making. Resin is a liquid material that sets to a glass-clear, incredibly hard finish — used for jewellery, coasters, decorative objects, and embedding — and is available both as a two-part epoxy kit and as a UV-curing formula.
None of these requires specialist equipment. All are genuinely accessible to beginners. And all three produce results that you simply cannot achieve with conventional craft materials.
We stock Milliput Epoxy Putty Standard at £6.25, Seawhite Modroc Roll at £1.95, 1 litre Epoxy Resin Kit at £34.99, and UV Resin Kit with mould at £22.99 at Craft and Canvas.
Milliput Epoxy Putty
£6.25 — Standard Yellow Grey, 113.4g (two 56.7g sticks)
Milliput has been made in Wales since 1968 and describes itself, with complete justification, as the epoxy putty with a thousand uses. It is a two-part material — a resin stick and a hardener stick, each 56.7g — that activates when the two parts are kneaded together in equal quantities. The mixed putty is soft, clay-like, and workable for approximately ninety minutes to two hours at room temperature. It then hardens completely over three to four hours to a substance with the properties of a very hard, dense ceramic — non-shrinking, water resistant, heat resistant to 130°C, and capable of being machined, drilled, tapped, filed, sawn, sanded, and painted.
During the working window Milliput behaves like a very firm modelling clay. It can be pressed, shaped, rolled flat into sheets, cut with a knife, pressed into moulds, applied to surfaces, and textured. Keeping tools and fingers moistened with water during working prevents sticking and allows very smooth, fine surfaces to be achieved — a wet fingertip is one of the most effective tools for smoothing Milliput to an almost polished finish.
Milliput bonds aggressively to clean, grease-free surfaces including metal, wood, brick, concrete, glass, ceramic, and most plastics. This makes it as useful for repair as for making — a chip in a ceramic piece, a missing detail on a picture frame, a damaged fossil or natural history specimen, a repair to garden stonework — all are natural applications. The Standard Yellow Grey grade we stock is the most versatile all-purpose grade, excellent for model making, sculpting, gap filling, and general repair.
What crafters use Milliput for
Model making and sculpting. Scale modellers use Milliput to fill gaps in kits, add custom details, build up forms, and create small accessories and scenic elements. Wargames miniature sculptors use it for converting and customising figures. The Standard grade is the most affordable and is ideal for building up volume and structural elements, with finer detailing added at the surface with a wet tool.
Ceramics and object restoration. Milliput is widely used for restoring chipped or damaged ceramics, china, fossils, and antique objects. Once cured and sanded, a repair in Milliput is virtually invisible when painted, making it invaluable for conserving damaged pieces.
Jewellery and small sculpture. Milliput can be used to create small sculptural elements, settings, and components that are then sanded smooth, polished, and painted or gilded.
Armature and structural work. Pressed around a wire armature, Milliput builds up forms quickly and produces a hard shell that takes further detail in softer materials on top.
Urgent repairs. Milliput sets under water, is chemical and frost resistant, and adheres to almost anything — making it one of the most useful emergency repair materials available for leaks, cracks, broken components, and structural damage to objects of almost any material.
How to use Milliput
Cut equal lengths from each stick — the two parts must be equal by volume for the chemical reaction to work correctly. Knead and fold the two parts together for a minimum of five minutes until the colours merge completely and no streaks remain. Work on a clean surface and keep water nearby for smoothing. Apply within ninety minutes of mixing. Allow to harden fully — three to four hours at room temperature — before sanding, painting, or drilling.
Wear gloves when mixing and working — Milliput can be a mild skin irritant for sensitive individuals.
Seawhite Modroc Roll
£1.95 per roll — 15cm x 275cm
Modroc is plaster-impregnated bandage — strips of open-weave fabric pre-loaded with plaster of Paris that activate when dipped in water. It is one of the most immediate and satisfying making materials available at any level, and at £1.95 per roll it is also one of the most affordable.
The process is simple. Cut or tear strips of Modroc to the required size. Dip each strip in water for two to three seconds — just long enough to wet the plaster fully. Apply the wet strip to whatever surface or armature you are working on and smooth it gently into place with wet fingers. The plaster is slightly fluid when first applied, allowing strips to blend together and smooth over joins and edges. Setting begins within a few minutes and the plaster is hard within ten to fifteen minutes, though it continues to strengthen over the following 24 hours as it fully cures.
The resulting surface is rigid, lightweight, and slightly textured — the weave of the bandage fabric is visible in the surface and gives Modroc work a characteristic quality. Further layers can be applied over the first to increase strength and build up surface detail. Once fully cured, Modroc can be sanded lightly, sealed with PVA, and painted with acrylic or poster paint.
What Modroc is used for
Three-dimensional sculpture and construction. Modroc over a balloon produces a hollow sphere. Over a crumpled wire armature it builds up organic forms. Over a cardboard construction it creates a smooth, rigid surface for a papier mâché-style result. The ability to cover almost any form quickly and cheaply is Modroc's defining quality.
Mask making. One of the classic applications — Modroc laid over a plaster or clay base form, or worked around a face cast, produces a rigid mask blank that can be painted and decorated in any way you choose.
Support shells in mould making. As covered in our mould making post, Modroc is used to create rigid support shells over flexible latex moulds, holding the mould in shape during casting.
Prop making and theatre work. The speed of Modroc — hard within fifteen minutes, paintable within an hour — makes it extremely practical for prop making, costume construction, and any application where a quick rigid surface is needed.
School and education projects. At £1.95 per roll, Modroc is the most cost-effective way to introduce three-dimensional construction to groups and classes. It is clean, safe, quick, and produces results that genuinely excite young makers.
Tips for working with Modroc
Prepare your water container and have strips cut before you start — once you begin applying, you want to work smoothly without stopping. Protect your work surface with a plastic sheet as Modroc drips when wet. Apply two to three layers for a strong, rigid result. Smooth each layer while wet with a finger dipped in water. Allow to cure fully before painting.
Resin: epoxy and UV
Resin is a material that divides into two main types in craft use — two-part epoxy resin and UV-curing resin — and they are different enough to be worth covering separately.
Epoxy Resin Kit — 1 litre — £34.99
Epoxy resin is a two-part liquid material — resin and hardener mixed in equal quantities — that cures to a completely clear, glass-hard, high-gloss finish over 24 to 72 hours depending on the formulation and ambient temperature. The 1 litre Epoxy Resin Kit we stock at £34.99 contains 500ml of resin and 500ml of hardener, nitrile gloves, and a beginners guide to epoxy resin with instructions, tips, and safety information.
The cured result is heat resistant to 90°C, food safe, crystal clear, scratch resistant, and bubble free when mixed correctly. These properties make epoxy resin exceptionally well suited to coasters — one of the most popular resin applications — as well as jewellery, decorative panels, tabletop surfaces, and embedding work where objects are encased in clear resin.
Working with epoxy resin: measure equal volumes of resin and hardener and mix slowly and thoroughly for at least three to four minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the mixing container. Slow, deliberate mixing minimises bubbles — vigorous stirring introduces air. Pour the mixed resin into your mould or onto your surface slowly. Bubbles that appear on the surface can be removed by passing a heat gun or the flame of a lighter briefly across the surface, which causes them to pop. Allow to cure in a dust-free environment at room temperature. Full cure typically takes 24 to 72 hours.
Epoxy resin requires good ventilation during working and gloves should always be worn — uncured resin is a skin sensitiser and repeated unprotected contact should be avoided. Once cured the material is completely inert and safe.
What epoxy resin is used for: coasters, jewellery, decorative trays, tabletop coatings, embedding flowers or objects in clear blocks, ocean art and abstract resin pours, encasing photographs or artwork, and custom gift making.
UV Resin Kit with Mould — £22.99
UV resin is a single-component liquid that cures when exposed to ultraviolet light — a UV lamp or direct sunlight — rather than through a chemical reaction between two mixed components. This makes it considerably faster and more convenient for small-scale work: a thin layer of UV resin cures in 60 to 120 seconds under a UV lamp, allowing multiple layers to be built up in a single session.
The UV Resin Kit we stock at £22.99 includes UV resin (available in 200ml, 400ml, or 600ml), a pouring lid, and nitrile gloves. The resin is food safe, crystal clear, scratch resistant, bubble free, and anti-yellowing — formulated to maintain clarity over time, which is a known issue with some UV resin formulations.
Working with UV resin: UV resin does not require mixing. Pour or apply directly to your mould or surface, add any inclusions or decorative elements, and cure under a UV lamp for 60 to 120 seconds per layer. Build up depth in thin layers for the clearest results — very thick single pours can cure unevenly. We also stock oval Resin Moulds at £12.99 for use with both UV and epoxy resin.
UV resin vs epoxy resin: UV resin is faster and more convenient for small-scale jewellery and accessory work. Epoxy resin is better suited to larger pours, coasters, and embedding where volume and depth are involved. Both produce excellent results for their respective applications.
Frequently asked questions
Is Milliput food safe?
No — Milliput is not food safe and should not be used to make objects that will contact food or drink. It is suitable for decorative and structural applications.
Can Modroc be used on skin for body casting?
Traditional Modroc is not recommended for direct skin application. For body and life casting, alginate is the appropriate material — covered in our mould making guide.
How do I avoid bubbles in epoxy resin?
Mix slowly and deliberately rather than vigorously. After pouring, pass a heat gun or lighter flame briefly across the surface to pop surface bubbles. Working in a warm room reduces the viscosity of the resin, which also helps bubbles escape before curing begins.
Can I colour resin?
Yes — both epoxy and UV resin can be tinted with specialist resin pigments or alcohol inks added in small quantities. Start with very small amounts — a little pigment goes a long way and it is easier to add more than to correct an over-pigmented pour.
How long does Milliput last in the packet?
Approximately two years in cool, dry storage. Keep the sticks sealed in their individual bags between uses. If the putty has hardened in the packet, it cannot be softened and should be replaced.
Is resin safe for children?
Uncured epoxy resin and UV resin are not suitable for unsupervised use by children — both are skin sensitisers and require gloves and ventilation. The cured products are completely inert and safe. Resin craft is an adult or closely supervised teenage activity.
Shop at Craft and Canvas
We stock Milliput Epoxy Putty Standard at £6.25, Seawhite Modroc Roll at £1.95, 1 litre Epoxy Resin Kit at £34.99, UV Resin Kit at £22.99, and Resin Moulds at £12.99 at Craft and Canvas in Hebden Bridge and online at craftandcanvas.co.uk.
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