Top 13 'Golden-Joinery' Kintsugi Repair Projects to learn on weekends
There’s a sound that’s universally dreaded: the sharp, heart-sinking crack of ceramic hitting a hard floor. In that instant, a cherished object—a favorite coffee mug, a grandmother’s serving dish, a vase from a memorable trip—is transformed into a puzzle of sharp-edged pieces. Our first instinct is often one of loss, a rush to the dustpan, a sad farewell to what once was. But what if that moment of breakage wasn't an end, but a beginning?
This is the beautiful philosophy behind Kintsugi, the centuries-old Japanese art of repairing broken pottery. The name itself, "golden joinery" (金継ぎ), tells you everything. Instead of hiding the damage with invisible glue, Kintsugi artisans highlight the cracks with lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. It’s a practice rooted in the wabi-sabi worldview, which finds beauty in imperfection and transience. The repaired object doesn’t just become useful again; it becomes more beautiful and more valuable, its scars telling a story of resilience and love.
Ready to turn your own broken treasures into stunning works of art? You don’t need to be a master artisan to start. With a good DIY Kintsugi kit and a quiet weekend afternoon, you can begin your own journey into this meditative and rewarding craft. Here are 13 perfect Kintsugi repair projects to get you started.
1. The Classic Ceramic Mug
We all have one. The mug with the perfect weight, the one that holds just the right amount of coffee, the one whose handle has a chip from a clumsy moment at the dishwasher. This makes it the ideal first patient for your Kintsugi practice. It’s a low-stakes project that’s small, manageable, and offers an incredibly satisfying result.
Repairing a mug is a great way to learn the fundamentals: how to mix the epoxy, how to apply it to the broken edges, and how to gently hold the pieces together as they set. The best part? Every morning when you reach for your newly repaired mug, you’ll be greeted by a glimmering gold line—a beautiful reminder that what was once broken can be made whole and even more special.
Pro-Tip: If you plan on drinking from the mug again, it's crucial to use a modern, food-safe Kintsugi kit. These typically use epoxy resin rather than traditional (and toxic) urushi lacquer, ensuring your morning brew is both beautiful and safe.
2. The Sentimental Saucer or Small Plate
Do you have a beautiful tea set where one lonely saucer has a clean crack right down the middle? Small plates and saucers are fantastic for practicing your fine-line work. The relatively flat surface allows you to focus on creating a smooth, even seam of gold without wrestling with complex curves.
This is a chance to perfect the delicate art of applying the gold powder. After your adhesive has cured, you’ll paint a thin layer of lacquer or clear sealant over the seam and then gently dust it with the metallic powder. The reveal, when you brush away the excess powder to see a brilliant gold vein, is pure magic. A repaired saucer can be returned to its set or even mounted on a wall as a tiny piece of art.
Pro-Tip: Use painter's tape on either side of the crack to create a clean, sharp channel for your gold line. Peel it away carefully after applying the powder but before the final sealant fully cures for a professional-looking finish.
3. The Humble Terracotta Flower Pot
Gardeners know that terracotta pots are prone to cracking from frost or an accidental knock. Instead of tossing them, give them the Kintsugi treatment! The rustic, earthy orange of terracotta contrasts stunningly with the opulence of a gold repair. This is a wonderfully forgiving project, as the rugged nature of the material means a slightly imperfect line looks intentional and adds to its charm.
This project allows you to play with scale. You can mend a simple hairline crack or reassemble a pot that has broken into several large pieces. The result is a planter that not only holds your beloved plants but also tells a story of survival and beauty. It will undoubtedly become a conversation piece in your garden or on your windowsill.
Pro-Tip: Before you begin, make sure the pot is completely clean and dry. If you plan to use it for live plants, apply a waterproof sealant over the finished Kintsugi lines on the inside of the pot to protect the repair from moisture.
4. A Chipped Picture Frame
Kintsugi isn't limited to things you eat or drink from. A beautiful ceramic or even a resin picture frame with a chipped corner can be given a new lease on life. This is an excellent way to see how the technique works on different surfaces and shapes that aren't traditional pottery. The repair adds a touch of unexpected luxury and draws the eye.
Think of it as extending the story of the photograph within the frame. The frame itself now has a history—a moment of damage transformed into a deliberate, beautiful feature. You can repair a simple chip by filling it with the epoxy-gold mixture, or you can reattach a corner that has broken off completely.
Pro-Tip: For filling chips, mix the gold powder directly into the epoxy before applying it. This creates a solid "nugget" of gold in the gap. Use a toothpick to carefully apply the mixture and smooth the surface before it sets.
5. Decorative Ceramic Tiles (or Coasters)
Have you ever dropped a beautiful decorative tile and watched it shatter? Don't sweep it up! Those pieces are the building blocks for your next creative project. By reassembling a broken tile with Kintsugi, you can create a stunning and entirely unique coaster or a small decorative plaque.
This project is fantastic for unleashing your creativity. You don't even have to reassemble it in the original shape. You can take the most interesting pieces, join them with dramatic gold lines, and mount them on a cork or felt backing to create a set of abstract coasters. It’s a brilliant form of upcycling that turns waste into functional art.
Pro-Tip: Lay out your pieces on a piece of wax paper before you start gluing. This allows you to plan your composition and ensures you don't accidentally glue your project to your work surface.
6. A Broken Vase
The broken vase is a quintessential Kintsugi subject. Vases often have elegant curves and long, sweeping breaks that are perfect for showcasing dramatic lines of gold. While it may seem more challenging than a flat plate, the results can be truly breathtaking. A repaired vase is no longer just a vessel for flowers; it becomes a standalone sculpture.
The key to a successful vase repair is patience. Work in sections, especially if it’s broken into multiple pieces. Glue two pieces together, use tape or clamps to hold them securely, and let them cure completely before moving on to the next section. As our own Goh Ling Yong reminds us, patience is the most crucial tool in any kintsugi kit. Rushing the process will only lead to weak joints.
Pro-Tip: To hold curved pieces together while the epoxy sets, try filling a bowl with rice or sand and nestling the vase pieces into it. The grains will conform to the shape and provide gentle, consistent pressure.
7. Jewelry Dish or Trinket Bowl
Small, delicate objects like a ring dish or a trinket bowl are wonderful Kintsugi projects. Their small scale means the repair becomes an intricate, jewel-like detail. A fine, shimmering gold line tracing its way across a little bowl where you keep your most precious items feels poetic and deeply personal.
This is another great project for practicing precision. Because the object is small, every detail of the repair will be noticeable. Take your time mixing the adhesive to the right consistency and applying it with a fine tool like a toothpick or a thin brush. The care you take will be reflected in the elegance of the final piece.
Pro--Tip: Less is more. When applying the adhesive to the broken edges, use a very thin layer. When you press the pieces together, a small amount should bead up along the seam. This is what you will coat with the gold powder. Too much adhesive will create a thick, clunky line.
8. A Classic Soup or Rice Bowl
Repairing a bowl you use regularly is a deeply rewarding experience. A simple ceramic rice or soup bowl is a fantastic canvas. The deep curve presents a satisfying challenge, and the finished object is something you can interact with daily. It transforms the mundane act of eating into a moment of appreciation for beauty and resilience.
My first truly successful Kintsugi piece was a simple white noodle bowl that had split in two. Seeing that vibrant gold line against the stark white, and then being able to use the bowl again, was the moment I truly fell in love with this craft. It felt like I had saved a friend.
Pro-Tip: As with mugs, always opt for a food-safe, non-toxic Kintsugi kit. When repairing a bowl, pay special attention to creating a smooth inner surface so it remains easy to clean and hygienic to use.
9. A Ceramic Figurine or Ornament
We often form strong emotional attachments to small decorative objects—a ceramic bird from a grandparent, a treasured holiday ornament. When one of these breaks, it can feel like losing a memory. Kintsugi provides a way to mend not just the object, but the heart, too.
Repairing a figurine requires a delicate touch and a bit of ingenuity. You may need to reattach a tiny wing, a delicate limb, or a piece of a flowing robe. The process is slow and meditative, almost like performing surgery on a piece of art. The resulting gold seams make the object's history of survival a visible and celebrated part of its identity.
Pro-Tip: Painter's tape is your best friend here. Use small strips to act as splints and bandages, holding awkward or tiny pieces perfectly in place while the adhesive cures. You can also use modeling clay to build a custom support structure.
10. Upcycled "Kintsugi-Style" Jewelry
Who says you have to start with a single broken object? This project is about creation rather than just repair. Collect beautiful fragments of broken pottery, sea glass, or smooth stones. Then, using Kintsugi techniques, join two or three complementary pieces together to create a completely new form.
The result is a stunning, one-of-a-kind pendant for a necklace or a pair of unique earrings. The gold seams become the main design element, binding disparate pieces into a cohesive and beautiful whole. This is a wonderfully sustainable project that celebrates found objects and gives them a glamorous new life.
Pro-Tip: Plan your design first. To make a pendant, you’ll need to drill a small hole for a jump ring. It’s often easiest to do this before you join the pieces together with the Kintsugi method.
11. The Neglected Teapot Lid
The most vulnerable parts of a teapot are often the spout, the handle, and the lid's knob. A teapot can be perfectly functional, but if the lid is broken, it's often relegated to the back of the cupboard. Rescuing a teapot lid is a quick and highly satisfying weekend project.
Reattaching the small handle or knob on a lid is a fantastic exercise in precision. You need to ensure the bond is strong and the alignment is perfect. When you place the beautifully repaired lid back on its pot, the entire set is reborn, ready to serve tea and start conversations for years to come.
Pro-Tip: Clean the broken surfaces meticulously with rubbing alcohol before applying the adhesive. Any grease or dust can weaken the bond, which is especially important for a piece like a knob that will be handled frequently.
12. A Serving Platter with a Story
A large serving platter with a dramatic crack or a clean break down the middle is an opportunity to create a true statement piece. The sheer length and visibility of the repair line make it a bold testament to the Kintsugi philosophy. When you bring this platter to the table, it’s guaranteed to be a conversation starter.
Working on a larger piece requires a bit more planning. You'll need more adhesive and a clear, flat workspace where the platter can rest undisturbed while it cures. The payoff is immense. You'll save a valuable and useful item from the landfill and transform it into a piece of functional art that speaks of family, gatherings, and the beauty of a well-loved life.
Pro-Tip: For a very clean, straight break, you can lay the pieces flat on a table, apply the adhesive, and push them together firmly. For a more jagged break, it's better to stand them on their edge and press them together, allowing gravity to help align the pieces.
13. The "Yobitsugi" Patchwork Project
Once you're comfortable with the basics, you can try a more advanced and deeply creative Kintsugi technique known as Yobitsugi (呼び継ぎ), which translates to "calling and joining." Instead of just rejoining the original pieces, you purposefully fill a missing gap with a fragment from a completely different piece of pottery.
Imagine a simple blue bowl with a large chip. Instead of just filling it, you fit a piece of a patterned, floral plate into the gap, framing it with golden seams. The result is a stunning patchwork, a collaboration between two different histories. This technique requires a bit of an artistic eye to find complementary pieces, but it elevates the repair into a true act of artistic composition.
Pro-Tip: Visit thrift stores or flea markets to find single, inexpensive broken or chipped dishes to build your "library" of Yobitsugi fragments. Look for contrasting colors, textures, and patterns to create the most dynamic results.
Kintsugi teaches us that an object's story doesn't end when it breaks. The cracks are not flaws to be hidden but milestones to be illuminated. It's a powerful metaphor for our own lives, a reminder to embrace our imperfections and celebrate the journey that shaped us.
So the next time you hear that heart-stopping crash, take a deep breath. Gather the pieces carefully. You're not holding the end of something, but the beautiful beginning of your next weekend project.
What broken treasure will you bring back to life? We’d love to see your creations. Share your projects in the comments below or tag us on social media! And for more in-depth tutorials and inspiration, be sure to explore our online workshops.
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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