Putty vs. Clay — What's the Difference?

A pliable material used for sealing gaps or setting glass.

Can be used to create durable bricks and tiles.

Often remains soft, allowing for easy manipulation and smoothing.

Available in various types, each suitable for different crafting needs.

Used in building repairs and maintenance.

Must be kept moist to maintain workability.

Adheres well to most building materials.

A natural, earthy material used for making pottery and sculptures.

Putty is a material with high plasticity, similar in texture to clay or dough, typically used in domestic construction and repair as a sealant or filler. Although some types of putty (typically those using linseed oil) slowly polymerise and become stiff, many putties can be reworked indefinitely, in contrast to other types of filler which typically set solid relatively rapidly.

Requires kiln firing to harden permanently.

A doughlike cement made by mixing whiting and linseed oil, used to fill holes in woodwork and secure panes of glass.

Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals. Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay particles, but become hard, brittle and non–plastic upon drying or firing.

A substance with a similar consistency or function.

A stiff, sticky fine-grained earth that can be moulded when wet, and is dried and baked to make bricks, pottery, and ceramics

A fine lime cement used as a finishing coat on plaster.

A European moth with yellowish-brown wings.

A yellowish or light brownish gray to grayish yellow or light grayish brown.

A fine-grained, firm earthy material that is plastic when wet and hardens when heated, consisting primarily of hydrated silicates of aluminum and widely used in making bricks, tiles, and pottery.

To fill, cover, or secure with putty.

A hardening or nonhardening material having a consistency similar to clay and used for modeling.

A form of cement, made from linseed oil and whiting, used to fix panes of glass.

(Geology) A sedimentary material with grains smaller than 0.002 millimeter in diameter.

Any of a range of similar substances.

Moist sticky earth; mud.

An oxide of tin, or of lead and tin, used in polishing glass, etc.

The human body as opposed to the spirit.

A fine cement of lime only, used by plasterers.

A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.

A golf ball made of composition and not gutta-percha.

An earth material with ductile qualities.

Of, pertaining to, or resembling putty.

(tennis) A tennis court surface made of crushed stone, brick, shale, or other unbound mineral aggregate.

(transitive) To fix or fill using putty.

(biblical) The material of the human body.

A kind of thick paste or cement compounded of whiting, or soft carbonate of lime, and linseed oil, when applied beaten or kneaded to the consistence of dough, - used in fastening glass in sashes, stopping crevices, and for similar purposes.

(geology) A particle less than 3.9 microns in diameter, following the Wentworth scale.

A ball made of composition and not gutta percha.

A clay pipe for smoking tobacco.

A kind of gaiter of waterproof cloth wrapped around the leg, used by soldiers, etc.

A clay pigeon.

To cement, or stop, with putty.

(informal) Land or territory of a country or other political region, especially when subject to territorial claims

A dough-like mixture of whiting and boiled linseed oil; used especially to patch woodwork or secure panes of glass

(transitive) To add clay to, to spread clay onto.

Apply putty in order to fix or fill;

To purify using clay.

Can be painted over once dried.

A soft earth, which is plastic, or may be molded with the hands, consisting of hydrous silicate of aluminium. It is the result of the wearing down and decomposition, in part, of rocks containing aluminous minerals, as granite. Lime, magnesia, oxide of iron, and other ingredients, are often present as impurities.

Earth in general, as representing the elementary particles of the human body; hence, the human body as formed from such particles.

To cover or manure with clay.

To clarify by filtering through clay, as sugar.

A very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired

Water soaked soil; soft wet earth

United States general who commanded United States forces in Europe from 1945 to 1949 and who oversaw the Berlin airlift (1897-1978)

United States politician responsible for the Missouri Compromise between free and slave states (1777-1852)

The dead body of a human being

The drying time for putty can vary but typically takes several hours to a day, depending on the type and conditions.

Putty is primarily used for sealing and minor repairs, whereas clay is used for artistic and structural creations.

Yes, both putty and fired clay can be painted, but putty usually requires it for aesthetic reasons, while clay might be glazed or painted for artistic decoration.

When working with clay, particularly during mixing or firing, it's important to avoid inhaling dust and to use safe, non-toxic glazes.

Clay, when fired, is more durable and weather-resistant for outdoor use, especially in structures and sculptures.

Yes, simple putty can be made using common ingredients like flour and water, though it won't have the same properties as commercial putty.

Earthenware clay is often recommended for beginners due to its ease of use and low firing temperature.

Yes, both putty and clay have environmentally friendly options, particularly natural or organic-based puttys and naturally sourced clays.

Typically, no. Putty is not suitable for artistic purposes like pottery or sculpture due to its different properties and drying characteristics.

Proper application, ensuring clean and dry surfaces, and using the right type of putty for the material will help ensure longevity.