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Question

Can I melt Perler beads without an iron?

Amy Guerrero
Arts & Crafts Specialist
Amy Guerrero is an Arts and Crafts Specialist and the Owner of Sunshine Craft Co., a crafting studio based in Phoenix, Arizona. Amy specializes in macrame, DIY crafting, and teaching fiber arts. She offers monthly in-person and online workshops along with having developed a range of DIY craft kits for at-home projects. Amy holds a BS in Industrial Design from Philadelphia University. She worked as a graphic designer before starting her own business. Sunshine Craft Co. is a creative hub that offers a wide range of workshops, tools, and resources for any craft project to inspire creativity and community engagement.

Amy Guerrero

Arts & Crafts Specialist

Expert Answer

Yes you can. Just place the beads in the oven on a very low heat until they melt.

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Question

My sword is floppy. How can I make it stiff like a real sword?

Community Answer

Make sure you've ironed the design completely on both sides. The thinner it becomes after being ironed on both sides, the sturdier it will be.

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Question

Can I use a different kind of paper other than iron paper?

Community Answer

A different kind of paper is not recommended. The paper can burn, or mess up your design.

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Question

Can you use a microwave to heat perler beads

Community Answer

The kind of heat used in your microwave is very different from the direct heat of an iron or the heat in a conventional oven. While you may be able to melt your beads in a microwave, at best, the results will be very melty.

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Question

Why won't my beads come off the pegboard?

Enigma

Community Answer

This might be because the iron was too hot, which caused the beads to melt - thereby sticking onto the pegboard.

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Question

What temperature is the iron supposed to be at?

Community Answer

Put it in a medium setting. Never put it any higher or it can melt the beads completely, or scorch them.

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Question

Do I have to use a pegboard, or is there something else I can use?

Community Answer

It is best to use a pegboard because it is the easiest way to make your patterns. You could do it on a flat surface, but it may not come out as you expect.

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Question

Can I use sunlight to heat the perler beads up?

Starlight2468

Community Answer

No. Sunlight will not warm it up enough to melt it. If you want to incorporate sunlight, you can try using a piece of plexiglass and let the heat travel through, but there's no guarantee that would work.

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Question

Can I use wax paper instead of parchment paper?

Community Answer

No, wax paper is not a good idea because it will melt and fuse into your beads. Always use parchment paper or ironing paper. You can find parchment paper near the wax paper at a grocery store. You can also buy replacement ironing paper for Perler beads from their website or at an art store that sells Perler beads.

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Question

How do I iron and put together a 3D item like an Oreo?

Community Answer

After ironing each piece, you can glue or sew them to attach together.

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Question

Could I use a different kind of beads?

Community Answer

No. Perler beads are specially designed to melt together by following these directions. You will not achieve the same affect with another type of bead.

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Question

Is there another way to heat the beads?

Community Answer

There are other ways of heating your beads, but the safest, most reliable way is to follow the instructions. To offer an example of an alternative, you might create a perler bead bowl by putting a single layer of beads into an oven safe glass bowl so the beads to take its shape, preheating your oven to 350°, and baking the beads for 15 minutes. Once the beads are cool, you can pull them free of the bowl for a bowl shaped perler creation.

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Question

Is there something I can add on top of the finished product to make it stronger?

Starlight2468

Community Answer

Yes. You can top it off with nail polish or a finishing spray, but put it on after it cools. If you put it on while it's still warm, you could start a fire.

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Question

Can you use greaseproof paper instead of parchment paper?

Community Answer

Greaseproof paper is not recommended with a heat source, as it will likely melt and stick to the iron and/or the beads.

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Question

Is "freezer paper" the same as parchment paper?

Starlight2468

Community Answer

No. It is similar, but you cannot use it for a perler bead design. It might scorch, ruin the beads, or ruin your design.

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Question

Can I use a brown paper bag instead of parchment paper?

Community Answer

I wouldn't recommend doing this. The beads could stick to the bag, or it could present a fire hazard.

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Question

Can I use a steam iron on perler beads?

Community Answer

No, the directions say that it will mess up your design.

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Question

How do I go about creating a pattern of a specific human being?

Devin Taylor

Community Answer

Look online for an 8bit or 16bit photo editor...there has to be an app for that! Otherwise you can tape a picture of your specific human and take your sweet time doing it yourself, starting with the outline.

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Question

Is there a way to make my own pegboard?

Community Answer

You should use a regular pegboard because it would be easier and more safe.

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Question

Can I use a different surface other than an ironing board?

Community Answer

Yes, you can use any heat safe and hard surface, just make sure you use wax paper, which does work, or ironing paper.

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Question

What kind of iron should I use to heat the perler beads?

SharkGurrrl

Community Answer

You can use any iron that heats up properly! For small projects I use a mini iron. You can buy them on Amazon.

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Question

Should the ironing paper be on the bottom of the design as well?

Community Answer

As the article states, use your ironing paper on the top and iron it. Then, let it cool. Once it has cooled, move the ironing paper to the bottom.

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Question

Does it matter which side of the paper your iron is on?

Community Answer

Not really. The only thing that matters is that both sides are heated so both sides melt and fuse together.

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Question

Can I use a dryer instead of an iron?

Zunaira Ahmed

Community Answer

No, because the beads will not fuse together as fast and it's too much heat at once. You will likely ruin the beads if you try this.

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Question

What can I use instead of iron paper?

Community Answer

You can use wax paper, but it will not work well and the wax will melt into the beads. Parchment paper (the same as iron paper) is about the only thing you can use.

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Question

Can I use A4 paper instead of parchment paper?

Mzm555

Top Answerer

Not really, although baking paper is another cheap and very easy-to-find alternative.

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Question

What is the finished product supposed to look like? I have done a heart on the heart shape pegboard.

Mzm555

Top Answerer

Do a quick web image search for "perler bead heart creations" to see a few examples. So long as the beads are fused you are good, some people like the look of a minimally fused piece (with big holes present) which looks good, but isn't really strong, others like a well fused piece (little to no holes present) however the look sometimes isnt as good. Up to your personal choice really.

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Question

I tried wax paper it worked well, in fact it fused my beads faster and no wax was on my creation.

Mzm555

Top Answerer

All likely it depends on the specific type/brand of wax paper, some leave a residue, others do not, at the end of the day if it works for you, go for it!

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Question

Can I use any other things to melt it like a microwave or oven?

Mzm555

Top Answerer

You can, but unless you are experienced, the results will be unpredictable. Melting/fusing together beads with the parchment/baking paper and an iron is probably the easiest, "beginner friendly" way to go.

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Question

i have an ironer that has settings like rpolester. What setting do I use?

Mzm555

Top Answerer

Try out a few settings and take note how fast or slow the beads fuse/melt - under 3 seconds is far too hot, more than 10 seconds is too cold.

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