Preserve Seashells
You Find or Buy

To preserve seashells picked up at the beach during a beachcombing expedition, or bought from seashell suppliers, try one of the methods presented here. You can make seashells that are dull and lacking any luster, shiny and vibrant. Make their colors come out, and give them a nice glow.

You want to make sure the seashells to preserve are clean and dry. This will allow your chosen preservation method to better adhere or penetrate the seashell. Also, before trying these methods out on a "prize" seashell, try it out on a discard shell – one you don't mind tossing if you get it wrong or just don't like the look.



Display Seashells

You can preserve seashells for display by rubbing them with mineral oil. Apply a small amount of oil to rag and then apply the rag to the seashell. If the seashell has spines, or ridges, try using a paintbrush to smear on the mineral oil. One other method to insure the oil gets into all the crevices would be to completely cover the seashell in the mineral oil. Soak the seashell in the oil for a few of minutes. Place the oil soaked marvel on some doubled up paper towels and allow them to air dry. This should protect your treasure and give it an excellent look for presentation. You can find mineral oil at a hardware store.

Some folks say you can use baby oil to preserve seashells and it will do the same thing as mineral oil. If you like the baby fresh scent most baby oil is laced with try it out. However, there have been reports of the scent breaking down over time and causing an unpleasant odor problem. Guess it depends on how long you want to keep the shell around and what odors you can put up with. You can always wash the seashell when it starts smelling badly, and apply a fresh coat of baby oil to the shell.

Shellcraft Seashells

Shellcraft seashells need a different approach to preserve seashells. Applying oil-based lubricant, such as mineral oil, will probably make them hard to glue to your project. A clean, hard, dry surface is much better for glue application. Even better, is to glue the seashell onto your project before applying any kind of preservative.

One method mentioned in various places is to preserve seashells by painting the seashells with shellac. The shellac will form a bright, hard cover over the seashell. This will help protect the seashells from the environment and make it easier to clean them of dust. Use clear shellac unless you deliberately want to add a tint to the seashells you are using.



Another method used to preserve seashells used in seashell craft projects is to paint them with polyurethane. My personal favorite, I buy small cans of clear polyurethane liquid and hand paint most of my shellcraft projects using small paintbrushes. Clear high gloss polyurethane is my preferred type, although I have used semi-gloss when I can't find high gloss.

You can also buy polyurethane in an aerosol form. This will work for projects that do not use glass (like a glass crab) or rhinestones as part of the design. It can be a quick and easy alternative application method. Although I have used spray urethane on occasions, I prefer to use the liquid type because it is easier to control. I can apply it, with a paintbrush, precisely where I want it. You also don't need to worry about over spray, nor breathing in droplets and propellant. I am not sure what companies are using for propellant in the cans currently, but filling your lungs with the chemicals is probably not a good thing.

When you are done painting your seashells, just set them aside to dry. A nice hard surface that the paint won't stick to, perhaps a glass pane, is best. Of course, it also has to be a surface you don't mind getting paint on. I use newspaper myself placed over a table because that's what I have available. Sometimes the seashells get stuck to the paper, but they are easy to remove.

Using Your Preserved Seashells

If you haven't already done so, you can use your shiny treasures on your shellcraft projects. Try some of the projects presented here in Shellcraft-Guides. Or store them in a clear glass jar, where they can be seen and admired.

The seashells preserved with oil can be used to make arrangements on a mantle, shelf, or table. Place smaller ones inside a bowl, a large clear glass vase, or something similar.

Beachcombing Links:

Cleaning Seashells .

Seashell Types.

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