A quality, sealed diamond painting can last 10 years or more, while an unsealed painting may start to lose diamonds within a few years. Several factors that influence how long a diamond painting will last include: storage temperatures, how often it’s touched, and type of glue used on the canvas. The easiest way to preserve a diamond painting is to frame it behind glass so that the diamonds are pressed against the glass. This prevents diamonds from falling off as the glue wears out over time.
How Long Can a Diamond Painting Last?
The lifespan of a diamond painting can be really long, or really short, depending on how it’s treated and preserved. A sealed diamond painting can last more than 5-10 years if it’s not being touched often. An unsealed diamond painting doesn’t last nearly as long, especially if the glue used on the canvas is cheap or doesn’t hold well. Paintings hung on the wall can lose diamonds more quickly than those that are stored flat.
Once you’ve put so many hours into creating art that you are proud of, you want to make sure it lasts as long as possible. Unfortunately, as time goes on, the glue that once held the diamonds so strongly can weaken, especially if exposed to extreme temperatures or dusty environments. This can cause the diamond drills to separate from the canvas, leaving your work of art with tiny holes.
Paintings that are hung up on the wall or displayed vertically seem to experience this problem more quickly, as gravity starts to pull on the diamonds (also called drills) and the glue wears out, the drills will start to fall off the painting.
To maximize a finished diamond painting’s lifespan, frame it behind glass with enough padding so that the diamonds are pressed against the glass, this will ensure no diamonds fall out as the glue wears out over time. If you don’t want your diamonds behind glass, use a strong sealant on the finished painting to keep out dust and to keep the drills stuck to the canvas.
How long before the glue wears out on a diamond painting?
One indicator of a quality diamond painting is the type of glue that’s used on the canvas. There are several well-known brands that make diamond paintings that are much more expensive than the ones you find on sites like Amazon or Temu. Some of that price difference is reflected in the quality of the diamonds themselves, the quality of the glue, and the quality of the picture itself.
The glue in the cheaper diamond painting kits from Amazon can sometimes be patchy, and sometimes it’s not as strong as the glue in the more expensive diamond painting kits. The stronger the glue is, the longer the diamonds will stick to the canvas before starting to fall off.
As part of my original research, I surveyed 20 different diamond painters to see how long their diamond paintings lasted before they started losing drills. Out of those 20 people, 11 of them have had diamond paintings on display for over 10 years without losing drills or experiencing quality issues. Only 1 person had diamonds start falling off of a finished diamond painting within the first year, and less than 5 people had diamonds falling off within the first 3 years.
This was obviously a small sample size, but the majority of the people surveyed were able to enjoy their finished artwork for over 5 years without having to do a single bit of maintenance, and over half of the people had their artwork up for more than ten years without the first issue.
Do you have to seal a diamond painting?
No, you do not have to seal a diamond painting. The brand Diamond Dotz specifically states that you do not need to seal their diamond paintings because of the quality of their canvases.
However, if you want your diamond painting to last as long as possible, it’s recommended to seal the finished painting to keep out dust and to keep the drills from falling off.
Do Diamond Drills fade in the sun?
Yes, diamonds in a diamond painting can fade in the sun. Some of the cheaper kits are more prone to fading, but the sun can fade even the most expensive of diamond painting canvases if it’s hung up in direct sunlight. There are UV protectant finishes that you can purchase if you would like to display the finished product in a bright room or in the path of direct sunlight.
Darker colors are more prone to fading or discoloration than lighter colored drills, so if you have a painting with very dark colors, it’s probably best to get a UV resistant frame, use a UV blocking sealer, or hang the painting out of the path of direct sun.