How Big Are IOD Moulds? | Iron Orchid Designs Mould Size Guide
How Big Are IOD Moulds? (Sometimes Size Matters!)
If you’ve ever held an IOD mould up to your project and squinted, wondering whether that sunflower would fit on your dresser drawer or cabinet door, this post is for you.
Start Here If You’re Unsure What Size to Buy
If you are unsure which IOD mould size to buy, start with a medium size mould. Medium moulds are the most versatile and the easiest to use on real furniture pieces. They work well on drawers, cabinet doors, boxes, and panels without feeling too small or too overpowering. This is the size I recommend most often because it gives you flexibility while you are still learning scale and placement. If you want one mould that will work across multiple projects, this is the safest place to begin.
How to Match Mould Size to Your Project
If you’re trying to decide whether a mould will actually work on your project, this is the fastest way to choose. Pick a few based on what appeals to you, then narrow it down by the size of your project. Scale affects how a design reads on furniture, boxes, and decorative accents, and the same mould can feel intentional or overwhelming depending on where it is used. Use the surface itself as your guide, then narrow your choice by size.
• Use small moulds on projects where you want detail without visual weight, such as frames, boxes, trays, and accents.
👉 Shop Small IOD Moulds
• Medium moulds work best on drawers, cabinet doors, panels, and most furniture details where balance and flexibility matter.
👉 Shop Medium IOD Moulds
• Statement moulds are designed to be the focal point. Use them when the size itself is meant to create impact, structure, or architectural presence.
👉 Shop Statement IOD Moulds
Many of the mould listings now include a photo with its measurement grid. That giant sunflower? Roughly five inches in diameter. Those mermaids? Ten inches long!To browse the full collection, click here: IOD Moulds.
Matching Your Castings for Cohesive Design
Josie of the IOD Sisters made a beautiful set of napkin rings using IOD Air Dry Clay, the Birdsong Mould, and the Lock and Key Mould. She carefully chose designs that would fit the top and bottom rings of the can and still look balanced with the rest of the set.
On small projects, size determines whether a detail feels intentional or cluttered. When you’re working on accents, trims, or repeat elements, smaller moulds give you control and consistency.
This project uses moulds from the Small Projects category. Here’s her tutorial if you want to try something similar:
For Some Projects, Casting Size Is Important
One of my favorite creators (and fellow IOD stockist) Debi Beard of Debi’s Design Diary created a gorgeous dresser using the IOD Sea Sisters Mould. She turned the mermaids into drawer pulls, so size was critical! They needed to be long enough to curve gracefully but still leave room for her hand between the pull and the drawer face.
She even made a video of her project using and IOD Mould with medium sized elements. Watch it here:
This project works because the mould is long enough to serve as the drawer hardware. These are the moulds that consistently work for furniture-scale details:
When Size Becomes the Point
Some projects need the mould to carry the weight of the design. Large moulds work best when you want the casting to be read from across a room, not discovered up close. Wall panels, furniture fronts, statement art, and architectural accents all benefit from scale because size creates clarity. If the goal is presence rather than subtlety, choosing a larger mould makes the decision easier, not harder.
In this project, the Persephone mould is used to create a neoclassical wall art panel where scale is part of the design, not an afterthought. The surface is prepared and painted first, then castings are created using both clay and resin to build layered detail. Stamping is used to add texture and depth, allowing the mould to read as architectural rather than decorative.
This is a good example of how larger moulds work best when the goal is presence, structure, and visual weight rather than subtle embellishment.
Ready to Choose?
If you’re still unsure, choose based on the surface you’re working on—not the design. That’s the fastest way to get a win on your first cast.