Painted Jar Vases: A Simple Way to Reuse Glass Jars

Painted jar vases are about as simple as a jar project gets: a clean glass jar, a few thin coats of acrylic craft paint on the outside, and some patience while each coat dries. The result is an opaque vase in whatever color suits the room, made from a jar that was already in your kitchen.

The paint goes on the outside only. That keeps the inside bare glass, so it can still hold water for fresh stems, and it means the finish never sits in the water.

Choose and check your jars

Use jars that held food, such as pasta sauce, pickles, jam or olives. Skip any jar that held chemicals or anything you cannot identify. Run a fingertip carefully around the rim and look over the body for chips and cracks, and set aside any jar that has them.

Shape matters more than size. Straight-sided jars are the easiest to paint evenly. Jars with shoulders and narrow necks hold stems more upright, and raised lettering or ridges become a feature once they are painted. For help deciding which jars are worth keeping, see the guide to cleaning, prepping and decorating glass jars.

What you need

• Two or three clean glass food jars
• Acrylic craft paint in one to three colors
• A flat, soft brush about 3/4 in (2 cm) wide
• Rubbing alcohol and a lint-free cloth, or dish soap and warm water
• Paper tubes or tall cans to use as painting stands
• Fine sandpaper (optional)
• Clear water-based sealer (optional)
• Scrap paper or cardboard to protect the table

Prepare the glass

Paint grips clean glass and slides off greasy glass, so preparation decides how the finish turns out.

1. Wash each jar in warm soapy water, rinse and dry it completely.
2. Take off the label and every trace of adhesive. The method for removing labels and sticky residue from jars covers this step by step.
3. Wipe the outside with rubbing alcohol on a cloth, or wash it once more with dish soap and dry it with a clean towel.
4. From here on, handle the jar by the rim or from the inside so fingerprints stay off the surface.

Paint thin coats

Stand a paper tube upright on your covered table and lower the jar over it, upside down. The jar is now raised off the table, you can turn it by the tube without touching wet paint, and the rim stays clean.

1. Load the brush lightly and wipe the excess on the edge of the pot.
2. Brush from the base toward the rim in long, straight strokes, turning the jar as you go. Stop just below the screw threads or paint over them, whichever look you prefer.
3. Leave the first coat alone. It will look streaky and partly see-through, and that is expected.
4. Let it dry to the touch, usually about 30 to 60 minutes depending on the paint and the room.
5. Add a second thin coat, brushing around the jar this time so the strokes cross the first layer.
6. Add a third coat if you can still see glass when you hold the jar up to a window.

The most common mistake is trying to cover the glass in one thick coat. Thick paint sags, dries slowly and peels more easily. Going back over half-dry paint is the second mistake, because the brush lifts the layer underneath and leaves bare patches.

Optional finishes

Lightly sanded edges

For a worn, farmhouse look, wait until the last coat has dried overnight. Then rub fine sandpaper gently over the raised parts only: lettering, ridges, the shoulder and the edge of the base. A few light strokes are enough to let glass show through.

Clear sealer

A coat of clear water-based sealer gives the paint some extra resistance to scuffs and fingerprints. Brush it on thinly once the paint is fully dry and let it cure for as long as the label directs. Matte sealer keeps a chalky look, while gloss deepens the color.

Color and grouping ideas

A single painted jar looks fine. Three together look planned. A few combinations that work on a shelf or table:

• One color, three heights: paint a tall, a medium and a short jar the same shade.
• Three related colors: teal, mustard and terracotta sit well together, as do three tones of blue.
• White and one accent: two white jars and one bright one keep the group calm.
• Dipped look: run masking tape around the jar and paint only the lower half, then peel the tape while the last coat is still slightly soft.

Keep the stems simple. A few flowers, a branch or dried grasses suit an opaque vase better than a full bouquet, and the narrow mouth of most jars holds them in place.

If you would like some jars to glow instead of holding stems, the same clean jars can become jar lanterns lit with battery LED lights.

Using and caring for painted jars

Acrylic paint on glass is a decorative finish. It holds up well on a shelf but can scratch or lift if it is scrubbed or left wet for long.

• Fill the vase from a pitcher so water does not run down the outside.
• Wipe the outside with a soft, barely damp cloth. Do not soak the jar or put it in a dishwasher.
• Rinse the inside by swirling water around and pouring it out, then dry the rim.
• Stand the jar on a coaster or saucer if it will sit on a surface that marks easily.
• Use painted jars for flowers, dried stems and display, not for food or drinks.

If a jar chips or you grow tired of the color, a light sanding and a fresh coat or two will give it a new look.