DIY Painted Mason Jars
DIY painted mason jars
Don’t break the bank, just drop the jaws…
These DIY painted mason jars are budget friendly, easy to make but look high end and vintage/farmhouse. They are also very versatile! You can easily make flour/sugar jars, salt and pepper shakers, utensil holders, flower vase, cookie jars…. the possibilities are endless! This step by step will show you how to make a standard jar but with slight modifications, you can literally make anything!
Materials
- Glass jars – size of your choice
You can now buy a variety pack for different sizes - Paint suitable for glass – I prefer Rust-Oleum
- E6000 glue
- Sand paper (if distressing)
- Cabinet knobs (for lids if you choose) or Shaker lids for salt and pepper (optional)
Budget friendly tips
- Buy food in glass jars to clean and repurpose
- Most counties have a recycling center. I get a lot of paint here. The cans are sometimes used but its free!
- Facebook market place is great for used knobs
STEP 1.
Gather Supplies, cLEAN AND PREP
Dirt and residue will not allow the paint to stick. Make sure you jars are free of all dirt and residue. Rubbing alcohol is great to get them extra clean if need be but just soap/water/dry should be sufficient. I used spray paint so I set them up in my yard, I put a dowel in the grass so I could easily spray the jars and let them dry.
STEP 2.
Prime (optional)
Using a primer will extend the life of your paint. This step is used if you want an under color to show through or you want an extra level of security on your jars. I recommended this for anything used in the kitchen, around a faucet or that will need to be cleaned regularly. Priming is not necessary if you are using paint suited for glass but it can never hurt!
STEP 3.
Paint
Paint! You can either use a paint brush or spray paint. It really just depends on the finish you are going for. One coat should be fine, but again, depending on the look, you may want to do more. Its kind of a trial and error process to get where you want to be. Spray or paint one coat at a time until your desired results are achieved.
STEP 4.
Lids (Optional)
While the paint is drying, If you are using lids and depending on what type, you will need to glue them together. For the purpose of this tutorial, I am using the lids that come with the mason jars. You’ll take the E6000 glue, and glue the lid to the band. BE CAREFUL not to squeeze the tube too much, it comes out quickly! Apply the glue, assemble and let dry completely (approx 24 hours). Once the lids are glued to the bands, you can mark the center and glue the knobs if you’re adding them. Then paint them if you ‘d like, I used the same matte finish that I used for my primer on the jars
STEP 5.
Distress
Once the paint is full dry (according to the instructions on the can) you can now take your sandpaper and distress to your liking. A lower number on the sandpaper is going to have bigger chunks of sand and will look “rougher” (top left picture) the higher the number, the finer the grain and make take more time distress but will look smoother (bottom left). You can also purchase distressing wax to add after you paint it (right side) I would definitely use the protective clear coat after the wax. It is optional with paint/sandpaper method but again, can’t hurt
STEP 6.
Protective finish
This step is just like the primer – completely optional but can’t hurt and will prolong the life of your jars. I do highly recommend this step if it will be used in a kitchen, bathroom or other high traffic area with water and lots of use.
The protective finish can also be another way to change the appearance. There are several different finishes glossy, matte, metallic, mirror chalky, antiqued, textured, glitter, etc. Explore all your options here on rust-oleum’s website
The options are endless
This is a basic tutorial for a guideline. My finished jars I will be using for flour and sugar. They are available for purchase, also! The options are literally endless! Use them as a vase or decorative jar and paint the inside an accent color or add different types of tops or skip the tops all together!
These are super cute! Can’t wait to try them!