In this tutorial you will learn how to transform any pasta/pickle or glass mason jar into a beautiful decorative painted jar that’s perfect for farmhouse decor.

I have to admit, I’m a bit Farmhouse obsessed and have been slowly transforming my interior (and exterior) with some rustic accents over the past few months.

At the same time I’m super cheap/frugal. Basically, I like to save money where I can.

So when it came time for me to look online/stores for some farmhouse inspired decorated vases/jars I was on the fence about buying something that was seemingly so simple.

Instead of buying, I thought I would at least try to reuse what I already had a home and improvise.

I peeked into my pantry and noticed the interesting shape of my Passata (tomato sauce) jars which reminded me of the old school milk jars. I also thought the pickle jars and maple syrup containers could totally be transformed too! Although the maple syrup container was plastic, the same painting method applies as it does for glass.

Oh yeah, you can also use mason jars for this project too. If you want more detailed instructions on how to paint mason jars specifically, check out the tutorial.

Easy Project with Little Supplies

Since this was an easy project, I thought it would be fun to make it into an activity with the kiddos too. So we rescued a few glass jars from our recycling bin, gathered some paint, paintbrushes and had some fun painting our glass jars.

Here are our process pics.

Can you Paint Glass Jars?

Yes you can! And the good news is you can reuse and up-cycle jars you already have at home – no need to buy any. Some examples of glass jars you can use to paint:

Pasta sauce jars
Pickle/olive/pickled pepper jars
Maple syrup jars
Tomato sauce (Passata) jars
Mason jars

What Kind of Paint Do you Use on Glass Jars?

Acrylic paint, chalk paint, or spray paint are all good options when painting glass jars. You might need multiple coats to get the desired look. To make sure the paint doesn’t chip off afterward, you can seal it with a clear coat of sealer or Mod Podge.

See more about how to seal your jars below.

What is the Best Way to Paint Glass Jars?

If painting with acrylic craft paints/chalk paint, you’ll need a wide flat brush. To get the most streak-free coverage you’ll, you can use downwards/upwards paint strokes to cover the whole jar.

You will probably also need multiple layers to get an opaque look. For example, with the jars in this post, I used 3 coats of paint.

I let each coat of paint to dry before applying the next to make sure the paint ends up being smooth.

How Do You Seal Acrylic Paint on Glass?

You’re probably wondering, how to keep paint from peeling off glass?

To prevent peeling paint, you can use an acrylic protective clear coating like this one, after your paint is dried.

Or if you have Mod Podge, you can use that as a sealer as well. If you will be washing your jars (either by hand or dishwasher), make sure to get the dishwasher safe Mod Podge.

I’ve used the Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge to seal my acrylic paint when I painted on my Hydroflask water bottles, and it worked great! I even gifted them to family and the designs did not peel after multiple daily washes.

What Can I Put in Glass Jars to Decorate?

There are many things you can put inside glass jars to add a decorative touch. Some examples:

mini vase with a small bouquet of flowers
branches or twigs for decorative vase
spatulas holder on your kitchen counter
fancy utentil holder on your dinner table
Candles to make them candleholders
Sugar, tea, flour and salt canisters on your kitchen counter
store pens/pencils for a decorative desk stationery organizer
store craft supplies/ paintbrushes
store cotton balls, tips, etc for bathroom decor
toothbrush holder
small house plant holder

How to Paint Mason Jars/Glass Jars with Farmhouse Flair

Yield: 1

Painted Jars

Learn how to perfectly paint glass jars/mason jars that you can use around the house for farmhouse decoration.

Active Time 40 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost FREE

Materials

-glass jars/mason jars (I.e. old pasta sauce, passata jars, pickle jar, maple syrup container.
-white acrylic craft paint
-brown acrylic craft paint
-1-inch_ flat brush
-Twine (optional)
-Hot glue gun (optional)

Instructions

Add a large amount of white on your palette. And in the tiniest amount of brown and mix well. Add in tiny amounts of brown until the right "cream" color is achieved
Using your flat paintbrush, using up/down strokes paint on your first layer of cream paint. (In the pictures I initially had a layer of brown paint on, ignore this and just paint it white).
Let the first layer of paint to completely dry. Use a hairdryer to speed up drying time.
Once the first layer is dry, paint on your second layer of cream paint. The layer of paint should look more opaque and less streaky compared to the first layer.
Leave the second layer to dry.
Once the second layer is dry, paint on your third layer of cream paint
Leave the third layer to dry
If your jar is sufficiently covered and doesn't look streaky you can stop at 3 layers. If you want more coverage to add in another layer.
Once the final layer of paint is dry, use your choice of sealer to seal the jar.
Optional: wrap twine around the bottom of the jar using a glue gun for some extra embellishment.