While you can easily paint some materials, it becomes difficult with others. Glass is one material that some paints don’t work for. The glass material is relatively smooth and nonporous. This means that paint doesn’t adhere to glass more efficiently than wood, which is more porous.
Here is what I’ve found:
Can You Use Acrylic Paint on Glass?
You can apply acrylic paint on glass, but with glass being a nonporous material, the paint may find it hard to adhere to the surface. You’ll need a primer coat to make sure the acrylic paint on the glass adheres securely. Then protect the paint with a medium, sealer, or varnish to become permanent.
But that’s just a quick snippet. Here is what we are going to discuss in this post:
- Advantages of Acrylic Paint on Glass
- Which Glass is Suitable for Acrylic Painting?
- How to Choose Acrylic Paint for Glass?
- Prepare The Glass Before Painting with Acrylic Paint
- How to Painting on Glass with Acrylics?
- How to Seal Acrylic Paint on Glass?
- Can You Bake Acrylic Paint on Glass?
- How Long Does It Take to Dry Acrylic Paint on Glass?
- Best Acrylic Paint on Glass
- How to Remove Acrylic Paint from Glass?
- Acrylic Paint on Glass Ideas
- Can You Use Acrylic Paint on Glass?
- Advantages of Acrylic Paint on Glass
- Which Glass is Suitable for Acrylic Painting?
- Painting on Glass With Acrylic Paints
- How to Seal Acrylic Paint on Glass?
- Baking Acrylic Paint on Glass
- How to Choose Acrylic Paint for Glass?
- Best Primer for Acrylic Paint on Glass
- Best Acrylic Paint on Glass
- Best Sealant for Acrylic Paint on Glass
- How to Remove Acrylic Paint from Glass?
- Acrylic Paint on Glass Ideas
- FAQs of Acrylic Paint on Glass
- Did I Cover All You Wanted to Know about: Can You Use Acrylic Paint on Glass?
Advantages of Acrylic Paint on Glass
Glass is a very smooth surface on which colors are usually challenging to get hold of. However, acrylic paint has the property that, on the one hand, it dries very quickly and therefore does not run around.
Then, on the other hand, after the water it contains has evaporated, it forms a solid film that is impervious to water and adheres firmly to the glass – even permanently.
The color of acrylic paint is not only dishwasher-safe but can also easily withstand rain when decorating outdoors.
In addition, acrylic paint is less susceptible to UV radiation than other paints suitable for glass, which means that even window decorations made of glass painted with acrylic paints are very resistant.
Which Glass is Suitable for Acrylic Painting?
- Basically all glass can be used as acrylic painting, such as glass windows, glass vases, wine bottles, beer bottles, glass ornaments, household glass mugs and plates, jars and so on.
- If you want to bake acrylic painting on glass, you need to consider the coefficient of expansion (COE) of the glass, because glass expands when heated.
- Choose thin glass whenever possible, as they are more flexible than thick glass.
- Usually, I like to paint on glass doors and windows and glassware or trays, discarded wine bottles are also my favorite because it costs almost nothing.
Painting on Glass With Acrylic Paints
Painting on glass with acrylic paint is possible if you take some precautions beforehand. As the glass material has a smooth surface, you have to process it accordingly for applying paint.
Prepare The Glass Before Painting with Acrylic Paint
You have to ensure the glass is as clean as possible. You can clean the surface with a degreaser. Conventional grease and silicone cleaners are suitable for this. In addition, the glass must also be dry.
If you have also cleaned the glass with water, it must first dry completely.
Also, remember that you must no longer touch the glass with your bare fingers or hands after degreasing, as we too secrete grease and residues that may be formed on the glass surface.
- Prepare cloth and alcohol.
- Put on your gloves: Use gloves for the process so that you do not leave fingerprints, i.e. further traces of grease, on the freshly cleaned surface.
- Clean the surface: You can use the cloth with alcohol to clean the glass surface and remove any grease or dirt residues.
- Let the glass to dry: make sure that the glass is completely dry and has no water stains or the like.
- Protecting other areas: cover the areas that you do not want to paint with acrylic paint with foil.
How to Apply Acrylic Paint on Glass Step by Step?
Acrylic paint is easy to apply to glass with the right brush size. Once you have made the preparations, you can start painting on the glass. You should pay attention to the following steps:
- Apply a primer suitable for glass.
- Let the primer layer dry before proceeding.
- Draw a rough frame on the glass with an erasable pen. If you make a mistake, you can simply wipe off whatever you draw and start again.
- Now you can fill in the pre-drawn patterns with acrylic paint. Use a suitable brush for this – eg a fine, pointed brush for small, difficult areas.
- If you make a mistake in this step, use alcohol to wipe. If the paint has not yet dried, you can use this to remove it easily.
- You can simply dispel unsightly air bubbles with a needle.
- When you finish painting on the glass, let the paint air dry again.
- Sealing of the whole with sealant is necessary.
How to Seal Acrylic Paint on Glass?
Sealing acrylic paint on the glass to stick to it for a long time is not that difficult. All you need is to apply a seal on the paint after it dries up.
- Let your painting dry well.
- Choose your best sealant. You have two options to choose from: a spray-on sealant or a brush-on sealant.
- Read the sealant’s packaging.
- Look for a workspace with good ventilation.
- Spray the sealant on the painted area. If you’ve chosen a brush-on sealant, brush it as required.
- Allow the seal to dry. After drying, you can reapply the seal twice more.
Baking Acrylic Paint on Glass
Can Acrylic Paint Be Baked on Glass?
You can bake painted glass items in the oven after the paint dries to be permanent on the surface. We don’t advise this and also do not see the need. This is because glass is ultimately not a ceramic that you need to fire so that the clay changes into a crystalline, water-resistant state. However, this will be a great option after painting glass jars with acrylic paint.
How to Bake Acrylic Paint on Glass?
For the sake of those who still want to try, here are the instructions for firing painted glass:
- Put the glass in the oven
- Heat it from room temperature to 175 ° Celsius for 30 minutes (including the time for preheating).
- After 30 minutes, turn off the oven(Q: how long to bake acrylic paint on glass?)
- Leave the jar in the oven until the temperature reaches room temperature.
How to Choose Acrylic Paint for Glass?
No matter what surface you’re painting with acrylic on, the factors to consider when buying quality acrylic paint are similar. Here’s a detailed article about it: Best Acrylic Paints for Beginners and Professional Artists.
However, if you want to paint with acrylic on glass, here are some of my experiences:
Brand is essential: Good brands contain higher quality acrylic paints that are more durable than cheaper ones. For craft projects, student-grade acrylic paint will also work.
Paint type: Enamel paint will adhere better to glass because it’s acrylic-based, plus it’s easier to seal the surface with varnish or another medium.
Matte, Satin, and Glossy: Many paints are matte, and glossy finishes are the regular and best finish depending on your preference.
Read the label carefully: The label will also tell you whether the paint is slow drying, opaque or transparent, and any other essential details. Although acrylic paint is water-based, it may contain other ingredients such as water and preservatives. Also, the manufacturer will mention whether the paint is suitable for any particular surface.
Transparency: Check the label to choose a paint that suits your transparency.
Lightfastness: Lightfastness refers to the ability of a paint to resist UV light over time, and there are four levels of lightfastness that mean how quickly the paint fades. Acrylic cannot be too thick to work on glass.
Drying time: While acrylic paints dry quickly, some brands dry within 10 minutes, but some paints take up to 1 hour to dry. Typically, acrylic on the glass will fully dry and cure within 24 hours.
Best Primer for Acrylic Paint on Glass
Sargent Art 16oz Gesso is perhaps the best glass primer for acrylic paint. This white primer is an acrylic undercoat that is nontoxic. It is a water-resistant, economical, and lightweight gesso that can prepare the surface for both oil paints and acrylic paints.
Best Acrylic Paint on Glass
According to many artists, FOLKART Acrylic Paint is the best acrylic paint for glass. The painting set is excellent for painting on glass because it has a satin finish. The acrylic paint set has 12 paints in a variety of colors.
Acrylic glass paints are specially designed to adhere to glass, plastic, and glazed ceramic. They are transparent and offer many possibilities for creative designs, especially for trompe l’oeil effects.
Acrylic glass paints provide beautiful tones even on windowpanes! They are easy to use and do not require expertise. Interestingly, you can mix these paints with other substances and keep the same effect.
Some paints are not only transparent but have a unique quality of flexibility. You can create very unusual designs with this product!
Some brands offer permanent glass paints that require a hot setting for a very durable finish. They also offer bright and transparent colors for glass. You can air-dry or heat-set these paints according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Best Sealant for Acrylic Paint on Glass
MOD PODGE Sealer is perhaps the best sealant for acrylic paint on glass. This sealant is water-based and a multipurpose seal as it has glue and finishes texture. It dries quickly and clearer and builds up multiple coats. You can apply the sealer either with a sponge applicator or brush.
How to Remove Acrylic Paint from Glass?
Use white spirit or mineral paint thinner to remove the glass paint. If the paint is already dry, you can also prepare an ammonia solution or use acetone to break up the waterproof surface of the acrylic paint.
These solvents need to sit on the paint briefly before you start using the rag to rub off the paint. The softened remains can usually be removed more efficiently with a little extra water.
Acrylic Paint on Glass Ideas
Below I have listed some ideas for acrylic painting on glass:
FAQs of Acrylic Paint on Glass
To have lasting paintwork on glass, you can roughen the proposed paint area, prime the surface, and seal the dry paint after painting.
When acrylic paint is applied and gets dry, it forms a closed film. So, the adhesion is strengthened. As a result, acrylic paints are well suited for applications on glass.
Did I Cover All You Wanted to Know about: Can You Use Acrylic Paint on Glass?
Glass has a very smooth surface to which paint does not adhere well. With the proper preparation, you can still paint with acrylic paint. The glass must be prepared so that the acrylic paint can adhere to the maximum. This means that dirt particles, especially oil and grease residues, must be completely removed from the glass surface. The FOLKART Acrylic Craft Paint Set is our most recommended glass acrylic paint.
Before painting, don’t leave fingerprints on the glass. The best way to do this is to wear gloves when cleaning the outside of the glass so that you don’t leave fingerprints where you just wiped.
The acrylic paint should adhere to a surface sprayed with an acrylic primer and harden without problems. If that’s not enough for you, you can use a fixative to seal the surface of the acrylic paint again. In any case, glass painting requires post-processing, which may be applying a paint sealant or baking the glass jar in the oven.
