How to Paint and Distress Mason Jars

I’ve been working on some cute little DIYs and I wanted to share them with you! These are things that you could easily make for yourself. I even have the printable available for you in my printables library. I’m going to tell you how I made this cute little setup and give the specifics on how to paint and distress mason jars. It’s all very simple and will brighten up any space in your home.

How to Paint and Distress Mason Jars #masonjars #crafts #diy

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I started with this little wooden box. I actually had this leftover from the centerpieces at our wedding. A friend of ours made a bunch of them out of reclaimed wood. They are super simple and I’m sure you could remake these with a few pieces of wood and some nails.

how to make and paint a small wooden box with chalk paint

I painted the whole thing with white chalk paint. One coat was enough to cover the whole thing. Once it dried I used some sandpaper to distress the box a bit. I didn’t go overboard with this. I just rubbed down the edges and corners until I was happy with the way it looked.

Materials Needed to Paint and Distress Mason Jars

You can grab everything you need straight from Amazon!

How to Paint and Distress Mason Jars

After the box was finished I got to work on the jars. Mason jars seem to be the most popular and are my favorite to distress, but any glass jar you have around the house will work great. I had this Mason jar and picked up the larger jar from the Dollar Tree.

how to paint and distress mason jars

Clean the Mason Jars

First, you are going to want to make sure the jars are clean. If you just bought the jar it is probably okay, but if you have been using the jar like I had, you will want to make sure it’s squeaky clean.

Start by washing the jar with soap and water. Then wipe it down with a lint-free cloth and some rubbing alcohol. Make sure the jar is completely clean before you start painting.

Paint the Mason Jars

When determining what type of paint to use it is really up to you. It is really popular to use Chalk paint and I really like this look, but at the time it was a lot more convenient for me to use Acrylic paints. I picked these up from Walmart and they were only 50 cents a bottle. Plus, they have every color you can imagine.

paint mason jars with arylic paints

Use a foam brush and give the jars their first coat of paint. Since you are using acrylic paint you will want to let the jars dry for a LONG time before doing the second coat. If the coats are not all of the way dry the paint will smear and peel off… I found this out the hard way. I recommend waiting a couple of hours or even overnight.

Distress the Mason Jars

After the second coat is dry the coverage should be good and you are ready to distress the jars. I cut a little square out of my sandpaper and used that to distress all of the places that seemed natural. I sanded the “Ball” on the Mason Jar and all other raised writing, designs, and measurements. Basically, I sanded any edges on the jar and anything that was raised off the jar, including the part where you would screw the lid on. How much you distress is up to you. I like a lightly distressed look while others like to go all out.

how to paint and distress mason jars

Seal the Mason Jars

After you distress the jars I would add a coat of clear sealant on the jars. This will help the jars last longer and keep the paint from chipping. I would recommend a matte finish to keep the shabby chic look of the jars. 

Finishing Touches

Once everything is dry it’s time to add the finishing touches. I added some jute twine around mine. I picked this up from… you guessed it… the Dollar Tree! And I added some lavender from the yard.

You can paint and distress Mason Jars and then use them to display in your home, at a wedding, or baby shower. Really they are a cute little addition to any home or party.

painted and distressed mason jars in chalk painted box

Printable Decor Sign

The last touch in this corner of my home is the framed printable “Home is Where Your Husband is.” I saw this quote a long time ago and loved it. I made this into a pdf in case you want to use it too! You can grab your copy by gaining access to the printables library, below. The printable comes in pink or blue. 

home is where your husband is pink printable

Get yourself a cute frame and this printable, along with the mason jars, will make an adorable addition to your home. You can even add your own touches to the frame like I did. I added some paper flowers… more leftovers from our wedding decor.

I hope you end up loving your mason jars as much as I do. I’d love to see them! Be sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see them too.

home is where your husband is blue printable

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4 Comments

  1. Danie

    October 8, 2022 at 7:13 pm

    what type of sealant did you use? i want to make these for the first time.

    1. Danie

      October 8, 2022 at 7:19 pm

      as in did you use a spray paint or brush on sealant?

  2. SusanJohnson

    December 8, 2019 at 7:32 pm

    I did my jars differently. I crackled them. I had never done that before. I also put some greenery inside them, but how can I get them to not slide around in the jar? I am new at this.

    1. KatiesKottage

      December 9, 2019 at 5:30 pm

      Hi Susan, crackling the jars sounds fun! As far as the greenery not sliding around, I’m not 100% sure. I’ve never had to deal with that. I do know you can get some floral foam (it’s green) from the craft store, trim that up to fit in the bottom, and stick your greenery in the foam. This will keep the greenery in place. Hope that helps! 🙂

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