How to Paint Mason Jars with Chalk Paint

Simply white chalk painted mason jars can be one of the most useful rustic centrepiece. Create a mason jar farmhouse decoration in only a few minutes! Change the greenery to match any season, holiday, or colour scheme.

You may have noticed in some of our photos I have chalk painted mason jars as part of my home decor. It’s a super simple and frugal decor item for a farmhouse, because you most likely already have the mason jars around the homestead and the seasonal greenery in your garden.

I love painting with chalk paint, it brings new life to old furniture and mason jars and is completely forgiving.

Choosing simply white as your base decor colour is a safe bet for all seasons, holidays and colour schemes.

In this post I share with you a quick tutorial for how to paint mason jars with chalk paint including supplies and tips for great results.

How to Paint Mason Jars with Chalk Paint

What you need is pretty straight forward, chalk paint and mason jars and a few other things.

SUPPLIES

WHITE CHALK PAINT

I love country chic chalk paint, it’s very locally made-about an hour from our homestead and the online tutorials and resources are great for beginner chalk painters.

If you have a local source for chalk paint, go ahead and support local!

And, if not, you folk art found on Amazon has also been a great product I’ve worked with before as well.

CHALK PAINT FINISHING WAX

MASON JARS

Classic Ball Mason Jars are a good option for this project.

BONUS TIP: If you have an old collection of mason jars, choose one with vintage flair to really draw attention to your centrepiece. Your friends and family will wonder where you found such a charming mason jar.

SANDPAPER

120 sanding paper block is a great tool for creating a rustic, shabby chic distressed look.

BAKERS TWINE

GREENERY

For Christmas/Winter; classics include fresh holly, pine, salal

Fall, Harvest, Thanksgiving; eucalyptus, pussy willow, Sunflowers

Spring/Easter/Mothers Day; Daffodils, Tulips, Wild Flowers, Peonies

Summer; Sunflowers, Roses, Hydrangeas, Dahlias, Lavender, Sweet peas, lavender

HOW TO PAINT MASON JARS WITH CHALK PAINT

1. PREPARE MASON JAR FOR PAINTING

Painting smooth glass surfaces can be tricky, as it’s harder for the paint to adhere to the surface. Wash the jar and scuff with sanding paper before washing again. Then your mason jar is better prepared to be painted.

1. CHALK PAINT

Start by painting a thin coat of the white chalk paint on the mason jar using a foam brush. Make sure to paint the bottom and the inner rim. Let mason jar dry. Apply second coat if needed. Two thin coats is better than one thick coat.

2. SAND DISTRESSING

Spot sand the mason jar to give it a rustic, shabby chic distressed look , brushing the raised letters, rim and outer edges with 120 grit sandpaper block.

Let your paint dry for a few days before starting this process for the best results. The idea is to rub any corners or accent areas that would naturally get more wear and tear. Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe away any dust when you’re happy with the results.

This step is of course optional. If you’d like a cleaner finish then don’t sand distress your mason jar.

3. WAX

For maximum durability, seal your finish with a tough coat wax. Learn more about how to apply Tough Coat by clicking here. This will help seal in the chalk paint and give your mason jar a smoother finish.

4. BAKERS TWINE

Why not coordinate your twine with your greenery? Or use rustic jute instead of bakers twine for an added rustic feel.

5. FILL

Fill your mason jar centrepieces and your ready to place them on display.

Place your chalk painted mason jar along a windowsill, group jars together for a table centerpiece, or set them on the fireplace mantle to add a rustic mason jar decoration suitable for any holiday, season or occasion!