Painting Glass?

[kmmcrafts]

Anyone ever paint glass with any success?  I've been toying with some glass blocks and would like to paint them however the smooth glass makes for very easy scratching and possibly peeling later on and wanting something that'll be somewhat durable.. is there some tricks or certain paints to achieve such a thing? 

[meflick]

Yes I have but it’s been a long time ago. There were special paints and sealers to use. Let me see if I can track down some of that information. Not sure if they still sell the paints or not. Be back once I do a little searching .. . 

https://plaidonline.com/folkart-promogls16-glass-paint-set-16-colors-promogls16?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23803442310&gbraid=0AAAAADRPuj0MubT-ArguxVYUwMlUqAeW2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImYWQstiFlgMVpDUIBR3WZTs5EAQYASABEgIlGvD_BwE

See the FAQ section below for links on sealers for Plaid line above

This brand is what I remember using previously. You heat set the paint in the oven. It gives details on this page on that also

https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/pebeo-vitrea-glass-paint-160-discovery-set-12-x-20ml?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={campaignname}&utm_content=195700381901&dema_id=24075109814&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24075109814&gbraid=0AAAAAD-aBoDnsGq0h6d-yIjsaXYlZBbP7&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImYWQstiFlgMVpDUIBR3WZTs5EAQYAyABEgJJAfD_BwE

There are also paint markers in at least that brand. 
 

while the links I provided are not to Amazon a quick search for them on Amazon shows some may be there. I did not compare pricing or verify exactly what they had there.

Edited August 4 by meflick

[Jim McDonald]

I bought some Plaid brand "Gallery Glass" paint to play with last year. Let's just say that the folks online made look a whole lot better than I was able to achieve. 

Luckily, I only bought a very few colors.

[kmmcrafts]

Thanks for all the info, I actually have some of the folkart brand craft paints that I like for using on wood.. I'm not certain that it's the "glass" paint though I'd have to look. 

I was hoping for a spray paint as it will be crucial to be applied very evenly. I mean I probably could use these paints in a spray gun if they can be diluted. I'll have to do some researching on this but thank you for heading me into some sort of direction.   

[kmmcrafts]

Okay so the paint I have is the right brand but wrong kind, LOL.. Mine is acrylic paint, not enamel paint shown in the link. I asked chatgtp the question and it says any paint that is a "multi surface" paint. What it comes down to it seems is that it'll scrap off really easy until the paint is fully cured. SO, unless I wait 30 - 90 days or use a paint with a catalyst or possibly put in the oven to bake it on my idea isn't going to work for this years holidays. I might do tractor paint with a catalyst since tractor paint is much cheaper than automotive paint and with the catalyst is pretty durable for multi surfaces. 

Let me tell / show what I was doing and maybe someone has an idea besides paint. I have had these glass blocks as I bought a case of them maybe 25 - 30 years ago when there was a popular crafts thing to decorate these and add Christmas lights inside.. maybe still a popular thing. I know I bought these before they got soo popular these didn't have holes in them for adding the lights.. not too long after I got these ( maybe a year or two ) they made them available with a hole and a plug for crafters. 

Anyway I drilled the holes and spray painted this black.. then put it in my laser to engrave the paint back off to create the designs on them. The issue is the paint is very easy to scratch and basically ruin them if not careful.. however the first one I did a few months ago is in fact pretty durable now.. so it is just needing to let the paint fully cure. I was looking for something better that was quicker to dry so I could make some Halloween and Christmas themed ones for family and friends but don't want the paint getting scraped off during them handling them etc.  

I also had these ceramic tiles I was going to make coasters out of.. they're just left over from a project I did several years ago.. but again the paint scratches too easy for them to be used this year unless I use a expensive paint and take the time to spray a batch of all of this with a spray gun etc. 

 

 

 

Edited August 4 by kmmcrafts

[Mike Crosa]

They look nice Kev.

[Scrappile]

Darn!  That is very cool, I have the glass blocks, I do not have the engraver.

[kmmcrafts]

26 minutes ago, Scrappile said:

Darn!  That is very cool, I have the glass blocks, I do not have the engraver.

Many areas have places called makerplace?  now where you can go use a laser and many other tools for personal use. I've read some libraries have them now too.. 

[ChelCass]

Kevin, there is a paint I have used that you bake in the oven.  I don't remember the name but let me do a little research.  I think I still have some of the paint.  It is quite durable.  I used to paint coffee cups and the paint held up fine as long as you didn't put in dishwasher.

 

 

Ok, what you need is Multi-purpose acrylic or enamel based acrylic.  Both will work and instructions are on the label.  Very easy to use and so far mine hasn't scratched off.  Good Luck!

 

Edited August 4 by ChelCass

[kmmcrafts]

18 hours ago, ChelCass said:

Kevin, there is a paint I have used that you bake in the oven.  I don't remember the name but let me do a little research.  I think I still have some of the paint.  It is quite durable.  I used to paint coffee cups and the paint held up fine as long as you didn't put in dishwasher.

 

 

Ok, what you need is Multi-purpose acrylic or enamel based acrylic.  Both will work and instructions are on the label.  Very easy to use and so far mine hasn't scratched off.  Good Luck!

 

I looked at the craft paints I have and it says "All Purpose" and also says works with many types of surfaces. Clay was one mentioned however there is no instructions listed and glass isn't mentioned either. 

Let me ask though, does putting the painted product in the oven smell up the house or anything?.  Two times I've used the oven for purposes other than baking I almost had to move out, .. Not doing that again.  If you don't mind the smell you can bake a Poplar board in the oven and make it look like Walnut.. but as it turns out just getting a walnut board was cheaper than a hotel room for a night..  

[ChelCass]

On 8/5/2026 at 9:18 AM, kmmcrafts said:

I looked at the craft paints I have and it says "All Purpose" and also says works with many types of surfaces. Clay was one mentioned however there is no instructions listed and glass isn't mentioned either. 

Let me ask though, does putting the painted product in the oven smell up the house or anything?.  Two times I've used the oven for purposes other than baking I almost had to move out, .. Not doing that again.  If you don't mind the smell you can bake a Poplar board in the oven and make it look like Walnut.. but as it turns out just getting a walnut board was cheaper than a hotel room for a night..  

No it does not smell up the house.  I don't remember it having a smell at all.  I used the Multi-purpose with great success.

[ImaginationUnincorporated]

On 8/3/2026 at 4:59 PM, kmmcrafts said:

Anyone ever paint glass with any success?  I've been toying with some glass blocks and would like to paint them however the smooth glass makes for very easy scratching and possibly peeling later on and wanting something that'll be somewhat durable.. is there some tricks or certain paints to achieve such a thing? 

It's been decades since I did. Back when I was doing a lot of glass etch and such, I did. The paint was the smelliest I ever used, but it worked well.

The paint was sold as a replacement for stained glass.

When done, it was translucent.

It stands to reason there could/should be paints formulated to adhere well to glass. After all, you have to be careful about storing waterglass (sodium silicate) in glass containers, least you, for example, weld the lid to the bottle.

 

Edited August 9 by ImaginationUnincorporated