How to Make Mercury Glass
Happy Monday! I’ve got to share with you another little crafty project I did this weekend. I made my own mercury glass candlesticks! Okay, I realize that I am probably like the LAST person to do this but just humor me for a few minutes, um-kay? 🙂
This all started because I’ve been swooning over some great mercury glass items from Ballard Designs like these:
{The internet is a funny thing especially when you’re a blogger. Sometimes it eats photos on my old posts!}
I found some great tutorials on pinterest on making your own mercury glass and decided to put them to the test on some glass candlesticks I already had.
This was SUPER easy and lots of fun. I think I may be addicted now. In fact, I’m already looking around the house for other glass items that I can do this with.
For these candlesticks, I applied three light coats of Krylon’s Looking Glass spray paint. This stuff is like magic! You can see it transform to a mirror surface right in front of you because it drys so quick. After the last coat, I waited about ten minutes and sprayed the candlesticks with a solution of 50% water and 50% white vinegar.
After letting that sit on the paint for about five or ten minutes, I took a soft paper towel and blotted the candlesticks. This is where all the fun begins. The vinegar and water remove the paint and give it a distressed look, creating the mercury glass effect. Some places I had to rub a little bit more to remove the paint but once you play around with this stuff, you get the hang of it.
Who else has tried making your own mercury glass? If so, what did you make?? I’ve got a few other items around the house that I’m going to try this out on. The Looking Glass paint is a little pricey, but considering you get this fantastic look for way less than some of the stores AND you get to play with spray paint, it’s worth it in my book! 🙂
Now I just gotta find some candles for these pretties!
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18 comments on “How to Make Mercury Glass”
Amy
Can this product be washed when dirty?
Ellora
Yes, it can be gently handwashed, but I would not do any hard scrubbing since it is painted.
Debby
What a great idea. Can’t wait to try it as soon as possible like tomorrow.
Thanks, Debby
ET Ansel
I am getting mine Thursday. Hoping to paint hemp rope to look like mercury for an alchemy book I am making.
PattyP
Thanks for the tutorial, BUT… Krylon Looking Glass Spray contains lead and the directions urge you to use only on the inside of items, not where they will be handled. I konw that won’t work for candlesticks, but for flat glass, jars, vases, etc. I suggest you instruct to add add a clear sealer over the finish.
Victoria DuPree
You are totally not the last person to try this. Just today I went to Hobby Lobby to buy this paint. Lowe’s nor Home Depot carry it where I live, but Hobby Lobby does. I have a lamp I rescued from a thrift store for $2.99, with a perfectly wonderful shade. I painted it silver, but it’s not shiny enough, so on with the Looking Glass paint. It was too late to start when I got home, so tomorrow it will be done. Hope it turns out as good a yours.
I have read on another sit to spray the piece with a mixture of slightly warm water and vinegar before spraying with the paint. How does this differ from the way you did it – afterwards?
Ellora
Hey there! I’ve not tried spraying the water and vinegar on the surface first BEFORE the Krylon. Hmm… I wonder if it turns out any different? I’d love to try it and see! Let me know how you do yours and how it turns out. I think a lamp would look great with this technique!! Thanks for commenting!
PattyP
Spraying it with water and vinegar before you paint makes almost no paint stick and did not look very good. I’ve tried it it both ways, and waiting a bit after three coats works like the blogger above did works far better. After it is all dry and finished though, coat with clear high gloss. The looking glass paint has some lead in it and can wear off some things. The manufacturer staes it’s supposed to go insdie glass containers, not outside, but I’ve seen many great results on the outside like the candlesticks on this entry.
Dianne Jackson-Russell
if using it outside will it hold up or do you need to seal it with something if so what?
Ellora @ Creatively Southern
Hi Dianne,
You could try sealing it with a clear matte spray finish. I’m not sure that it’s really needed but if it gets much sunlight the sealer might help keep it from fading. Thanks for your comment and for visiting!!
PattyP
A high gloss finish looks far better. Done it. The matte will dull the whole thing too much and take away the mirror look. I did it on the inside of a garage sale find, a fluted side glass jar with a nice metal bail handle . After all the looking glass and vinegar was dry inside, I sprayed lightly with a gold spray paint to give more depth and variety. Then I clear coated with high gloss. :Looks expensive, not the $.50 I paid. I bought a cork online as a stopper. If I knew how to post a pic here of my project, I would. I know how to post photos, but don’t know what format the comment box will take for the link. I know I am commenting way after the original comments, but I found this tutorial on the mercury glass creation far more informative than any other I found on Pinterest. You saved me from throwing my project in the trash. 😀
JaneEllen
Seems like every time I’m ready to try this it’s windy out,l can’t spray paint. Have hesitated trying to spray in mud room but think the way the wind is behaving it’d be better to try it indoors after all. Looking forward to seeing how it works, glad you shared doing your candle sticks, inspires me to try very soon. Think we have a big enuf piece of cardboard to make a spray booth.
Ellora @ Creatively Southern
Thanks JaneEllen! I hope you can do your project soon! The mercury glass spray paint isn’t too messy, but spray paint and wind never mix do they?? I would love to build a spray paint booth in the garage…maybe one day! 😉
Steph @ Crafting in the Rain
Really pretty–I kind of want to do this treatment to a nativity set!
Erin {Home Everyday}
This is awesome! I’m totally pinning this!
Craftberry Bush
You’re not the last person. I have seen it before never done it and didnt know you needed to use vinegar too….so thanks for the tut…xo
Dewdrop Gardens
Great tutorial, I’ll be pinning for when I make it to the States to buy that Krylon paint. I can’t find it anywhere up here!
Saw you linking at Serenity Now.
Debbie 🙂
Taryn @ Design, Dining + Diapers
So you are totally not the last person to try it, because I haven’t either! In fact I went to Lowes just tonight to look for the right spray paint to do this. How funny. I love your tutorial, this really helped me figure out what I need to do!