It is funny, I have received so many emails this past week from people who are attempting to paint their own glassware. They want to give them as gifts for the upcoming holiday. They are asking questions from what kind of paint to use, to is it really okay to bake the glassware in the oven?You might have the same questions also, but were too afraid to ask. Well, first of all do not be afraid to ask. I know I sure have asked my share of questions of other artists, even though I have been painting for years. Most of which have been more than willing to share information as well as giving out pointers. I know I am more than willing to help others with their questions.
My first suggestion when beginning to paint on glass is to follow the instructions on the paint you are using. I highly recommend if it suggests allowing the piece to dry for a certain amount of time, to make sure you follow this carefully. It could make a difference in how your piece turns out.
The most important thing to remember when you want to bake glassware, is to place it in your oven when it is cold. Begin your pre-heating process after it has been placed in the oven. When the baking process has completed, allow your pieces to cool down completely before removing them from the oven. Sudden change in temperature is what causes the glass to break. If you follow these directions, you should be fine.
When in doubt, always ask!!
Amy
www.amyspaintedhouseandmore.com
aamilou@aol.com
614-530-0219
Aressa's Weblog 
C. Garcie said
So helpful! Thanks… I am an avid crafter and am tackling this craft for the first time this year! When putting them in the oven…do you suggest using a cookie sheet? Also…mouth side down or up?
Thanks so much!
-“My Cake Lady” in San Antonio
aressa said
Thanks for the contact. It doesn’t matter if you place on a cookie sheet. The one reason I might is to make sure nothing is on the rack that might bake on to the glass. It is okay if you just put directly on the rack. I alway place the mouth side up, but it really doesn’t matter either.
Enjoy painting the glasses!
Amy
Madhusudhanan said
I have completed one glass painting recently, and is my first attmept.
Now my concern is that I have used a glass which I do not know if it is microwave freindly, and second concern is that used two type of colours, one states no need for baking and other product states requires baking, is there any need for baking, please advise as I do not want to spoil the effort I have input for this glass painting,
Thanks and regards
aressa said
If you have used a product which requires baking, I would recommend that you follow through with that….It will make the paint more durable….As for the microwave, all you can do is give it a try….
Patty said
hi!…great I will try this… but big questions… how long do the glasses stay inside the oven? and at what temperature should I set it to?
Thanks 🙂
aressa said
You would need to follow the directions from the manufacture. Typically, anywhere from 30-40 minutes. This does vary from one product to another.
Alicia said
Hello I am wondering how long I should bake the wine glasses and what temp I should put them on?
Thank you!
aressa said
Thanks for contacting me. I use Folk Art Enamels. They are baked at 350 for 30 minutes. Each paint is different, so I would recommend follwing the manufactures instructions. Make sure you place in a cold oven and allow it to cool off before removing from the oven. Add you oven’s pre-heat time to the baking time. You can actually turn the heat down to 325 if you are baking something that has red and white and might bleed.
I hope this helps…Amy
AWick said
After I have baked a glass, can I do touch up painting and rebake it?
aressa said
I would say it just depends on the paint you are using….I know with Folk Art Enamels you can.
Angelique Curtis-Knights said
hi,just a lil q, i am not painting glasses but a kilner jar,i have already done one and tried to bake it…but it cracked (altho followed product instructions to the T)..have now done another one but am reluctant to bake it as i do not have the time to get another one done if it breaks again..what i want to know is…does it REALLY have to be baked?..or would the paint still be pretty hardy without baking? (but not dishwasher safe)but maybe ok with just a gentle wash/wipe over?
aressa said
It really depends on the type of paint you are using. I use Folk Art Enamels which cure by air drying also. They are fully cured after 21 days, or by baking. Some paints require them to be baked to be cured.
I am not familiar with the type of jar you are painting, however I am wondering if you placed the item in the cold oven, then preheated? Did you allow the piece to cool down completely before removing from the oven?
If you are planning to use the item more for decoration with light cleaning, it will probably be fine. If it will be used daily and cleaned often, it probably should be baked or allowed to cure.
Good luck!!
Amy
Angelique Curtis-Knights said
thanks for the info Amy,i did the whole…place in ‘cold oven and not remove until cold’..but it still cracked..i do wonder if maybe there was a slight flaw in the glass to begin with that i had’nt noticed…kilner jars are pretty hardy and very thick glass (unlike a fine wine glass for example)….i chickened out on the second one(as it was a gift) and as i said before i did’nt have time to do it a third time…but left instructions for baking within it…but with a word of caution added!..that was my first attempt..so think i need abit of practice in the baking department..that or a new oven!!! 🙂
many thanks!
aressa said
That is really odd….I have baked thousands of pieces, literally and have never had 1 piece crack!!
Maybe there is some reason why this type of glass should not be baked? Maybe it was just a back piece of glass….
I can certainly understand why you would not want to try it with the second one…. Hopefully, the gift was something that didn’t have to be baked and the paint could cure by air drying…!! 🙂
Better luck next time!!
Amy
Natalie Moseley said
Hi. I am new with crafts and have done painted hand prints on coffee mugs. I don’t want the hand prints to wash off so a friend suggested to bake the mug. How long would I need to bake the mug and at what temperature?
Thanks!
Natalie
aressa said
I am sorry for the late reply. Just seeing this now….You need to follow the directions on the paint you buy. If it isn’t meant for glass, I am not certain if it can be painted, or if they will make it more durable.
Thanks…Amy
Terri said
I have done several different projects, glasses, plates, cake domes and pitchers and have baked all of them with NO incident. I just got finished painting a glass platter, but hesitate to bake because it was more expensive Lenox Crystal. Any advice…..have you ever baked Crystal?
Thanks for any advice
Terri
aressa said
Terri,
I have never tried to bake on crystal. If you are using a brand of paint that can be cured by air drying, I would recommend doing just that. If it is a gift, just advise to hand wash carefully until the 21 days have passed.
Better safe than sorry!
Amy
Terri said
Thank you so much for your advice.
Terri
megan said
im trying to paint wine glasses for a birthday present and i dont really know anything about it….. so could you tell me what kind of glasses are safe to bake and what kind of paint to use it would really help me a lot.
thanks megan
aressa said
Thanks for contacting me….I use Libbey Glassware to paint on. Probably just about any kind would do. I know of people who buy glass at dollar stores and are fine….
For the type of technique I use I like the Folk Art Enamels. They are my favorite. I use them on other surfaces too….
There are a variety of products to choose from. Make sure you follow the directions on whatever product you choose.
Good luck!
Amy
sherri said
Thank you Amy for all your advice this has helped me. I have an in home child care and we are attempting Easter vase’s for the children to take home. I wasn’t sure how to bake them but now I am sure.
Keely said
Thank you so much for the great idea! I am a party planner and hosting a Mocktail Martini Party in a few weeks. I’ve decided to have the girls design their own martini glass as one of the activities. I am a little apprehensive about the glass cracking so i’m going to do one the night before to try it out. Thanks again!
aressa said
Keely,
You should be fine with the glass. Just make sure you place in a cold oven, preheat, and then allow to cool before removing …. Have fun!
Angela said
What temp and how long should I bake my glass painting?
aressa said
I would follow the manufacturer’s directions. If you are using Folk Art Enamels you would bake for 30 minutes at 350….
Lauren said
Hi,
I was wondering if it is ok to let the paint air dry almost a week before oven curing, or if it needed to be done in the first, say 24 or 48 hours?
aressa said
You can air dry longer….It is better to be longer than less…. 🙂
Ayesha said
Hi Aressa,
Thank you for the tips you provide. They are very helpful.
I need some help with the glass painting i have done. I have painted few pairs of both wine and champagne glass using Marabu glitter liner and Fevicryl hobby ideas. For Marabu glitter liner it says “can also be fixed in a pre-heated oven (8 min. / 150°C)” and nothing mentioned for the other liner i used. Can u clarify if i should bake it in pre-heated oven or as u have mentioned above in ur posts. Also, please advise if micro wave oven can also be used for baking these glasses and if so for wat duration.
Thank you
aressa said
Thanks for the contact. I am not familiar marabu glitter liner or favicryl ….. I would always pre-heat and place the glass in the cold oven before pre-heating. You can use Folk Art enamels in the microwave … Not sure about the other products…If there is any metal in them, I wouldn’t put in the microwave…
Thanks!
Amy
Katie said
Is curing glass in the oven just a quicker way of drying the paint or can it also enhance the color(s) of the paint? Im using a paint that has sparkles in it and i didnt know if curing the glass would be enhancing the color and sparkle or not. ThankYou any advice on this would be great. I have never done curing glass before.
aressa said
Katie,
Thanks for making a comment. I would follow the directions on your paint. I know there are glass paints with sparkles that may be baked. Baking just dries the paint and can make it more durable. Again, I would follow the directions on your paint. These vary from one brand to the next…..
Best of luck!
Amy
Maria said
Hi, I just used Martha Stewart’s liquid fill transparent glass paint and it came out SUPER transarent. Was wondering if I could add another coat and re bake? Thanks so much…this is my first hand crafted project ever! 🙂
aressa said
I have not used her liquid fill glass paint. I have seen they have opaque paint also…Are you using the translucent paint? You might want to use her regular paint that is also for glass for a more opaque look…
Melisssaa said
Hi awesome painting, but does this work with sharpies as well? With the baking i mean?
aressa said
Thanks! I will be honest. I haven’t used the sharpies..I would follow whatever direction they provide…The only thing I have tried with the sharpies on glass Christmas Ornaments. They don’t have to be baked since they are being used the same way…Sorry!
Sara said
I think sharpies may work better if you put a clear medium on first. I’ve done some mixed media work and I met people that would create wonderful wordks with sharpies, but maybe try a glass paint acrylic, a medium which is clear, and bake it on then use the sharpies on top of it. The sharpies will probably write nicely on the baked glass. A normal glass they would just smudge off. If you put the medium down, the sharpies should write well on the cured medium. After, see how well it stays, and maybe even try to put another layer of clear medium on top of the sharpie design you selected- then try and bake it again!
I’ve not worked with sharpies and baking, but several times with mediums and sharpies together. I would imagine the second coat of the medium would help protect the sharpie colors, and design from being put in the oven. Let me know if you try it and how2 it
aressa said
They actually make glass markers. I am not certain what clear medium you are referring to? I personally would stick with products that are created for painting on glass. There are many to choose from on the market now…
dogpainter said
I wrote to Sharpie about using their markers on glass and they wrote back that they go not make any markers suitable for glass.
Decoart makes great glass markers, and Pebeo make great glass pens
All available on Amazon.
aressa said
I have seen a lot of people on Pinterest who use Sharpie markers on cups and swear by them…I guess it can be a matter of trial and error, and how the pieces are cared for ….
Stormi said
If I am painting a glass jar…can I also paint the metal lid and bake it in there with it?
aressa said
Just seeing this message … Sorry! How did it work out?
namasteyogaoh said
I am making wine glasses with a glitter stem. I am using modge podge and glitter. Can I bake this to bake the glitter into the glass?
aressa said
Just seeing this message..How did it turn out?
Brittany said
I’m painting wine glasses to sell in my moms store. I have a small oven that I was planning on using to bake them but I won’t be able to stand them up. Is it ok to bake them on their side or will it cause problems?
aressa said
Brittany,
I would not lay them on a painted part of the design to be baked. I would only use an oven which allowed them to stand/lay on a part which is unpainted. You can do one and try it, but I would be a afraid it might damage the design, stick, or even burn the paint. I am not sure if you are thinking about using a toaster type oven? I would definitely try it first before putting a lot of time and money in to it….
Thanks!
Amy
amy said
HI
Im going to attempt to do a glass for a gift but i only have perminent paint not in fancy type do you think it will work?
aressa said
You really need to use paint that is for glass. Any other type will probably just wash off….Amy
dogpainter said
I have been baking my glassware in my oven for over 8 years. The last 2 times I baked wine glasses, the one on the right side of the oven broke. Has anyone had this happen? I know the oven is at least 25 years old. I can’t afford to replace it, but can’t afford to keep breaking my glasses! Any suggestions for baking glassware besides replacing the oven? I am going to discontinue putting glasses on the right hand side. The base of the glass breaks 5 minutes after the glasses go in, they go into a cold oven at 325 for 30 min.on a cookie sheet.
aressa said
Is it gas or electric?
dogpainter said
electric.
kim said
i have heard of a varnish you can apply to your glasses and bake do u know where to get this
aressa said
Thanks for the contact. I am not sure what product you are referring to. What brand of paint are you using? I use Folk Art Enamels and coat with their clear medium for added protection. It depends on what brand you are using if you may need any other protection.
Emilee said
Hi, first time baking wine glasses and they both shattered
went in somewhat cold, I have a propane oven that stays somewhat warm even off and cooks hot, so I baked them at 325 for 30 mins, went to check them and looks like there is little pieces of glass splintered out and shattered. I am curious however… Is there a way to seal the shattered glass and keep the tempered look?? I actually really like how the effect looks. I want to make sure it’s safe to use however and don’t need people drinking glass slivers, yikes! So I was thinking there may be a sealant or some way to seal the glass? Any ideas?
aressa said
I have never used a propane oven. If it tends to be hotter than a normal oven, you need to adjust the temperature accordingly. It is very important that you place the glass in the oven cold, then preheat…Allow the oven to cool before removing…Dollar store glasses should be fine. I really like Libbey Glass products….Best of luck!
diana said
What if I use acrylic paint on glass, will it turn out just as good as enamel?
aressa said
Thanks for the contact. You really need to use paint for glass. Regular acrylic paint many not stay on the glass nicely.
Karla said
Is all glass created equal? Or do we need a specific kind… ?? Thank you.
aressa said
I like Libbey Glass, but I don’t think it matters much. I know of people whom buy the dollar store glassware, and it seems to work just fine. The main thing is to rememember to place the glass in a cold oven, then preheat. Let the glass remain in the oven until it has cooled. It is the change in temperature too quickly, which will cause the glass to break.
Thanks..Amy
Angela Montalto said
I am a beginner at painting glass. My question, is my concern for using the same oven I cook my food in. Will baking the glass ware in the oven, harm my food?
aressa said
The paint I use is non toxic. I really don’t think it will matter if you bake glass and bake food in the same oven. I actually have a separate oven for my glass baking…
Emma Noke said
I have a gas oven. How can I cure my glasses without them breaking? Thanks
aressa said
I have never cured glass in a gas oven. I would definitely practice on something first. Make sure you place in a cold oven, then preheat and bake from there. Remove from the oven after it cools.
Miriam said
How many wine bottles can I place in oven to cure at one time?
aressa said
It really just depends on how many bottles will fit in your oven. Just make sure you can space them out so they aren’t touching each other..Keep in mind the height may limit you to only one row…Best of luck!
Ed said
How long is the cool down time before returning from oven?
aressa said
There really isn’t a set time frame. Just test to see when the oven is cold again. If you take the glass out too soon, you risk it breaking.