Easily Make Your Own Mercury Glass Votives

Give plain glass votives a trendy mercury glass makeover with mirror-effect spray paint. The antique-looking votives lend a sparkling glow to a table setting, mantel, coffee table — or anywhere.

DIY Mercury Glass Votive Candles

Give plain glass votives a trendy mercury glass makeover with mirror-effect spray paint. The antique-looking votives lend a sparkling glow to a table setting, mantel, coffee table — or anywhere. Easily make your own with our step-by-step instructions.

From: H. Camille Smith

By: H. Camille Smith

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Materials Needed:

glass votives (clear or colored)
votive candles
Krylon looking glass spray paint

spray bottle filled with water (must have a mist setting)
rubbing alcohol
paper towels

Mist Votives With Water

Fill a spray bottle with water. Make sure it's set to the mist setting (not spray or jet) then lightly mist the inside of votives (Image 1). Tip: You want beads of water to form on the glass surface (Image 2).

H. Camille Smith

Lightly mist the inside of votives until beads of water form on the glass surface.

H. Camille Smith

Spray Glass Votives With Water

Fill a spray bottle with water. Make sure it's set to the mist setting (not spray or jet) then lightly mist the inside of votives.

Photo By: H. Camille Smith

Glass Votive With Water Droplets

Lightly mist the inside of votives until beads of water form on the glass surface.

Photo By: H. Camille Smith

Coat With Spray Paint

Quickly follow with a light (just a quick spray) coat of looking glass spray paint (Image 1). The water droplets won't allow the paint to adhere to the glass creating the mottled, mercury glass finish. Tip: Don't worry if some of the spray paint and water run down the sides and pool in the bottom, that's normal (Image 2). Wait five minutes for the paint to dry on the votives' sides, then carefully dab away excess water and spray paint from the bottom with a paper towel, being careful not to hit the votives' sides (Image 3).

Quickly follow misting the votives with a light (just a quick spray) coat of looking glass spray paint. The water droplets won't allow the paint to adhere to the glass creating the mottled, mercury glass finish.

H. Camille Smith

The water droplets won't allow the paint to adhere to the glass creating the mottled, mercury glass finish. Tip: Don't worry if some of the spray paint and water run down the sides and pool in the bottom, that's normal.

H. Camille Smith

Wait five minutes for the paint to dry on the votives' sides, then carefully dab away excess water and spray paint from the bottom with a paper towel, being careful not to hit the votives' sides.

H. Camille Smith

Spraying Votives With Looking Glass Spray Paint

Quickly follow misting the votives with a light (just a quick spray) coat of looking glass spray paint. The water droplets won't allow the paint to adhere to the glass creating the mottled, mercury glass finish.

Photo By: H. Camille Smith

Spraying Votives With Looking Glass Spray Paint

The water droplets won't allow the paint to adhere to the glass creating the mottled, mercury glass finish. Tip: Don't worry if some of the spray paint and water run down the sides and pool in the bottom, that's normal.

Photo By: H. Camille Smith

Removing Excess Paint and Water from Glass Votives

Wait five minutes for the paint to dry on the votives' sides, then carefully dab away excess water and spray paint from the bottom with a paper towel, being careful not to hit the votives' sides.

Photo By: H. Camille Smith

Add Several Coats of Paint

Continue coating the interior of votives with first a light mist of water followed by a light coat of paint for a total of three to five coats or until you're satisfied with the votives' silvered appearance (Image 1). Once the last coat of paint has fully dried, use a paper towel saturated with rubbing alcohol to clean up any overspray on the outside of votives (Image 2). Fill your trendy new mercery glass votives with candles and use them to cast a golden glow (Image 3).

Coat the interior of votives with first a light mist of water followed by a light coat of paint for a total of three to five coats or until you're satisfied with the votives' silvered appearance.

H. Camille Smith

Once the last coat of paint has fully dried, use a paper towel saturated with rubbing alcohol to clean up any overspray on the outside of votives.

H. Camille Smith

A rustic holiday place setting with hand-stamped linens, a succulent centerpiece and glass votives painted with a mercury glass finish makes for a romantic tablescape.

Silver Mercury Glass Votives

Coat the interior of votives with first a light mist of water followed by a light coat of paint for a total of three to five coats or until you're satisfied with the votives' silvered appearance.

Photo By: H. Camille Smith

Removing Overspray from Mercury Glass Votive

Once the last coat of paint has fully dried, use a paper towel saturated with rubbing alcohol to clean up any overspray on the outside of votives.

Photo By: H. Camille Smith

Rustic Luxe Table Setting With Yellow Hand-Stamped Napkin

A rustic holiday place setting with hand-stamped linens, a succulent centerpiece and glass votives painted with a mercury glass finish makes for a romantic tablescape.