The DIY (and Charming!) Way to Permanently Label Glass Kitchen Canisters
Part of having a well-organized kitchen is ridding your cabinets of oversized packaging. That often means decanting pantry essentials into clearly labeled glass jars and canisters. Use our guide to make permanent canister labels that are easy to read and won’t peel or scratch off with washing.
Heather Baird
Materials Needed:
- personal computer
- inkjet printer
- copy paper
- scissors
- clear jars or canisters
- paper towels
- painter's tape
- isopropyl alcohol
- odorless mineral spirits
- fine-tipped art brushes
- black enamel-effect ceramic paint
- baking sheet
- standard household oven
Find a Font
Search for a font that is most pleasing to you, and that is also easy to read. Use your computer and inkjet printer to print ingredient names onto copy paper. Keep in mind the size of your jars or canister, and adjust the font size to fit inside the area you plan to label. Cut out the printed ingredient names with scissors.
Heather Baird
Center the Label
Position an ingredient name inside a canister and use painter’s tape to adhere it to the glass.
Heather Baird
Clean the Surface
Use isopropyl alcohol to clean the surface of the jar, and let dry thoroughly. Tip: A spotlessly clean surface will help the paint adhere well.
Heather Baird
Paint the Label
Use a fine-tipped art brush dipped in the ceramic paint to paint over the letters on the paper taped inside the jar. Do this slowly and deliberately. If you make a mistake, use a clean fine-tipped art brush dipped in mineral spirits to remove the unwanted mark.
Heather Baird
Reapply the Paint
Remove the paper and painter’s tape from inside the jar. With the paper removed you will be able to see holes or thin spots in the paint. Use the art brush to apply more paint to these areas.
Heather Baird
Vary Font Size
Larger jars can accommodate large labels. The larger the label, the easier it is to paint (and read!).
Clean Up and Bake
When you’ve finished perfecting the painted labels, use odorless mineral spirits to clean your brushes. Allow the jars to dry overnight. Bake the jars on a baking sheet in a preheated 325° oven for 40 minutes (or follow manufacturer’s instructions on your bottle of ceramic paint.) Allow the jars to cool completely before filling them with baking ingredients.
Heather Baird
