Better Sealer Option than Mod Podge for Glass 

Yes, that's an idea but I'm leaving these the way they turned out just to test them long term and see what happens. :)

Thank you so much. I took a break from painting for awhile since I donated all my gloves to our hospital. Hope to get back to it soon.

Nancy O'Neill That’s wonderful of you! ❤️

Melanie Nordin, I couldn’t do much else.

I guess im randomly asking but does anyone know a method to log back into an instagram account?? I was dumb lost my account password. I would appreciate any tips you can give me.

@Kenzo Ezequiel instablaster ;)

@Colson Mark i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and Im in the hacking process atm. Takes quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

Hilary Williams, the only problem with using any spray sealer over glittered paint is that it will still have a lot of texture. If you’re ok with that, then the polyurethane spray would work. Course you could always spray a few coats of polyurethane on which would help the smoothness a little but even if you did many layers of spray, I don’t think it would ever get super smooth. You’d probably always have the glitter texture. If you wanted a smoother finish, sealing with resin would be better but that’s expensive, kind of touchy to work with and it’s really toxic. Good luck. 👍🏻

Thank you! 😊

I've never used those transfers nor have I put any artwork outside but this video might be helpful. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZXAYjomKLIw.html After she applied her transfers to the glass vase, she sealed it with a different sealer than what I used. I would try a small transfer on some glass, then spray the MixWax polyurethane on. Once it's dried, set it outside to see how it holds up in the weather. If I had to guess, I think it would be fine in the rain since I've washed these glasses in hot water and they're still fine. However, most sealers will eventually yellow if they're in the sun, even the ones with UV protection. Those may stay clear longer but almost everything will yellow in time. So keep that in mind. If I were using a transfer on a glass top table, I'd probably put the transfer underneath if the design wasn't one direction. But then, you could seal it and it wouldn't be affected by anything that was on top of the table. Here's another artist who does a lot of painting on the bottom of glass plates. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-i2-2x95UouY.html She uses a different spray varnish. So as you can see, there are a lot of options. The best thing to do for your specific project is to do a small test piece. That way you'll know for sure. Good luck.

@@NancyONeill thank you, this was helpful.

GMAN, I’ve never used this spray to seal vinyl on glass so can’t really advise on that. However, definitely do not use spray varnish or any other chemical sealer near the top where you’d drink. I don’t know of any sealer that is safe for food use.

I've been using these same glasses since I did them in March 2020, hand washing them, and they've never yellowed. Granted, I didn't use much white paint so if you had a lot of white in your design, you may see some yellowing over time because there isn't a varnish or even a resin that doesn't eventually yellow, regardless if they say it's UV protected. Have fun.

Monique Irwin, now that I don’t know. I would imagine you’d have to stick them on first with some type of glass adhesive. Or maybe if the decal had its own adhesive. But the spray is just a spray varnish. No adhesive or sticky qualities. Sorry I don’t have a better answer. I haven’t tried using decals. Hope it works. 👍🏻

Gundi Ruedenauer, the Minwax polyurethane spray says it’s only for indoor use. I don’t know if there’s a polyurethane for outdoor use but you could check on that. I know there are sealers and varnishes for outdoor wood projects but I’ve never looked for sealers for outdoor glass use. If you find something that you think might work, I’d do a test piece of glass and set it outside long enough to get a good test before doing your actual project. Hope you find something that works. Sorry I don’t have a specific product to recommend. Good luck. 👍🏻

Gundi, as soon as I hit post on my first reply to you, I remembered that Mod Podge has a weather resistant sealer. I’ve never used it but you might find this article helpful. I just googled and saw it. modpodgerocksblog.com/is-mod-podge-waterproof/

@@NancyONeill thank you!

Based on my experience, my best guess is it would keep it sealed just fine. What I found with the polyurethane spray is that it made the acrylic paint rock hard. Before I sprayed it, the painted part had a typical acrylic feeling when I rubbed my finger over it, pressed my fingernail into it and also tapped the painted part of the glass. But after the spray, the painted part felt and sounded just like the plain glass part. I've used these same two glasses for about two years and by just hand washing them, it's held up very well. The only "lessons learned" I had in the past few months was when I left the glass sitting in water for a couple of hours before washing and drying it. Then the spray seemed to get a little tacky. At that point, I was able to make a fingernail mark in the painted part. I immediately kicked myself for letting it sit in water but who knew? So I figured I'd just give it another spray of the same varnish and let it sit for a week before using it again. BINGO! It re-sealed the paint and now I can't even remember or tell which one I re-sprayed. So based on all that, I would imagine the acrylic markers with this spray sealant would do just fine. Just don't make the same mistake I did and let it sit in water. I guess I just got lazy one day and didn't hand wash right away. ;)

That’s a good question. I don’t have any experience with screen printing on glass so I can’t address that specifically. As far as that image part looking like “normal glass” still, not quite sure what you mean by that. The parts that I dipped in paint and then sealed with the spray varnish still look like normal glass except that they’re painted. You can tell it’s still glass though. Keep in mind that with my glasses, the paint is on the underside so when you look at the glass upright, you’re seeing the painted part of the stem base through glass. Although because I used opaque paints, you can’t see “through” the painted base. But it’s very shiny underneath from the spray varnish and shiny when looking from the top side because that’s not painted so it’s clear glass. Hope that makes sense. One thing I always caution though is not to spray varnish anywhere close to parts of glasses or plates where food or mouths come in contact with. So I always recommend doing the design and varnishing on the underside. If this didn’t help or you have other questions or want to explain your project more, feel free. I’m always here to help if I can.

Oh my, I wish I had the perfect answer for you but I've never done anything that massive like a back splash. If you could, I'd make a test piece of glass and try different sealants. You wouldn't want to spray or varnish or even resin the whole back splash, attach it to the wall and then find out it yellows or something. Sorry I can't be of more help. Good luck.

I'm not sure about metal as I've never painted on that. The only thing I've seen people use when they paint on metal tumblers is resin/epoxy but then you need to keep it rotating while you're applying resin so that it doesn't clump up or run. I've watched videos and it seems really tricky. ;) Plus, keep in mind that anything you use (including paint) on a drink container, you'll want to keep it away from the top part where your mouth will touch. You might keep searching for different options. Sorry I couldn't help more.

@@NancyONeill Thank you, I’ll keep looking before I try anything! 💜

I've only used this Minwax spray varnish so I don't have any experience with other brands or types.

Carolyn, I can’t answer that for sure because I’ve always washed painted glasses by hand. When they turn out nice, I’ve never wanted to take the chance on ruining them. 😉

Resin would work too and give it a glossier finish. I chose to use the spray because I don’t like working with resin (chemicals, price, finicky, etc). If you happen to not mix resin right or the room temp isn’t warm enough or any number of other missteps, resin won’t set up hard. So while it may feel hard enough on the bottom of the glass or vase, it may be just soft enough to stick to the table. For me, I just felt the spray was the better option.

I haven’t tried it on plastic but when I’ve mixed paint in plastic disposable cups, it’s pretty easy to peel off the paint. And spray varnish doesn’t do too well on plastic. But hey, it’s always fun to experiment. I’d say give it a try on plastic. 👍🏻

@@NancyONeill Thanks :)

@@NancyONeill watching this makes me want to try and do a glitter cup. I don't keep paint on hand but like you said why not.

Here's the one where I dipped the glasses. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-AhQ3RnLv2j4.html

@@NancyONeill Thank you so much! Loved the video. I'm trying this tomorrow.

@@brendaallen7735 let me know how it goes. Here's a thought if you like doing them. If you live in an area where there are wineries or even just gift shops with that type of stuff, you could show them the finished product and see if they'd be interested in selling them on consignment or maybe they'd buy them wholesale from you. Or for a different idea, you could team up with some wedding planner and maybe include custom ones for the couple or even sell some for bridal showers, etc. Maybe in the bride's favorite colors. Just some ideas if you're interested in selling opportunities.

@@NancyONeill What great ideas! I have been pour painting for about a year and know that I have to invest some money in marketing if I want to continue. I am always looking for other avenues and ideas. I really love the glasses. You are a generous person and I appreciate you.

@@brendaallen7735 thanks for the compliment. 😊 I like brainstorming and sharing ideas. I’ve been waffling on setting up an Etsy page. I’ve sold a couple of paintings through Reddit and Instagram but those were random. I’ve given a lot away since I started pouring in 2019 but I’d like to find selling options besides having to set up the Etsy shop. We actually live in an area with over 30 wineries and similar gift shops but by the time I felt good enough about my art to start contacting some local businesses, Covid hit and I lost all my creative mojo so I actually stopped pouring for almost 2 years. I’ve just gotten back into it in the past few months. My walls are filling up fast with more paintings so I really need to get busy on the business opportunities. Gotta admit, I think more people are interested in functional art vs buying a wall painting. Keep me posted.

Hi Deborah, This particular Minwax spray is oil-based. Here’s the link to the product on their website. www.minwax.com/wood-products/clear-protective-finishes/interior/minwax-fastdrying-polyurethane I honestly didn’t even try an acrylic spray because I thought any water-based sealer wouldn’t hold up as well. I could be wrong though. But I used this polyurethane after seeing another video so I tried it and it worked great. The paint hasn’t come off with hand washing so I guess it was the right choice. However, I have googled “how to seal acrylic paint on glass” and found plenty of sites that say to use an acrylic sealant. I wish I had a more definitive answer or advice for you. I’d check out a few more videos or google sealing glass and then see what you’re comfortable trying based on what products you can find there. Maybe try a test piece and wash it a bunch of times to see how it holds up. The only thing I’d say for sure is don’t paint or get sealant near the top where you’d drink from or if it’s on a dish where food would touch. Even if something says it’s “food safe,” I personally wouldn’t want to take a chance.

Without seeing it, here’s my best guess based on your description. At first I thought it might be painted and then sealed with resin which would give it a shinier finish than this spray varnish. But having tape remove paint wouldn’t happen if resin was used as the sealant. I haven’t tried an experiment about putting a sticker or tape on my painted, sealed glasses but even with the spray I use, I doubt any sticker or tape would pull off the paint regardless of how strong the adhesive was. So it’s hard to say what sealant was used and why a sticker was able to pull off paint. So to answer your question, if the area outside where the paint came off has a ridge that you can feel or see, I think the ridge would still be there even if you varnished it again. But if the paint removed didn’t leave a deep gap and you can’t feel the difference between the painted part and the missing paint part, then spraying this polyurethane would reseal it and there shouldn’t be a ridge. Depending on where the price sticker was, is it possible that you could repair with a little matching paint before sealing it? Sorry I couldn’t give you a definitive answer. Ahhh, just thought of something else. It’s possible the paint they used was an enamel specifically designed for glass which is naturally very shiny. If that’s what type was used AND they didn’t seal it, a sticker adhesive might pull off some paint. But even so, it doesn’t change my thoughts about resealing it as I described above.

@@NancyONeill I have repaired it with acrylic paint. Where I repaired, a very small area, it is not shiny like the remainder of the glass. I don't feel a distinct ridge so I wonder if perhaps it was sprayed. I think that is the route I will take. It is a small area so shouldn't be a problem. I will talk to the store and remind them not to price over painted areas when there are other places it could be done!! Thank you for your quick reply. How long should I wait for this paint to cure before I put the spray on it? thank you in advance

@@valoriemaner9902 sounds like a good plan. I always wait a week before I seal it.

Thank you. I always wait a month before sealing anything including canvases or ceramic tiles. As far as using the glasses, the varnish dries pretty fast but I'll usually wait 3 days or so before washing them the first time. And always hand wash just to be safe. On a side note about sealing. I had several ceramic tiles that I'd painted last year. The other day I decided to finally varnish them and for the decorative tiles, I use MinWax polycrylic clear gloss liquid varnish. If you put a spoonful or two on the tile and tilt it off, you don't get any brush strokes and with two or three coats, it can look almost like resin. Anyway, of the four tiles I varnished, one immediately made the paint lift off which can happen if tiles or even canvases aren't fully cured. But since it was more than a year ago since these were painted, the reason the paint lifted was most likely due to something on the bare tile before I painted it. If there was anything on the surface that would cause the paint not to adhere, putting the varnish on could cause it to lift off. Moral of this problem: make sure you clean your hard surface projects like glass or tiles with alcohol (and let fully dry) before painting. Even natural oils from your hands can sometimes cause an issue.

Thank you so so much for responding and sharing

Absolutely not. I've experimented with one glass and just set it in water in the sink for several hours, basically like you said soaking it. Even with that, the paint started to separate from the glass. So I am 99.99999% positive that the hot water in a dishwasher would peel the paint and varnish right off. Someone gave me a painted coffee mug that didn't come with instructions. It seemed like it was sealed but I mistakenly put it in the dishwasher and the design sort of melted away. So with any painted glasses, mugs, etc., even if they're sealed with a waterproof varnish, I would always hand wash only. Even those who seal with resin recommend their products get hand washed. When I've given these away, I print up a little Care/Instructions card so people know they are NOT dishwasher safe and even recommend not letting them sit in water very long.

I bought the Minwax polyurethane from an automotive store. But if you don't have one near you, you can buy it on Amazon. Here's the product link. www.amazon.com/Minwax-33050000-Fast-Drying-Polyurethane-Aerosol/dp/B0009XELPS

I went and looked at that same can from the video and it's crazy that nowhere on it does it specify oil or water based. The only thing it says is "For easy clean-up, use lacquer thinner." That would lead me to think it's oil-based. However, when I Googled "how to tell if varnish is oil or water based?" it says oil-based has an amber hue which darkens over time whereas water-based stays clear. Since I used this spray varnish a couple of years ago, it's stayed clear so that makes me think it's water-based and polyurethane apparently does come in both versions (according to other resources). To tell you the truth, it's confusing. When I looked on Minwax's site, they've changed the can design so it's hard to tell. You'd think they would have better information. Wish I had a definitive answer for you.

@@NancyONeill I’m inclined to think it’s oil based as well. At this point all I can do is keep trying different products. I’m determined to make this work as the pieces I have done turned out beautifully. Not to toot my own horn. 😂 But I also can’t sell stuff that isn’t going to last. I appreciate you red ndong do quickly. I do love the way your glasses turned out with this product so maybe this will be the one. 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

I haven’t tested it against heat so I can’t say. I’ve only used it on cold drink glasses and always wash/dry them by hand.

I've never done lettering on anything so I can only give you my feelings about sealing anything on the drinking part of a glass. I, personally, wouldn't do it because of the toxicity. And even if you taped off a section on top where a person's mouth would touch, they'd still be holding the varnished part and potentially could have some toxic effect. I just don't use any toxic products around food. That's why I only pour/varnish on the bottom of glasses. ;) However, when you asked, I was curious about lettering so I searched RU-vid to see what other artists do. Found a great video that explains why this one artist doesn't use any sealer on her glasses with lettering. I think it might be helpful for you. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BFBjP_fR5-4.html

Kanece's Kreations, the Mod Podge says it’s dishwasher safe but I still hand washed those pieces. I’m not sure about the spray varnish being dishwasher safe since I’ve always hand washed any glass with paint just to play it safe. I like them too much to test it. 😉. But I have used really hot water to hand wash and it hasn’t done anything to them. Sorry I can’t give you more details.

I just used one of the brown/orange ones the other day, hand washed it again and it’s just as shiny as the green one which I’ve only used once. I did these two years ago so I figure that’s a pretty good test.

Heads up. Yesterday I used one of these same glasses but instead of hand washing it right away, I set it in the sink in some water. Live and learn. DO NOT SOAK THE PAINTED/VARNISHED part. Even though the varnish should protect the paint, it did seem to make the varnish thinner in some places which then took some of the shininess away. I pressed my fingernail in the paint to see if it would make a dent and it did. So clearly, leaving it set in water for hours was the wrong thing to do. But I gave it another coat of the same spray varnish and it’s now back to a hard, shiny finish like it originally was. Just wanted to forewarn you of my “accidental” test. You can’t leave them sit in water. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Lexi’s nails at omorfia , no I haven’t because I don’t want the paint fumes in my house and I’ve heard they get pretty bad.

If you Google, you'll see a lot of information that "say" it's food safe because they use polyurethane on cutting boards and wood counters. However, I, personally, try not to get any chemicals near food which is why I only paint and varnish the bottom of glasses. Some people paint up the sides but then still leave an inch or two at the top where your mouth would touch. That's still too close for me, personally. But the online information says that it's safe once it dries hard. I think you have to do what is comfortable for you and your family.

Anytime I've had painted glass, I always carefully hand wash. I never put them in the dishwasher.

Are you heat curing in your oven? I've heard some people do that but I haven't tried it due to our new oven and not liking any smells or toxins in the house. So I've stayed away from heat curing.