DIY Textured vase tutorial with homemade textured paint
Use wallpaper, paste, paint and baking soda to create a DIY textured vase
This DIY textured vase hack is simple to do and creates a bespoke and artisan-looking vase for next to no cost. I found these three vases on Amazon and they cost around £10 for the set. They would have been perfectly fine as they were if you were looking for a nice-shaped vase without the DIY/craft project!
I love texture, especially in the kitchen as I’ve really pared back on colour in that space so the texture and natural materials are much needed.
I went through a phase of buying brown testers so had a selection to choose from for the vases.
How to create a textured paint effect on a vase
To create the textured effect, I experimented with a couple of different processes, mixing baking soda into the paint and creating a wallpaper-and-paste mix that I applied to the vase before painting. Both processes worked really well and created different style looks, which I’ll share below.
Baking soda and paint
Here are the steps I took to create a textured paint effect with bicarbonate of soda / baking soda. There are two methods, I tried both and they worked equally well.
You will need
Vase or ornament to paint
Baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
Paintbrush
Paint (I used leftover testers)
Small bowl (optional - for mixing paint in)
1. Sprinkling the baking soda
Gather materials
Apply the first coat of paint onto vase
Sprinkle baking soda onto the painted vase while paint still wet
Brush the baking soda into the paint.
Allow to dry
Repeat the painting and sprinkling process until happy with the coverage and texture
2. Mixing the baking soda into the paint
Gather materials
Mix baking soda and paint into a small bowl
Apply first coat of paint & bicarb mix onto vase
Allow to dry
Apply a second coat
Allow to dry
Repeat for a third coat if the coverage/texture isn’t enough after two coats.
Creating texture with wallpaper and paste
I found a roll of thick textured wallpaper in B&Q for 10p in the clearance section (really!) so used it for this project, but you could use any kind of thick paper, wallpaper, wrapping paper or even newspaper. I had half a bag of wallpaper paste mix left in a cupboard so again made use of this to save money, you could also use PVA glue or even grab adhesive if you had that handy and didn’t want to buy wallpaper paste.
Here are the steps I took
Tear wallpaper into small strips and pieces about the size of a 50p coin
Mix wallpaper paste in a bowl with water
Add the wallpaper strips to the bowl and mix
Once fully combined, apply the wallpaper & paste mix to the vase in layers
Cover the whole vase in the mix
Allow to dry
Paint the textured surface of the vase until happy with the coverage (2 coats will usually suffice)
Repeat for as many vases as you need.
Tips for success with a textured vase DIY
These textured paint effects create unique pieces that can be painted to fit perfectly with your interiors or to stand out in a bold accent colour. Here are some tips to get the best results...
For a handmade/artisanal effect layer up the texture thickly to lose the off-the-shelf look.
Add more baking soda for a more pronounced paint effect.
Let the paper mache mix dry fully before painting.
Apply lots of thin layers (drying in between) rather than pile it all on in one single layer.
How do you make a textured vase?
Easier than starting from scratch, I recommend making a textured vase by upgrading a basic smooth one. Take a plain vase and apply one of the techniques shown above to create a rustic and textured look.
How do you make a textured vase with spray paint?
After applying the paper mache mix to a vase you can use spray paint for the finishing touches. Using spray paint is no different to applying the paint with a brush, just take care to get even coverage to hide the texture underneath.
How do you add texture to glass?
You can add texture to glass using on of the above techniques. If you opt for the paper & paste process, it might be worth applying a primer coat of glue or PVA to the glass to help the texture layer adhere properly.
How do you make a glass vase look rustic?
Apply paint and baking soda as shown above to make a glass vase look rustic. This textured paint effect looks brilliantly aged and rustic with little effort or cost.
Where next?
If you enjoyed this DIY/craft project you might like to browse through the seasonal stying section of my blog. Below are some similar projects to get you inspired...
I hope you've found some of these ideas inspiring and useful, let me know in the comments if you try any of them. Be sure to scroll to the very bottom of the page & hit the subscribe button to receive my monthly newsletter which is packed full of tutorials, updates and offers.
