Turn a boring outdated vase into a beautiful clay vase using textured paint. This homemade baking soda paint vase idea will give any vase a new look without spending much money!
From Boring Vase to Beautiful Clay Vase
Whether you thrifted a glass vase or have an outdated vase on hand, you can make it look like a clay vase.
After mixing the textured paint, dab the paint onto your vase with a paint brush.
A dollar store paint brush will work just fine for this project because the bristles are rough.
The rough bristles will help add more texture and will make your vase look more like clay.
I will be honest I struggled with this at first because I am type A about paint lines.
After I cleanly brushed on the first few strokes of paint, I realized this didn’t make my vase look anything like clay.
So, don’t be afraid to be a messy with this clay vase project because it will turn out great.
How to Make Baking Soda Paint
To make textured paint you will need baking soda and almost any type of paint. Simply mix baking soda into any paint color until it is a thick consistency.
Slowly mix baking soda paint a little bit at a time until the paint feels thick and gritty.
If the paint is too thin, then it will not have a textured appearance so make sure you add enough baking soda.
Textured Paint Mixture:
- ½ cup of paint (except oil based)
- 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda
Additional Items:
These items are optional as it depends on the look that you are going for. Most of these items can be purchased from the dollar store.
- Dollar store paint brush
- Cheap blush brush
- Wet paper towel
- Caulk
- Plastic Fork
- Dirt
- Matte Clear Coat
- Flat Primer
- Sand paper
How to Give a Vase Texture
Any type of vase will work for this project, as long as you follow the steps mentioned.
First wipe down the vase then sand it if the vase if needed before priming.
This red vase had raised red dots, so I lightly sanded the dots because I did not want the dots to show through the paint.
spray it with a flat primer, so the textured paint sticks really well.
You could skip the primer, but I recommend using it because the paint will adhere better.
After the primer has dried, grab a paint brush and dab the paint all over the vase.
Allow the first coat of paint to dry for a few hours before applying additional coats of paint.
Either apply another coat of paint onto the clay vase or follow one of the steps below.
Baking Soda Painted Vase Designs
Painting the entire vase in textured paint will give it a nice clay look or you can add a design.
Instead of painting the entire vase the same color, you could spray paint the vase white then use textured paint on the bottom portion of the vase.
Two-Tone Baking Soda Paint Vase
To give the vase a two-tone appearance, place painters tape toward the bottom of the vase.
Then paint below the painter’s tape with the baking soda paint and allow to dry completely.
Once the textured paint has dried, carefully remove the painter’s tape to reveal your two-tone clay vase.
If you prefer a more subtle look then you can skip the painter’s tape and blend the two colors for a more natural finish.
Blend Color with Wet Paper Towels
To add even more texture or to blend another color, try using a wet paper towel.
First paint your vase with the baking soda paint mixture then allow it to try for several hours.
Then dampen a paper towel so it is wet, but not soaking wet.
Dip the wet paper towel into the paint then dab it onto the clay vase to add more texture.
Using a wet paper towel instead of a paint brush will allow you to effortlessly blend an additional color.
So, if you are going for an aged clay vase you should try this method to distress the vase with a darker paint color.
Add Details with Caulk
To add a little more detail to a clay vase, use paintable caulk from the dollar store.
Simply use the paintable caulk to make straight lines or you can add more texture by using a plastic fork.
Draw lines onto your vase then gently dab the plastic fork into the freshly applied caulk line.
Another method is to use the end of a round paint brush or any similar tool with a rounded edge.
Take the rounded edge of your tool then dab that into the freshly applied caulk line to create bumps around the vase.
There are so many ways to add detail to your vase, so don’t be afraid to get creative with what you already have on hand for this project.
Distressed Clay Vase Using Dirt
Another way to distress a vase is to literally rub dirt on it until you achieve the look you are going for.
Make sure the dirt that you are using to distress your vase does not have rocks in it.
Put on a pair of gloves and rub some dirt on small areas of the vase at a time.
There shouldn’t clumps of dirt stuck to your vase, so you make sure to brush the dirt off for a smooth finish.
Check out this post for detailed instructions on how to give your vase a dirt distressed look.
Conclusion
Step back and make sure you are satisfied with the look of your vase then spray it with matter clear coat.
The clear coat will help lock in the dirt on the vase, so the aged look will last long after you finished your project!
If you love giving outdated decor an affordable makeover, then you should try giving a lamp a new look for less!