Plain surfaces are sophisticated elegant, but a little bit of color can add a new spark to the old stuff. That’s what I did with my plates, dishes, and especially ceramic mugs.
If you are wondering the ways to seal acrylic paints on your ceramic mugs after you’ve painted them, then you’ve landed in the right place. Now, why do you need to seal them? That’s because once you have finished your jaw-dropping masterpiece, you don’t want it to wash off with some water and soap wash.
Now, the main question is, how to seal acrylic paint on ceramic mugs? It’s not a tough job to worry about, folks. All you need is an appropriate varnish or sealant to apply over the acrylic paint, or there’s an alternate way of baking the mug piece by heating it in the oven. If you are looking for the answers to the questions coming to your head, then this article will teach you-
- List of the best acrylic paints on ceramic mugs
- How to seal acrylic paint on a ceramic mugs
- General FAQs
So, let’s get rolling!
Table of Contents
List Of Acrylic Paint Sealants on Ceramic Mugs
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Krylon Kamar Varnish Aerosol Spray |
| Check Price |
PREMIUM PICK  | Paint Pens for Rock Painting, Stone, Ceramic |
| Check Price |
 | Grumbacher Picture Gloss Varnish for Oil & Acrylic Painting |
| Check Price |
BEST VALUE  | Pen Acrylic Markers Paint |
| Check Price |
How To Seal Acrylic Paint on Ceramic Mug?
Coloring any crockery makes it a hundred times prettier, and painting them is the easiest way to customize them. Painting your mug gives it a new and exciting look. Nothing gives a plain surface some character like paint. A lot of people color their crockeries to match their personalities.
Before knowing how to seal acrylic paint, you should know why to seal acrylic paint.
Acrylic paint is not food grade color. So, consuming it in any way is harmful to humans and animals in general. So acrylic paint should be sealed, or it will not have any sort of function other than just looking pretty. Acrylic paint is not toxic, but still, it isn’t food.
So, eating/drinking acrylic paint won’t put you in any biohazards. But your tummy will hurt, as your digestive system can’t digest it. So, why eat something that you can’t digest and which will give you a tummy ache?
Moreover, if the paint is not sealed correctly, it will be scrubbed of because of constant washing because acrylic is water-soluble. You can’t always be careful with the dish or mug. Sometimes you will just put it in the dishwasher. And the constant washing and using will flake or peel the paint away.
If you want your acrylic paint to be on your mug, you should seal it; if you don’t want it to be peeled, you should seal it; or you don’t want to eat that paint, then seal it!
To seal acrylic paint…
- first, you have to let the paint dry after painting the mug. You can dry it in the open for hours or put it in a pre-heated oven and be done with it in a jiffy.
- Then, after drying the paint, you have to clean the mug with a clean cloth so that no dust will be stuck between the color and the sealant.
- There are two types of sealants. Spray and brush applied sealants. Both are good; just the applying procedure is different.
- Spray varnish should be used on a dry surface, or it won’t stick properly. You should adequately shake the can of spray before using it. A cleaning cloth should be close to the hand because the nozzle of the spray gets easily clogged over prolonged use. You should be careful and apply an even coat of sealant. If any part is not sealed correctly, the acrylic paint will come off the mug.
- For the non-sprayable variant, you should dilute it in water for your desired consistency. Then use a clean brush to apply the sealant on the cup with long and even brush strokes. It would be best to cover the mug with the sealant without any visible brush marks.
You can apply multiple layers of sealant, but you have to let it dry first. After using the sealant, you should let it dry off in a dust-free area. This goes for both sprayable and non-sprayable adhesives. After the varnish is dry, you can use your mug as a regular mug.
Top 4 Acrylic Paint On Ceramic Mugs
1. Krylon Kamar Varnish Aerosol Spray
If you are searching for a clear varnish to seal your beautiful acrylic mug paints, I might have just found you the best deal. Take a look at the Krylon Kamar Varnish Aerosol Spray.
It’s probably the best protecting varnish in the market, either for acrylic, oil, or watercolor painting. No matter what painting you are trying to seal, it will be of excellent quality, and it doesn’t even turn yellow on drying or in a few days.
What I love about clear varnishes is the natural shine they give. But most of them do not stay on for long, and the clarity loses with time. But gladly, not with this one! It is highly resistant to discoloration, offers excellent durability and high-end clarity.
Since the alcohol content in the varnish is high, it is highly flammable and has the scope to catch flash fires. Hence, as a safety measurement, store it inside your kitchen cabinet in a cool place, and you are good to go!
It even dries faster than any other such product. It’s unbelievable that it dries to touch in 15 minutes only, and it’s ready for a second coat if you want, in 2 hours! To protect your artistic touch on your favorite ceramic mugs and more, this sounds like a worthy choice. What do you say?
2. Paint Pens for Rock Painting, Stone, Ceramic
Time to look for some acrylic paint pens to customize your favorite plain mugs to acrylic paint mugs! The Artistry paint pens might be precisely what you require.
The paint pens are equipped with water-based ink with excellent vividity. But that’s not the best part! The best part is how durable the paint is. Usually, paint pens fade away with time and scratches but not this one. And once you look at the opaque and glossy shine it offers, I’m guaranteed you will fall in love with the ink.
And if your target isn’t just the ceramic mugs, then these pens are unique. You can use them on stones, rocks, polymer clay, plastic, paper, canvas, fabric, wood, and whatnot. The extra-fine tip of 0.7 mm is an excellent choice for creating stunning crafts and customized DIY.
Some might observe slight changes in the actual color after it dries than what is desired. But that’s just a minor issue if you are not one of those perfectionists. Well, I’m not, and I loved the bright colors anyway!
Also, did I tell you that they are not even toxic and with come zero odor? Well, now you know. Care to make a purchase right away?
3. Grumbacher Picture Gloss Varnish for Oil & Acrylic Painting
With the usual varnishes from the store, the uniformity and consistency in texture is missing. Thanks to Grumbacher for manufacturing Grumbacher picture gloss varnish for oil and acrylic painting. You’ll know as you read out the features.
We usually desire sealants for paintings or ceramic mugs to be crystal clear with glossy touch, but that’s a hard catch to find. But now you just found it. Also, if you are worried about the varnish to yellow over time, you can drop that too. Besides, it dries very quickly, so you don’t have to wait a whole day before you can use your favorite mugs or hang the painting.
However, if you think the sealant isn’t working for you, you can even remove it easily with Turpentine or odorless paint thinner. I love how smooth and uniform the coating is, unlike the usual sticky ones.
It would be best if you were careful about two things, though. You cannot use them on oil paintings that haven’t been dried for six months and acrylics for five days. Also, this is not the kind of varnish you can use to prepare an oil painting medium.
Does this acrylic processed resin sound like the one you’ve been looking for? Why don’t you try it once!
4. Pen Acrylic Markers – Paint for Ceramic and Porcelain Mug
Not just the eye-catching colors, but if you prefer the extra-fine nylon tips as well, then the Pen Acrylic Markers from the Asani stores are solely made for you!
Are you in absolute need of multi-purpose acrylic markers that you can use on porcelain, ceramic mugs, fabric, metal, or even stone for detailing or just filling in colors? Yes, the Asani markers are essential for that.
The best part is they do not get faded or washed out. Do you know the secret recipe? Well, 3ml of premium ink! It makes the markers water-resistant, bright, fade-resistant, and even dries faster than ever!
If you are trying to improve your calligraphy skills or DIY detailing, these 0.7 mm extra-fine tip pens are water-based inks that’ll meet your needs. Also, these markers are made with safety standards with no odor, so don’t worry about your kids using them.
The only problem is that a blob of paint comes out when you start using the pens initially. So, before your actual DIY, give a few strokes on a blank paper. That’s not even an issue when you have smooth and durable ink at hand; what’s your opinion?
Related Questions
What kind of paint to use on ceramic mugs?
Acrylic paints are the most suitable and popular choice for painting ceramic mugs. Besides, you’ll also find specialized acrylics for unglazed ceramics if you check for the label.
Why should you use sealants over acrylic paint on ceramic mugs?
Applying a layer of sealant ensures that the paint does not wear off with washing or time. It only increases the durability of the color, while some might even resist moisture, heat, and much more.
What are the types of varnish for sealing acrylic paint?
Usually, there are two types of varnish used for the cause, water-based varnish or polymer sealant that are more suitable for ceramic mugs and smaller items. On the other hand, solvent-based varnish has a more rigid finish, although they need some preparation before usage.
Final Verdict
Painting on your ceramic mugs may be a hobby to you or just a one-time crafting project, but sealing them is a necessity. And now that you know how to seal acrylic paints on ceramics mugs, I suggest following the methods, or else messes are inevitable!
With a shine gloss added to your painting along with doubling the durability, I don’t think taking a little time to seal them is a big deal. Don’t you want to keep your paintings intact for as long as you can? Then what’s making you wait?
Is the Krylon Kamar Varnish Aerosol Spray recommended even if you are going to use the mugs for foods and drinks? Is it safe to drink from a mug that was sealed? Thank you!
I found the answer myself, and the varnish is great for paintings and other things but you should NOT use this varnish on a mug if you intend to drink/eat from it. It is toxic and not food safe.