Wooden jewelry is a refreshing alternative to the traditionally valued gold and silver. It is a highly customizable, lightweight, and affordable material for handmade jewelry and perfect for organic eco-friendly themes.
Unlike other wooden crafts that you may love to show off their natural appeal and grain patterns, jewelry needs some oomph, and the best way to do it is by giving it a pop of color.
How can you add color to wooden jewelry? You can stain or paint your wooden jewelry. Painting is the best option for complete opaque coverage. Staining will only give it a hint of color but maintain the raw wooden look in the background.
What kind of paint is best for wood jewelry? Acrylic paint is lightfast and will not fade or dull after long term exposure to the sun. It also has excellent opacity and unmatched color vibrancy compared to any other kind of dyes, stains, and inks, making it the best paint for wooden jewelry.
In this guide, you’ll learn which 3 paints are the best for wood jewelry. We also provided the best tips for painting wood jewelry.
Top 3 Acrylic Paints for Wood Jewelry
As we mentioned, acrylic paint is the best paint to use on wood jewelry.
Acrylic is a go-to paint for many beginners and established jewelry crafters for its waterproof qualities, permanence, lightfastness, and rich pigments. It forms a smooth coat that is not permeable, therefore, coloring your pieces and sealing the wood components.
We sifted through the clutter to narrow down your search for the best paint for wood jewelry. Here are the best 3 picks.
Rank | Paint | Best Features |
---|---|---|
1. | Delta Ceramcoat Assorted Acrylic Paint | 205 colors of rich, creamy paint that dries matte |
2. | Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Paint - Crimson Red | Formulated with no-crack, anti-yellowing, UV resistance, and waterproof technology |
3. | Golden Heavy Body Acrylics - Assorted Colors | Stable acrylic emulsion for bold colors and enhanced opacity |
1. Delta Ceramcoat Assorted Acrylic Paint
Delta Ceramcoat takes the top place for the best paint for wooden jewelry for both beginners and experienced crafters.
It has a rich, creamy formula that is so easy to apply and even clean up after.
The tube is 2oz capacity, but don’t let the meager amount fool you. The pigments are so vivid; you need so little for complete coverage.
Did we mention that there are 205 color options? There’s just no room for color-mixing failures. They probably already have the color you are thinking about.
Colors are sold separately, which is awesome because you only purchase the specific shades you need to use.
Ceramcoat paint dries matte, but finishing it up with varnish gives your pieces any desired gloss.
The water-based paint is certified nontoxic and made right here at home in the US.
2. Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Paint – Crimson Red
If you plan on going commercial with your wood jewelry crafts, you need professional heavy body paint like Liquitex.
It has high viscosity and pigment to solvent ratio to produce the ideal consistency and color vibrancy.
The paint is formulated with no-crack, anti-yellowing, UV resistance, and waterproof technology for enhanced staying power.
With 105 color options, there’s an infinite number of hues and tones you can whip up.
For something like jewelry that will be worn close to the skin, it ought to be safe. We love that Liquitex is a certified non-toxic brand. It doesn’t emit smells making it such a pleasure to work with.
If you are after seriously high-quality paint to bedazzle your online followers with beautiful hand-painted wooden jewelry, then Liquitex professional is the deal.
3. Golden Heavy Body Acrylics – Assorted Colors
If color vibrancy is at the top of your priority list when selecting the best paint for wood jewelry, Golden Acrylics won’t disappoint.
It is manufactured with the purest pigments in a stable acrylic emulsion to retain the bold color and opacity, and no additives whatsoever like those found in cheap transparent paint.
It is also a lightfast formula that is stable and durable to keep your jewelry in top shape longer. Very creamy for easy application too.
There’s no project that is too small or too huge for this paint. There is an array of sizes from 2 oz tubes for the occasional hobbyists to 128 oz pots for the enthusiastic commercial jeweler.
For a superior-quality, consistent, and impressively pigmented paint, you can’t do any better. It beats the rest from a quality and price point.
5 Tips for Painting Wood Jewelry
The best paint cannot guarantee stellar quality wood jewelry without proper preparation. Here are some bonus tips for successfully painting wood jewelry:
- Always start with a primer. A primer creates a barrier that prevents the grains from sucking up the paint and causing peeling and cracking later.
- Seal your wood jewelry with a sealant after painting with acrylic. You can use mod podge, spray sealants like varnish, or wood polish beeswax for added protection and shine.
- Opt for gel pens, acrylic, or oil-based paint markers like sharpie to enhance engraving or make the intricate designs on your pieces. Just ensure they are first sealed to prevent bleeding.
- If you are not for bold opaque coverage, dilute your paint with water for a washed look. Or use wood stain or acrylic ink instead.
- Acrylic paint dries a shade or two darker, so try out some paint on a wooden test piece first to get exactly what you are looking for.
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