Etched Ceramic Mugs

A Quick and Inexpensive Gift

I wanted to make a gift for a couple of my co-workers… I figured coffee mugs would be great even though one is an avid coffee drinker and the other one isn’t. Coffee mugs aren’t just for coffee, are they? I etched the ceramic mugs to make them a little more personal, and they came out so great! Let me show you how I did it…

Supplies:

• Plain Ceramic Coffee Mug
• Etching Compound or Air Eraser (<– affiliate link!)
• Stencil (preferably one that is self-adhesive)

I started by washing and drying the mugs just to remove any greasy residue. I bought them at my local dollar store which really had a great selection!

I used my vinyl cutting software to create the names and any other designs I wanted to add to the mugs. I cut the stencil out of wood grain adhesive shelf liner (cheap and easy!).

I applied the stencil to the mugs and used my air eraser to etch the names. An air eraser is a small sandblaster that uses a powdery cutting compound and can etch glass, ceramics, or Plexiglas. I use it with my air compressor and love it! The images always come out crisp and clear. For more info on the air eraser, click here. Etching compound can also be used, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

When I am finished etching with the air eraser, I wash the compound off of it and remove the stencil. At first, it looks as if nothing is there but then as it dries…

The designs appear! I love the way the etched coffee mugs came out!

Joe and Amy liked their etched ceramic mugs, too!

What would you put on a mug and what method would you use to etch the glass? Leave a comment below!

Originally posted 2015-05-11 08:00:51.