Paint House Numbers on a Glass Transom

Gold leafing takes practice, but almost anyone can paint the address number on glass for a classic and elegant result.

STEP 1

Create a template. (You can find many downloadable number designs online.) Print out your numbers in a font and size that suits your style and the transom dimensions. If needed, use more than one sheet of paper to create the template, aligning and taping them together. Temporarily tack the paper on the glass and check the size: it has to be readable from the street. When you’re all set, attach graphite transfer paper to the template with tape. Make sure the “clean” side faces the numbers so that the transfer side will be toward the glass.

STEP 2

Thoroughly clean both sides of the glass with an alcohol-based glass cleaner. On the exterior of the transom, find the center both vertically and horizontally and make a cross with a dry-erase marker. The cross is a guideline for placing the template properly. On the interior of the transom, use painter’s tape to hold the template in place, transfer side pressing against the glass. Check for level and that the alignment looks right from both inside and outside; adjust as needed. With a pencil, firmly trace over the numbers, which should be faintly visible through the paper. Remove the template to reveal the graphite outlines on the glass.

STEP 3

To paint, use acrylic latex and a thin, synthetic- or natural-bristle brush, such as a #3. (Natural bristles give a smoother finish and won’t get waterlogged in this small job). Paint the numbers on the inside with two or three coats, drying in between. Consider outlining them in a second color to make them pop—for example, gold infill with a black outline. Wipe off the marker from the exterior.