PAINTING PUMPKINS WHITE SO THEY LOOK REAL

WHITE PAINTED PUMPKINS ON A BLACK AND WHITE CHECKERED CLOTH

Painting pumpkins white is so easy to do and will give any gourd, real or faux, that gorgeous creamy designer look! Even if you are not crafty you can make beautiful white pumpkins! So grab those orange ones and let’s paint!

You don’t have to wait for Baby Boo pumpkins to show up in your area to have designer looking white pumpkins! And if you paint faux pumpkins you can save them from year to year.

These sweet white pumpkins are so much nicer than their white counterparts! They look so real!

A TRIO OF WHITE PAINTED PUMPKINS WITH REAL STEMS AND A BLACK AND WHITE RIBBON

I’ve been using this easy technique to paint any color pumpkin white for years! My favorites are the little Baby Boo’s so lots of my little orange pumpkins are now a pretty creamy white!

Here’s how they looked before I painted them…

ORANGE FAUX PUMPKINS

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO PAINT PUMPKINS WHITE

This technique is a little bit different from any other I have seen.

I created it out of necessity. I wanted faux white pumpkins with that had that gorgeous dull, waxy look and feel of real ones!

Here’s what you will need…

  • pumpkins or any gourd
  • pure white acrylic or chalk paint
  • butter yellow acrylic or chalk paint
  • clear wax (used for furniture)
  • paintbrush
  • soft white cloth (t-shirt material works best)
  • plastic spoon
  • paper plate

Real white pumpkins have a little bit of warm undertones. So I wanted to create that realistic look.

THE PAINTING PROCESS

Using a paintbrush paint two coats of pure white paint to completely cover the pumpkins.

I like to hold them by their stems to paint them.

Let the paint dry in between coats.

PUMPKINS BEING PAINTED WHITE

After the pumpkins are completely coated with pure white paint set them aside to dry completely.

Make a “sludge” by mixing about a rounded tsp of clear wax with one or two drops of butter yellow acrylic or chalk paint. Mix them together until they are thoroughly incorporated.

You can always adjust the sludge by adding more wax or more paint.

SLUDGE OF CLEAR WAX AND A BUTTER COLOR CHALK PAINT TO USE ON A WHITE PAINTED PUMPKIN

Put a small amount of the sludge on a soft white cloth and wax the entire pumpkins.

Set the pumpkin aside for about 10 minutes to let the wax dry. Use a clean white cloth and buff the pumpkins into a dull shine.

ONE PUMPKINS WITH THE WAX APPLIED OVER THE WHITE PAINT

That’s it!

I think this is not only a very easy way to have a stash of white pumpkins but the buffed look is amazing!!!!!

Now here a tip that will take your white painted pumpkins over the top…

Pop out the fake stems.

PUMPKIN WITHOUT ITS STEM

And pop off the stem of a real pumpkin. Glue the real pumpkin stem onto the painted pumpkin! Hot glue works fine for this.

Genius, right! And so easy!

A WHITE PAINTED FAUX PUMPKIN WITH A REAL STEM

At the end of each fall season when I am getting rid of my real pumpkins I pop off their stems or cut them out of the spent pumpkins. Then I set them out to dry in our garage. When they are dry and put them in a paper bag until the next fall.

I also visit my local greenhouses and ask them if I can have the stems of pumpkins they are going to throw away.

WHITE PUMPKINS STYLED ON A BLACK STOOL

I hope you will try this easy technique! You will love the results!

You might also like these other pumpkin posts…

WHITE PATTERNED PUMPKIN DIY

GILDED PUMPKINS

BEAUTIFUL CHINOISERIE PUMPKINS

A PINTEREST PIN OF A WHITE PAINTED PUMPKIN

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14 Comments

  1. Betty in Arlington says:

    Good morning! I beat you to it – painted my pumpkins last week, but need to put the clear wax on them for a dull shine. I enjoy the real pumpkin stem idea. I can’t have real pumpkins outside; the squirrels here enjoy the pumpkin more than I like displaying them; so, I bought wooden life-like pumpkins and ceramic ones for outdoor display (a bit pricey, but they last and last).

  2. Love this! What brand of wax did you use?

    1. Hi Marienne, I had Amy Howard wax here at the house and used that. I think any clear paste type wax will do.

  3. Karen VanLoo says:

    I am painting some faux pumpkins this year, and I love creamy white ones! I also love soft oranges and soft blues, I am toning down some of the bright pumpkins I already have to lean more towards the neutral soft tones I am loving more and more.

  4. Stella Napier says:

    I’m sitting here laughing at myself over your asking people for their pumpkin stems because I do that too! Lol people look at me so funny! Do u ask for coffee grounds? I do! Lol I’m really glad to find out I’m not the only one! But where can u find the wax u use?

  5. Would Decor brand clear paint wax work- around here (Oregon) it is sold at JoAnn Fabrics?
    Would are keeping me busy thru this trying time- burlap table runners, wood bead garlands, and now this!
    Keep the inspiration coming. I don’t know what people who aren’t makers and crafters do to fill their time.
    Thank you for everything.
    Penny

  6. Hello,I love your blog! I seem to have lost the link to the artist that did your Paris houses piece. Ay ai please have the link again. Thank you!

    Pam Christensen

  7. What brand of butter yellow paint do you mix into the wax when making these pumpkins?

  8. These pumpkins are beautiful! I purchased some white pumpkins, but I’m told they will yellow as they get older. So I want to try this on some real pumpkins but I’m wondering how long they will last. Any idea?

    1. Yes, real pumpkins do yellow. Mine have already yellowed. Paint them! Such an easy fix!