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Mason Jar Oil Lamps

DIY Mason Jar Oil Lamps: Simple to make and so beautiful. Perfect for a party, wedding centerpiece, or just in your home.
DIY Mason Jar Oil Lamps: Simple to make and so beautiful. Perfect for a party, wedding centerpiece, or just in your home.

In these dark days of January, I thought a little light filled project would add some warmth and brightness. These Mason Jar Oil Lamps are pretty simple to put together, and are really, really pretty. They make a lovely gift for someone. These mason jar oil candles are also perfect for a romantic atmosphere or dinner date setting. They’re also perfect for outdoor use.

Today I’m joining with 11 other Canadian bloggers for the first in a year long series of 12 Months of DIY. #12MonthsofDIY Each month we’ll all be crafting with the same item, and coming up with 12 different ideas. The first challenge was mason jars. Be sure to scroll down to the end of the post for links to the other amazing mason jar projects.

DIY Mason Jar Oil Lamps


Mason Jar Oil Lamp Materials:

  • 3 different small mason jars with lids
  • Paraffin Lamp Oil
  • Nipples 1/8”
  • Cotton Lamp Wick
  • Couplings 1/8”
  • Washers 1/8”



how to make an oil lamp

Mason Jar Oil Lamp Tutorial Instructions:

1. The first step in making your beautiful mason jar oil lamp is to drill a hole in the canning jar lid. I found it a little tricky to get it in the center of the lid, and found drilling a small hole first, and then the larger 1/8” one worked best. It still isn’t perfect, but it doesn’t need to be, so don’t worry. Once you’ve done your first jar lid, repeat this process for the rest of the lamps you’re making.

how to make an oil lamp

2. Next, you thread the nipple through the hole, so it’s about half way through each side, and then add the washer and screw the coupling onto the top of the lid.

diy oil lamp

3. Cut a piece of the cotton wick with enough length of wick so that it is a little longer than the depth of your jar and thread it through the mason jar lid. Fill up your mason jar with lamp oil. The remaining length of the wick will rest on the bottom of the jar, and you can pull it up as necessary. Save your remaining lamp wicks that you’ve cut off to use as extra wicks in the future.

DIY Mason Jar Oil Lamps

4. Now, screw on the lid on to the top of the jar, with just a little wick at the top. If the wick is too long, it will cause the lamp to smoke, in which case you can trim it shorter, or push it down to make it shorter. Give the wick a bit of time to soak up the oil before lighting it for the first time.

DIY Mason Jar Oil Lamps

Mason Jar Oil Lamps

You could make these with any size mason jars you like, and there is even coloured lamp oil, if you prefer. I liked the clear oil with the glass.

Mason Jar Oil Lamps

Choosing Your Lamp Oil

There are different options when it comes to choosing the type of lamp oil to use in your mason jar oil lamp burner. We went paraffin lamp oil as it’s a clean burning oil. It’s also quite easy to find at any hardware store. If you were using these lamps in an outdoor space and wanted to keep the bugs away with a scented flame you could also use citronella oil in them. You can also alter the smell of your oil by adding drops of essential oil, such as lavender essential oil, cinnamon oil, peppermint oil, or any of your favourite essential oils.

Can You Use Olive Oil In A Mason Jar Oil Lamp?

Olive oil and vegetable oil has been used for thousands of years as a lamp fuel. Cooking oils are easily available and burn very cleanly. The problem with using it here is that the olive oil is thicker than lamp oil and doesn’t absorb up the wick as well. I haven’t tried using it. You could experiment with different wicks. A floating wick works better with vegetable or olive oil because it’s floats on the surface and doesn’t have to travel up the wick. Olive oil isn’t flammable like lamp oil, so that the wick can float on the surface. It might be fun to experiment with different designs to try modify our design to work with a floating wick.

Finding Supplies

The lamp oil, wicks and the nipples and couplings can be found in your hardware store. Look for the nipples and couplings in the lighting supplies section. You may also find wicks at your craft store near the candle craft supplies section.

I think they’d be really lovely as wedding centrepieces, and I think I’ll use mine for an upcoming party.



I think they’d be really lovely as wedding centrepieces, and I think I’ll use mine for an upcoming party.

Mason Jar Oil Lamp

These should help me get through some of the long nights of winter a little more easily, with their warm cozy light.

how to make a Mason Jar Oil Lamps

With DIY Mason Jar Oil Lamps, life really is a party!

More Craft Inspiration

You might also like our Ribbon Wall Hanging here.

Also check out our DIY Rainbow Book Art here.

DIY Rainbow Book Art: Using old books as a canvas this DIY rainbow art in mustard yellow and pink is fun to make and inexpensive.

You might also enjoy our How To Paint A Buffalo Check Feature Wall.

12MonthsofDIY January Mason Jar DIY Craft Ideas

Now it’s time to see the rest of the DIY mason jar project ideas from my Canadian blogging friends.

From the top left, they are:

Upcycled Mason Jar Planter from Sustain My Craft Habit

Mason Jar Fairy Lights from Brooklyn Berry Designs

A Mason Jar Travel Cup from Fresh Crush

Mason Jar Oil Lamps from Life Is A Party

A Mason Jar Farmhouse Light from Vin’yet Etc.

How to Store Your Sewing Thread Stash in Mason Jars from Time With Thea

How to Turn Old Toys Into Snow Globes from Woman In Real Life

Hanging Mason Jar Craft Storage from The DIY Mommy

DIY Mason Jar Terrariums from New House New Home

Sewing Kit in a Mason Jar from Mommyzoid

Hot Toddy in a Mason Jar from PMQ For Two

Mason Jar Soap Dispenser from Fresh Crush

31 Comments

  1. These are awesome! I’ve always wanted to make some but just wasn’t sure how, this tutorial is perfect, I think I could handle making some of these, they’d even make great hostess gifts! Pinned!

  2. Thanks Christina, I’ve been working hard on my photography,so your compliment means a lot!
    Thanks again,
    Dannyelle

  3. Thanks Emma, they’re super easy, for sure give them a try, and thanks for your comment.
    Dannyelle

  4. Hi Jan, I’m not sure if olive oil would work, but the lamp oil works really, really well, so I’d go with it.
    Best of luck,
    Dannyelle

  5. After lighting the wick and it burning a short time, oil started pudding on top of the jar lid. Any idea what I am doing wrong? I have everything tighten.

  6. Hi Tanya,
    I’m not sure what would be causing that, I’ve lit mine many times and never had that problem. The only thing I can think of is that your wick is too high. Perhaps try lowering it, or trimming it short.
    Hope this helps,
    Dannyelle

  7. Love the project Dannyelle and I rally love the photography. When you think about it glass mason jars are hard to photograph and really are not stunning artifacts on their own. But your staging and photography skills made them look gorgeous! The flickering flames are beautiful. Well done! I love your style in all of your projects! You are so talented and so creative! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with in 2017. Best wishes!

  8. Hi Donna,
    Yes, citronella oil should work great, and be great for keeping the bugs away outdoors.
    Best of luck with it,
    Dannyelle

  9. Hi , i came across your web site as i am wanting to make similar lighting setups. I am in Brisbane Australia , but have not been able to locate anything like the nipples and couplings that you have shown in your photos for putting the wick through. Can you tell me if there is an internet shop that you are aware of , that i can order these items. Thanks Peter

  10. Hi Peter,
    Sorry I don’t have a source for you in Australia, but I would suggest a hardware store -if you haven’t looked there already.
    Wishing you the best of luck,
    Dannyelle

  11. Hi! Just wondering where you found your wicks? I’m looking on Amazon and can’t seem to find any with good reviews. Thanks.

  12. Hi Christy, I actually just picked mine up at the hardware store. As a tip you might not have known, you can search on Amazon for products with a rating of 4 or higher, it’s on the left side bar. Here’s a link to some higher rating options. http://amzn.to/2tckt7c Best of luck,
    Dannyelle

  13. Tap your intended hole with a punch, pre-drill with a small drill bit, and then use a 25/64 bit for your finish hole. You won’t need the washers, and your candles will look more professional. Don’t forget the nut for the bottom side. (photo available)

  14. Hi Jacque, I found the wick burned very slowly. To feed it, just before you light it you can pull a little more through as you need it, or push it up from the bottom. Do this before you light it. Hope this helps.
    Best,
    Dannyelle.

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