How to Sublimate Glass Cans & Frosted Glass Cups

 

How to Sublimate Glass Cans & Frosted Glass Cups

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A complete beginner’s guide to sublimating frosted glass cans, beer can glasses, mason jars, and glass tumblers.

Sublimated glass cans are one of the hottest trends in crafting right now, especially the popular 16 oz frosted glass beer can cups. They’re perfect for both beginners and small shops because the results are vibrant, matte, and long lasting. Even better, sublimation on frosted glass is actually much easier than sublimating stainless steel tumblers.

This tutorial covers everything you need to know:

• The right glass to buy
•  How to wrap your design
•  What temperature and time to use
•  How to avoid ghosting
•  How to press in both tumbler presses and convection ovens

Let’s get started!

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What Kind of Glass Cups Can Be Sublimated?

You cannot sublimate on all glass. It must have a polymer coating that bonds with sublimation ink.

What works for sublimation:

• Frosted glass cans (most common)

• Clear sublimation coated glass cups

• Mason jar style sublimation cups

• Beer can glass tumblers

• Double-walled sublimation glass

What does not work:

• Clear Dollar Tree glass

• Uncoated mason jars

• Beer glasses without poly coating

• Any untreated glass

Always buy products marketed as sublimation glass blanks.

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SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED

• Sublimation glass can / frosted glass can

• Sublimation printer - Epson EcoTank or Sawgrass

• Sublimation paper

• Heat-resistant tape

• Heat gloves

• Tumbler press OR convection oven

• Shrink wrap sleeves if using the oven method

• Heat gun

• Butcher paper

• Alcohol and Lint free cloth

• Optional: silicone wrap (for extra pressure)

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Step 1: Design your wrap or decal and print Your Design

Start by designing your sublimation wrap or decal. You can use Canva, Cricut Design Space, Photoshop, Silhouette Studio, Affinity Designer, or any program you’re comfortable with. Canva is the easiest for beginners.

To size your wrap correctly, measure your cup:

• Height of the cup

• Circumference (around the cup)

Most 16 oz frosted glass cans measure around 9.8" x 4.7", but always measure your specific brand. Create a design canvas using these exact dimensions, then MIRROR your design before printing.

When printing on a converted Epson EcoTank:

• Paper Type: Premium Presentation Matte

• Quality: High

• Color Mode: ICM or No Color Adjustment (if using ICC profiles)

• High Speed: OFF

• Mirror: ON

• Print on the bright white side of sublimation paper

Let the printed design dry for 2 minutes before handling.

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Step 2: Clean the Cup

1. Use alcohol and a lint-free cloth.
2. Remove all fingerprints, dust, and oils.
3. Clean glass = clean transfer.

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Step 3: Wrap Your Design

This is the most important step for avoiding ghosting. Ghosting happens when your sublimation transfer shifts even slightly during the pressing process. Because sublimation ink turns into gas under heat, any movement creates a second, lighter copy of your image next to the main one.

1. Wrap the design around the glass tightly.

2. Make sure the seam meets cleanly (no gaps).

3. Tape the seam with heat-resistant tape.

4. Tape the top and bottom to prevent lifting.

TIP:

Your seam MUST be flat, if it overlaps even a little, you’ll get a faint line.

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Step 4: Using a Tumbler Press (Option 1)

Most frosted glass sublimates beautifully in a tumbler press.

Press Settings:

Temperature: 375–400°F
Time: 40–60 seconds
Pressure: Light to medium

Every press is slightly different, but these settings work for most.

How to Press:

1. Place the cup in the press with seam facing out.

2. Press 45 seconds.

3. Rotate 180° or one half-turn.

4. Press another 45 seconds.

Frosted glass heats evenly and doesn’t need as long as stainless steel.

Warning:

Glass gets VERY hot so always use heat gloves or some kind of protection.

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Step 4: Using a Convection Oven (Option 2)

If you have a convection oven, this is the most consistent method. Just remember:

You can't use the oven for food again. It becomes a craft-only tool.

Supplies needed:

• Shrink wrap sleeve

• Heat gun (optional but helpful)

Oven Settings:

Temperature: 375°F
Time: 6 minutes (average)
Placement: On middle rack

How to Do It:

1. Wrap your design around the cup.

2. Slide the shrink wrap sleeve over the cup.

3. Use a heat gun to tighten the shrink wrap.

4. Place upright on a baking tray.

5. Bake for 5–6 minutes, rotate halfway if needed.

Shrink wrap ensures PERFECT pressure.

Oven Method Results:

• No seam ghosting

• Even pressure

• Stunning crisp colors

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Step 5: Cool and Peel

Let the cup cool for 1–2 minutes, glass is fragile when hot.

Then peel:

• Shrink wrap

• Tape

• Sublimation paper

You should see:
 A smooth, frosted finish with bright, crisp color and a perfect seam (if wrapped correctly).

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Common Problems & How to Fix Them

•  Blurry or fuzzy design

Cause: Paper shifted or uneven pressure
Fix: Tape better; use shrink wrap; increase pressure slightly.

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• Faded or washed-out print

Cause: Wrong temperature, not enough time, or poor-quality blank
Fix: Increase time; ensure correct coating.

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• Seam line visible

Cause: Overlap or uneven seam
Fix: Align edges perfectly before taping.

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• Light spots or patchy print

Cause: Air pockets between paper and glass
Fix: Smooth wrap; tape edges firmly; use shrink sleeves.

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• Ghosting

Cause: Movement during press or release
Fix: Tape more securely; open press slowly; avoid sliding the paper.

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Tips for Perfect Sublimation on Glass

• Frosted glass ALWAYS gives the brightest results.

• Designs with white areas will remain transparent/frosted (no white ink in sublimation!).

• Measured wraps prevent uneven seams.

• Keep pressure light, too much can crack glass.

• If you're using clear glass, colors appear softer than on frosted.

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Project Ideas for Sublimated Glass Cups

• Christmas glass cans

• Iced coffee glasses

• Bridesmaid proposal cups

• Sports team tumblers

• Frosted beer can cups

• Baby milestone or holiday themes

• Personalized name cups

• Café-style drinkware

• Floral wrap cups

• Occult or witchy cup designs

• Ombre backgrounds

• Retro patterns

These sell extremely well on Etsy and at craft markets.

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Final Thoughts

Sublimating on glass cans and frosted glass cups is one of the most satisfying sublimation projects and once you get the hang of wrapping your design tightly, you’ll get consistent, flawless results every time. Thinking about sublimation but scared of the price? Click HERE to see how to convert an Epson Eco Tank printer into a Sublimation printer.