We all love the look of the mirrored gazing balls in the garden. They add light in a shady corner, a fanciful flair in a garden bed, or a little fantasy next to a pond or birdbath. There are two problems with them though…they can be expensive, and they can break easily. If you live where its windy or stormy like I do, its a no can do. And they average around $40 a piece! Here at TGG we have found a really cool way to make mirrored gazing balls, using recycled materials and an inexpensive product from the craft store, and they don’t break! Here it is, how to make DIY mirrored gazing balls for the garden, on a budget using bowling balls.
Expectations For Your Garden Gazing Balls
First off, don’t expect these diy gazing balls to have the same super mirrored look as the ones that you might buy from a store. It just isn’t possible with spray paint in a can. But they still can look pretty cool and you can’t beat the price. We’ll list some mirrored gazing balls for sale from Amazon at the bottom of the post and you will see that three nice sized balls could run you about $100 to $130. Compare that to our DIY gazing balls which should cost you only $20 to $30 for a set of three!
What You’ll Need
- Used old bowling ball – Find them at Goodwill, thrift stores or yard sales. You should be able to find a ball for around $5. Try to find them with the finger holes close together so that they can be hidden easier.
- Krylon all-in-one gloss black spray paint (optional). We’ve heard (but have not confirmed) that the gloss black under the chrome paint helps with the mirror effect. Also you would be using this as a primer at the same time.
- Krylon premium metallic original chrome spray paint. We’ve heard good things about Rustoleum metallic chrome spray paint as well. Note: Do not use the Krylon looking glass paint or any mirror paint, which is meant to be used ‘inside’ a glass object, not on the outside surface of objects.
- Paper or plastic bowl to keep the bowling ball in place while painting.
- Note: For different ball sizes, try old bocce balls, croquet balls or even billiard balls
How to Make A Gazing Ball
- Clean the bowling balls well. You might want to use rubbing alcohol. Allow to dry completely.
- Set up your painting area and place the bowling ball on the paper or plastic bowl to keep it in place.
- If you choose to do the gloss black, do a couple coats and you should probably let dry over night.
- Then spray paint the bowling ball with the chrome paint with several super light coats. How many is up to you depending on your desired results. Let dry one hour between coats.
- Turn ball over (You might want to let dry over night before turning over) and do the bottom of the ball that you could not do before, following the same steps as above.
- Allow the paint to dry completely over night before placing them anywhere.
- We do not recommend using a sealant or clear coat. It most likely will react with the chrome paint and dull the finish!
Where To Use
Be creative with your garden gazing balls. Display them in groups or singly on an old pedestal as in this photo from Flower Garden Girl.
This is the original photo that inspired this project. Note: These are obviously store bought gazing balls. But this is the feel that we are going for. Nestle them in groups or in singles in amongst the garden!
Love how this old vintage gazing ball looks placed in a shallow part of this water garden. Photo from Eclecticpelican Etsy shop.
And lastly, from HGTV, a garden ball on a pedestal, tucked in amongst a vegetable garden with tomatoes growing around it. Love!
Where To Find Gazing Balls for Sale
If you just don’t have time for this DIY gazing ball project and would like to know where to find gazing balls for sale, then here are some links of a few different sizes from Amazon, with some really good reviews!
- 10 inch stainless steel gazing ball – Buy at Amazon
- 12 inch stainless steel gazing ball – Buy at Amazon
- 14 inch stainless steel gazing ball – Buy at Amazon
- Stainless steel gazing ball 4 pc set – Buy at Amazon
There you have it, how to make mirrored gazing balls for the garden, on a budget! You might be interested in our post DIY Garden Trinkets & Yard Decorations or DIY Garden Ideas with Rocks. Or check out our holiday post of our very own Frosted Mason Jar DIY Luminaria over at TBD!
This post has been updated.
I’m confused because it says the paint is for indoor use only. what happens outside to the finish? I just got 9 bowling balls at Goodwill for $20.00! Yay, a winter project. Thanks.
Boy what a great find on the bowling balls! Well, the problem is, normally you would use a clear sealer on top, but that seems to create problems effecting the chrome paint – dulling it etc. So you may see some fading over time and so you might have to refresh it with a new coat of paint from time to time!
How do you remove spray paint from the bowling ball to get rid of places where the paint dripped?
I own a couple of gazing balls. While they are still shiny silver, the sun has deteriorated the color that was initially sprayed over the silver. It was a clear coat of red, blue, or purple (for lack of the correct word I will use glaze). Does anyone know where to buy this coloring glaze?
I tried this, and mine didn’t shine like mirror, Could I try again over top.
Hi Julie!
From the post…” First off, don’t expect these diy gazing balls to have the same super mirrored look as the ones that you might buy from a store. It just isn’t possible with spray paint in a can. But they still can look pretty cool and you can’t beat the price.”
I have a number of bowling balls, that have been in my garden for a number of years. The weighted balls, for throwing hooks, have developed large cracks over time. The regular “straight” balls did not develop cracks.
I’ve been calling around second-hand stores, bowling alleys, bowling shops in my town and even online and have come up with zip. I have made these inquiries on and off in the last few months and always come up empty-handed. I had no idea it would be so difficult. Anybody have any other suggestions as to other sources of old bowling bowls?
I got several at Salvation Army. Try
Savers, or junk stores, or second hand stores. Good luck!
Found some at the Salvarion Army, Savers. Try junk stores or thrift stores. Good luck.
Our goodwill sends bowling balls to their outlet location. Call up your local goodwill and ask. I picked a few up fo $3 each.
garage sales I see them alot
Find someone who IS a bowler. If they don’t have any old balls, trust me they know someone who does. I put out the word when I did a project and ended up with 8 or 9.
Hi, there are no bowling places where I live, so I think I’m going to make some concrete balls instead. Very cheap, nunbreakable. I think about using a plastic bowl – half and half, or maybe fill a baloon. After all it does not have to be perfectly round, does it? Lets try.
in that case, check out our post on making DIY concrete garden globes
CHECK ON CRAIGS LIST,LETIT GO ,OFFERUP .I FOUND GUY WITH USED BOWLING BALLSI GOT THEM 2.00 A PIECE I BOUGHT 12.6 FOR FLOWER BED IN FRONT 6 IN CUTTING GARDEN INMY BACK YARD.AS FAR SMALLER BALLS U CAN USE BOCCE BALL AND HARD BASEBALL TOO. THAR GIVE YOU 3 SIZES. I SPRAY PAINTED COFFEE CANS BLACK SO I BURY THEM AT DIFFERNT LEVELS GOOD LUCK LADYS.
I just tried the project using old globes that I bought at a thrift store for $1 each. I tried three different products. The Krylon Mirror Paint – Silver worked the best. However, the Rustoleum Metallic came in a close second. The issue I am having is with the glossy sealant. I used Krylon and it gave the globe a dull finish. Has anyone had any luck finding a good gloss sealant that works?
I just got a couple of bowling bowls from a swap meet in my town today for $10 each with a bowling bag lol, could have brought another one but heavy enough carrying 2. Don’t know if I will chrome them or try mosaic. I made cement balls yesterday by filling light globe shades. I found the light with 3 globes on the footpath…as well as a cast iron single bed I have no idea what to do with yet lol.
I would love to see your projects Sandra
What clear gloss sealant did you use (brand and name)? Thanks!
I’ll have to go back and see if we still have it, I’ll update if I find it!
I have not bowling ball , what happen If I use football or basketball ball! or some other plastic ball?
It will not give you that smooth glass look.
Can you use any color bowling ball
I would think so!
Put ping pong balls on a long stick?….maybe use skewers?
Is there an equivalent spray in UK please?
Anyone in the UK know?
I glue flat marbles to bowling balls with waterproof window sealant or caulk.
Was there any base coat put down before the spray paint and if so what? Thank You.
We didn’t but we used a paint with built in primer.
I have seen these mirred balls on ping pong balls. The crafty one put a long narrow stick in them and decorated her flowers with boquets of them. looked. Beautiful! Another idea!!
I have either a question or a comment. In the original pin under the search it shows in the pic to use Looking Glass paint, but in the directions it shows to use Original Chrome. Just want to confirm which you used to get the mirror effect? Thanks
Use the original chrome…
Helpful hint. Laquer will haze if applied in humid conditions. Pick a day with low humidity .
I love this idea! I can’t wait to go bowling ball hunting!
Thank you for a fabulous idea. I have two bowling balls that I had no idea what to do with them.
Is there a difference between the Krylon paint that says Original Chrome & Mirrored?
Yes, the mirrored paint has to be used on a surface from the inside, like the back of a glass picture frame, or inside a vase… For a solid surface like a bowling ball, the high gloss chrome paint must be used…
Yes, there’s a difference. Mirrored paint is formulated to be most shiny where the paint touches the surface (like a glass sheet) It is meant to be sprayed on the BACK of glass so you can observe the “mirror” on the opposite side of the glass.
Chrome paint is formulated to be most shiny on the outside surface of your sprayed piece. This is how you observe most painted surfaces, from the top of the paint layer. Mirrored sprays are different because you actually see the UNDER side of the paint layer, through the glass.
If your wanting one of the larger ones, use an inflatable exercise ball. We’ve used them to make pinatas. Ballons tend to egg shape but with sand paper and patience, round out. The pinatas made the exercise ball reusable b/c we used a newspaper mix then deflated the ball once dry. We needed a hole for the candy so it doubled for that as well.
Amazon.com carries the spray paint at $8.24 a can and if you are a Prime member – 2 day shipping is free.
I can’t find the paint. Has anyone tried a different type?
Hobby Lobby sells it
Walmart has silver chrome and gold chrome spray paint
you can also use cut up old cd’s
the wood dowels would work, So you can spray paint the ball. why not try the dowels and the ball when you are done. And put them in the garden.
Would be nice to see a picture of actual finished product. Do you have a photo of the outcome?
Unfortunately, that was one of our earliest projects, and we don’t! I know a lot of our readers have tried this project, anyone want to email us a photo of your finished one to upload to the post?
Has anyone actually tried making these yet? how did yours turn out? I had a gazing ball given to me made out of a bowling ball and broken pieces of mirror filled in with what looks like some kind of caulk. But I really like it.And I really like these. Any luck?, anyone?
I have done multiple and love them! In the south, there is the possibility because of the high temps, that the balls may actually split. It’s ok by me, morecharacter! I’ll just paint again!
nice idea I think it will be an addition to my windchimes
Thank you for this idea, it is amazing. I was trying to figure out a way to get more gazing balls to put in my garden. You are right. They are expensive. A lady in the comments using the plastic bouncy balls. I am going to try that as well as the bowling bowls . Will let you know how it turns out.
How did it turn out?
I was planning on doing this come summer, and I was wondering if anyone has tried putting dowels in the ground to go in the finger holes as a sort of stand so you can paint the whole thing in one shot. The reason I need to make some is the bratty kids in the apt complex broke my previous two. I’m hoping to get it done while I know they’ll be out. I’m also wondering if anyone has any ideas about adding color.
Hi Terry,
I would use REBAR from Home Depot or Lowe’s. Grind it to the length you need (about the same diameter of the ball or at least 3/4 of that length.) Glue it into the finger hole of choice with Gorilla glue (remember to spritz the hole with a light bit of water. It activates the glue) The glue will puff like mousse as it dries DON’T GET IT ON YOUR HANDS! You could also use PL adhesive (look in the caulk aisle) That will;l take longer to dry.
PVC works great. Fill the holes with caulk then place the pre cut length of PVC in. If it is a real heavy ball you can use to pieces of PVC. PVC can be spray painted with your choice of color to match the ball or black to look like wrought iron.
I have used a large nail in a stump— only way they were nocked off was by a couple of bear cubs
Wow great idea I also going to try this tomorrow. Please post which sealer works. Now i have a great use for thise bowling boce and old pool balls.
anyone now what sealer to buy.
Just threw away some old bowling balls of my hubby’s … Wish I wod hav read this earlier :( on the lookout for more!! Lol
Thks for this great idea. Was looking at these today.to much!
My town must all be doing these bowling ball ideas. I have been to 4 different thrift stores for the balls and none available, or just sold.
Call your local bowling alley and see if they have any old ones that they would sell real cheap!
This is genius!!! I’ve had a couple glass gazing balls blow over in the wind and shatter. (Hubby said we’re not buying anymore!!) I am going to give this a try this weekend. Thanks so much for sharing the idea.
Great! Let us know how it goes!
Hi Kathy
Can you tell me what kind of gloss sealer you used? I have Rustoleum gloss clear sealant. However, it is making the chrome paint cloudy looking and not at all reflective. I must need a different product.
Thanks
Julia
I too, would like the name of the paint products that were used. I plan to make some of these for a decorative pond at our church. I like the idea of several sizes and colors. It’ll make something old look something WOW
It is the chrome spray paint, not the looking glass as some have asked…
Just found this on Pinterest! What a great idea – I had no idea there was such a thing as mirrored spray paint. Definitely going to need to look for this.
I checked out the dollar store, and they have some hard plastic balls of different sizes… (Not the soft deflatable kind! Another idea? Watch yard sales for old bocce balls or croquet balls!
Use the plastic bouncy balls at the dollar store as a mold ….fill it with a quick setting concrete make sure it cures before using….it says how long…depends on type. Then rip off the plastic ball and walla you have a concrete ball to use as you please. The only other thing I could think of was to fill the ball with Plaster of Paris cause it’s so fast to setup…?? Possibly leave the plastic ball in place to protect the plaster from weather. Just had my brain take off…..I have not tried either of these.
Any ideas what else you could use besides bowling balls? Since you showed a variety of sizes. I can only find large bowling balls and small ones.
I bet you could use a big ball and some household glue. Glue the edge of pedestal place ball.
My brother in law’s father was a bowling enthusiast and passed away last year leaving them with 75 bowling balls to sell at his garage sale. I think I’ll be paying him a visit this week!
Wow . . . sorry for your loss . . and I have never seen bowling balls at any garage sale . . . are you in western canada by any chance?
Let us know how it turns out Cathy!
I have been looking for a new way to use bowling balls as a gazing ball. Never thought about the mirrored spray paint. Guess what I will be doing this weekend? Thanks for such a clever idead.