DIY Tips: How To Center A Bottle Label
You wouldn’t think that applying a label to a wine or beer bottle would be that difficult, but I remember my first try being rather frustrating and the result a crooked, crinkled label that I ended up having to soak off and start over. Now, having worked at Evermine for two years, I’ve mastered the art of applying labels to bottles. In this tutorial I will share the tips and tricks I use to place a perfectly centered label on a beer or wine bottle every time. One thing: Choose vinyl, rather than paper, as your bottle label material; it’s easily repositionable when applying, and it’s waterproof.
Supplies:
• Wine or beer bottles
• Label Shapes & Sizes guide
• Scissors
• WD-40 or Goof Off
• Rubbing alcohol
• Personalized beer or wine labels
Step One: First remove the store bought labels by soaking your bottles in water or WD-40 overnight. You can also run each bottle label under hot water for a few minutes to soften the glue and then peel off the label. Use a product like Goof Off to remove any excess glue. Once the label is completely removed, scrub each bottle with rubbing alcohol to eliminate any excess grease or glue.
Step Two: Start with clean, dry bottles that are at room temperature. Applying labels to refrigerated bottles will cause the label to crinkle and not adhere completely due to the excess moisture. Next, determine the best label shape and size for your bottle.
Begin by printing the guide of all our available label shapes and sizes. The Evermine catalog consists of many sizes and shapes you can use but for this tutorial we’ll use our most common beer and wine label shapes, Shape 13 (for beer) that measures 4″ x 3.25″ and a Shape 17 (for wine) that measures 3.25″ x 4″. Once you decide which shape you would like to use, cut it out from the downloaded guide and place it on the bottle to determine wether or not the label will fit correctly.
Beer and wine bottles come in many different shapes and sizes. Most bottles are pretty standard but be aware that the variations of curvature on some bottles won’t provide a good space for your label. For example, some bottles have a subtle lip that will cause a label to pucker or wrinkle.
Step Three: When you have the correct bottle and label the fun begins! Most bottles have a seam in the glass which I use for a guide to make sure my label is straight. Begin by laying your bottle down on a table, then find the seam. Line up your label along the seam and carefully apply a small section of the end of the label. I only apply a small section because if it doesn’t go on straight I can easily remove and reapply.
After you have a small section of the label applied, stand your bottle upright. With you finger, firmly smooth the rest of the label along the bottle and hooray! You have successfully applied a label that is straight and centered on your bottle. Finish beer bottles with a collar label or top off your wine bottles with bottle hoods.
If you are applying labels on a bunch of bottles and would like them to look uniform, start by taking your bottle with an applied label and lay it down on a table. Then take your second bottle and line it up next to the first bottle. Find the seam on your second bottle, and then take a label and eyeball where it lines up with the first label. Once you have determined where the label lines up with the first bottle use the seam to guide you, and continue with the rest of the steps to apply a label.
Final Tip:
There are two ways you can start your project:
1. Start by selecting a shape and size you want to work with and then shop for the bottle that will fit your desired label. Bring the Label Shapes & Sizes guide with you to help select the perfect bottle
2. Start off with a bottle you already have then find the correct label shape and size that will suit your particular bottle.
Helpful Links:
- Label Shapes & Sizes • A free Evermine guide.
- Beer Labels
- Wine Labels
More DIY Ideas:
Habanero Hot Sauce Cranberry Spice Infused Vodka “Will You Be My Groomsman?” Beer Gift Almond Liqueur
Wine Collection:
Beer Collection:
Bobby works as in-house photographer and production designer at Evermine. When she's not behind a camera you can find her eating something delicious at a local Portland restaurant while planning her next adventure abroad.
Thanks for the advice! We had some problems until we found this article!