How to paint rocks

Hey! We’re glad you’re interested in learning how to paint rocks. We hope this guide will help you choose the right paints and sealants so your rock will last through the seasons.

Find your rock

Choose a rock that is smooth. You’re more likely to get an even coat of paint on a smooth surface. River rocks work great, because the edges are naturally smoothed. Avoid polished rocks because the paint will not stick very well.

Clean your rock

Soak the rocks in a combination of pine cleaner and water. Let them sit for a couple hours. If needed, you can scrub the rocks with a scouring pad to get all the dirt off. After soaking pat the rocks down with paper towels and allow them to dry.

Paint your design

Use acrylic paint to decorate your rocks. Once your design is finished allow the painted rocks to dry overnight. Designs that are painted front and back should be painted over two days for best results.

Add #beckleyrocks

Paint #beckleyrocks or beckleyrocks.com on the back of your rock.

Choose your sealant

Spray your favorite paint sealer over the rocks to protect the paint against the elements and give your design some shine. We use clear acrylic sealer for this but any sealer will do.

Instagram it

Post your creation to instagram with hashtag #beckleyrocks
or if you’d rather keep it top secret, don’t!

Hide it when noone’s looking!

Place your painted rocks in a moderately trafficked area but out of plain sight!