Am I the only one that hoards rocks while out fishing and on the beach? On a recent fishing trip a few months ago, I grabbed way too many rocks (I’m embarrassed to say I had to go to my car four times to drop them off when my bag got too heavy) with no intention on how to use them. When we were done fishing and on our way home, I figured they would be great to line my garden with, but also knew I would paint a few to use around the home for styling.
The thing about painting something so small, though… if you don’t protect the paint finish, you’ll see scratches and marks as soon as you start moving the pieces around. And, because, I KNOW that I have a tendency to style and style and style again every surface in my home, I knew I’d like to protect the paint finish of any rocks that I decided to paint.
I’ve used EnviroTex Lite a few times and I love it. I used it on my bar top makeover and also to seal some fun wallpaper on paper trays in my office, so I know how easy it is to use. I also really love the durable, glass-like finish you get with this product.
This is a really easy project. Let me show you how to do it!
This is a really easy project to do. First, you need to wash and dry all your rocks. Then, you paint your rocks. I spray painted one with a copper metal spray paint, one with a brush and a yellow/mustard paint sample, and one I decided not to paint at all.
Once your paint is completely dry (make sure you get around the entire rock), you need to elevate your rocks on top of something. I used tiny mixing cups. Then, you mix the EnviroTex Lite. Make sure you protect your surfaces with plastic bags or plastic drop cloths.
Mix equal amounts (by volume) of both parts of the EnviroTex Lite for a full 1 minute. Then, pour the mixture into a second, clean mixing cup and mix for another 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the cups throughout stirring.
For the copper painted rock, I kept my mixture clear and poured it right away on top of the rock.
If you want to add embellishments, add them to your mixture right before you pour.
For the yellow/mustard rock, I added some gold, copper, and silver leaf sheets right before I poured.
I added a little gold glitter to my mixture to pour over my unpainted rock.
You’ll need to check on your rocks in about 10 minutes, to catch the drips and pour back over the rock. Let completely cure, turn your rocks over and repeat, so that your entire rock is protected.
Once cured, you can use your rocks for styling!
Whitney is a New Orleans based decorator blogging about all things home. She loves to sew and create fabulous pillows and other furnishings. When Whitney’s not working on design projects, she’s reading sci-fi novels, working in her garden, or making updates in her new home.