How to make a decorative river rock wall

I'm wondering if you could use cardboard or foam board cut to the shapes of the stones and then cover them with a light coating of motor to achieve the look you want without the weight?

You might try sculpting them from styrofoam. You can also buy faux rock panels like on this house.

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Drywall will not carry the weight of concrete. Use foam board insulation to make the stone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MDcw09QB-Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCFa_Fjo4AY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPGlvVjRLm8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvUTS_qrDL0

it all depends what rocks you are going to use .. for sure you need metal mat and some good tinsel and lots of imagination

For an interior or exterior wall? In the theatre, we created faux stone by shaping chicken wire around crumpled paper then applied paper mache on the surface before painting and sealing. Then we used a mastic to attach it. If this IS an interior wall, remember not to make the depth of the stone too wide. It will be impossible to clean! Happy creating!

I think your easiest way would be to use something called Great Stuff. It's a spray like whipped cream that expands A LOT! Depending how much area you want to cover, it may not be really cheap but also won't be too pricey (maybe you can order a case???) and will be light, easy, and fun to do!

It's used to spray into things like cracks around a window casing. You shoot it in and it explodes A LOT! (you do notice I am really warning you lol!) I think you should spray some into a small box at first to get an idea of how big it gets.

Let it harden - happens pretty fast - and you can carve it with any kind of knife or box cutter. It's also paintable.

You haven't told us what the project is and this won't work for something like a walkway but your pic is a wall and this will be perfect! You have GOT to let me know how things go and a picture of your final project puhleeze?!? After all, I'm the one who told you what to use lol! 😎

Yyasky@protonmail.com

Interior or exterior wall?

Hello there,

As it so happens, I have a large quantity of faux cladding stone sitting on my driveway at this moment - pity I think I will end up selling through eBay sooner or later. Do you want this stone for indoor or outdoor use, as you could use a styrene that is safe for the home or even Very heavy Super Glypta wall paper to give that effect.

This seems like your best bet!!! I knew these existed because a restaurant near our house used this when they remodeled....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTZwGESvg-4

Also, if you are thinking about something to diy, you could make your own concrete stones. You would have to remove your drywall and put up wonderboard to make this work so that it's not too heavy....

Here is how to make your own concrete stones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTLeFVrTqkg

Good luck!!! Looks like a great project!

Home Depot or Lowe's carries tile that looks like rock that is super thin.

You could use joint compound though that expense might add up quick. You could also carve stones out of pink insulation or white bead foam sheets, then prime and paint.

You could do a paper mache version of rocks and then paint them and seal. Mastic will hold them in place.

Is this interior or exterior?

Go shoping at the big DIY stores. They should be able to help you gat what you are looking for.

This video may help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3dPRxUIhTU

Had you thought to use Paper Mache and a various moulds lying around your home?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqY1ILyfr-8

The paper mache idea should work well. Perhaps you can find some rock "molds" at the big box home improvement store ie onkubw. They would be much lighter than any type of concrete, use up old newspapers/paper, etc. Add flour & water and you could then paint to look like rocks. What a fun project this could be.

Plaster of Paris may be light enough.