How to Use Acrylic Paint on a Stepping Stone

Use a hand brush and sweep off any dust, dirt and moss from the stepping stone. Fill a bucket with warm water mixed with detergent. Using a hard-bristled scrubbing brush and the detergent water, scrub the stepping stone surface to clean any ground-in dirt and grease marks away.

Use a hard-bristled push broom to clean the surface of a number of stepping stones to make the process quicker, if you intend to paint more than one. Allow the stepping stone to dry out completely before painting the surface. Expect it to take at least a full day in sunny weather.

Choose what type of design you want by deciding whether to paint a single color as with block coverage or having a base color that you paint over with a stencil design. Place a plastic decorating sheet on the ground and position the stepping stone on top.

Remove the lid of the exterior acrylic paint and use a stir-stick to mix the solution to a uniform color. Pour two cups worth into the loading dish of a paint tray and load the paint onto a masonry paint roller. Roll out any excess on the paint roller tray and roll on the acrylic paint over the surface of the stepping stone.

Paint the side edges with a 1-inch paintbrush and allow two hours for the surface to dry. Roll on another layer of acrylic paint if you just want a single block color on the stepping stone and paint the side edges with a paintbrush. Allow it to cure for six hours before moving the stepping stone to its site in the yard or garden.

Use a stir-stick to mix a differently colored paint after the first base coat if you want to use a stencil. Use a 1/2-inch paintbrush and load the acrylic paint onto the bottom of the bristles. Use a stippling motion and remove any excess paint globules with a paper towel.

Position a stencil on the top surface of the stepping stone and tape it in place along the stencil edges. Stipple on the acrylic paint over the stencil and allow 30 minutes to dry. Apply different colors to the stencil according to the type of stencil design and allow 30 minutes to dry between different color applications.

Allow two hours for the stencil to dry after the final stippling application. Remove the tape and the stencil from the stepping stone surface. Spray polyurethane sealant over the entire surface from a distance of 8 inches and allow it to dry for 30 minutes or according to the manufacturer's instructions. Spray another coat of polyurethane sealant to finish the stepping stone and allow it to cure overnight before moving the stone into its position.