How to Polish Rocks Using Sandpaper or a Dremel Tool

Polishing rocks is a great way to make them shiny and pretty, and you don’t need a tumbler or fancy equipment to do it. Polishing rocks by hand is pretty straightforward—you just need some sandpaper and your favorite rock polish. In this article, we’ll teach you all the steps to polish rocks by hand, how to smooth rocks with a Dremel rotary tool, and compare hand polishing and tumbling rocks.

How to Polish Rocks Without a Tumbler

Scrub the rocks clean using a toothbrush and warm, soapy water. Start smoothing and shaping the rock with coarse sandpaper, then switch to a finer grit to buff out any scratches. Use a very fine grit to remove small scratches and start polishing. Finish by buffing the rocks with toothpaste.

Section 1 of 5:

Hand Polishing Rocks with Sandpaper

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1
Clean the rocks with soap and water. Fill a small bucket with hot, soapy water and soak the rocks. Scrub off any dirt and debris with a sponge or a toothbrush, making sure to get in all the cracks and crevices. When the rocks are clean, toss out the soapy water and rinse them with fresh water. Refill the bucket with clean water to use throughout the polishing process.^{[1]
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- In addition to removing dirt, dampening the rocks makes it easier to grind them down.
Tip: Use an old toothbrush to get into the crevices and scrub off stubborn grime.
2
Smooth the corners of the rocks with 220-grit sandpaper. Use coarser-grained sandpaper, like 220-grit, to round out the edges and do some rough shaping. Moisten the sandpaper and place it grit-side up on a flat surface. Wet the rock again and rub it along the sandpaper to remove the hard edges. Rewet the rock as needed and repeat the process until you achieve the desired shape.^{[2]
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- Depending on how hard your rocks are, it could take 10-15 minutes of sanding to create a smooth surface.
- If your rocks are very hard, an even coarser sandpaper, like 80-grit, may work better. However, sandpaper this coarse should not be used on softer stones, as it may add more scratches than it removes.
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3
Remove heavy scratches with 500-grit sandpaper. Once you’ve buffed out the rough exterior of the rocks with coarse sandpaper, switch to a finer grain (400-grit could also work) and focus on any deep scratches on the surface of the rocks. Use softer, circular motions over the deeper scratches to buff them out evenly.^{[3]
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- Again, rewet the rock as necessary and keep sanding until you achieve your desired results.
- The smoother the rock is, the better the polish will adhere and the greater the shine it will have.
Using extra-fine sandpaper buffs out any light, tiny scratches that remain on the surface. As you sand the rock, the shine will start to form. Keep the rock wet so you can spot any scratches or abrasions that have been missed.^{[4]
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Rub toothpaste on the rocks. Dampen a square of thick cloth, like denim, as heavy fabrics are better for polishing.^{[5]
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Research source} Then, squeeze some toothpaste onto it. Work the toothpaste and the fabric over the rock to create a shiny luster. Add more toothpaste as necessary until you achieve your desired shine.^{[6]
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- It’s also possible to polish rocks with a clear gloss like Rustoleum, car wax, or to rub them in tumbling grit by hand.
- If you prefer, use an actual rock polishing compound according to its instructions. Most people agree that toothpaste works just as well, however, and it’s a much cheaper option.
Tip: For a natural alternative, apply mineral oil to the surface of the rocks.
6
Rinse the rocks and coat them with mineral oil. Run the rocks under fresh water to remove any remaining toothpaste. Then, rub the rocks with a bit of mineral oil or a commercial rock polish to bring out the shine. Let the rocks dry completely, and then they’re ready to show off.^{[7]
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- If you handle the rocks before they’re completely dry, you could smudge the polish or get small particles of dust in the coating. Additionally, the oil from your fingertips could leave blemishes on the polish.
- Test that the rocks are dry by touching them with the denim fabric. If none of the polish comes off on the fabric, they’re dry!
Steve Hart, Rock Tumbling Expert

Hand polishing is something even the most novice and/or youngest rockhound can easily do. It requires only a few materials, doesn’t cost much and results in beautifully polished stones. Some people find the rhythmic motion of hand polishing to be relaxing, offering almost a Zen-like experience.

Section 2 of 5:

Polishing Rocks with a Dremel

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1
Put on gloves and safety glasses. Using a Dremel (rotary tool) is another efficient way to polish rocks without a rock tumbler, but it can cause small particles of grit and rock to fly off in the process. Dust and rock particles can irritate or injure your eyes, so be sure to wear safety glasses. Wearing gloves will improve your grip and keep your hands protected if the drill happens to slip.^{[8]
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- Use a thick and sturdy type of glove like leather, puncture-resistant, or heavy fabric gloves.
- Thin rubber gloves will improve your grip but won’t protect your hands.
2
Attach a sanding attachment to the rotary tool. Dremels have many attachments you can use for various projects.^{[9]
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Research source} For grinding and smoothing rocks, use an attachment designed for sanding. Insert the attachment into the opening at the end of the rotary tool and make sure it’s secure.
- Don’t use a drill bit or other type of attachment to polish or grind rocks because it could break the rock or cause a large fragment to fly off and possibly injure somebody.
- Sanding rocks with a Dremel is a quicker option than using sandpaper.
3
Place the rock in a spring or C clamp. To protect your hands and prevent the rock from slipping when you grind it with the rotary tool, use a clamp to secure it. A spring clamp or a C clamp will grip the rock without crushing it. Put the rock in the clamp and make sure it’s tight and secure.^{[10]
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- Make sure the clamp isn’t so tight, however, that it could crack or break the rock.
4
Grind the rock with the top half of the sanding bit. To prevent scratches in the rock, use the top half of the sanding bit to grind the entire surface of the rock. When you’ve sanded the surface, adjust and move the rock in the clamp so you can cover any areas that you missed. Continue grinding the rock until you achieve your desired results.^{[11]
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- Once you’re done grinding the rock, go on to polish it with your preferred polish, like toothpaste or a commercial rock polish.
Tip: If you have multiple sanding attachments with different grits, grind the rock with progressively finer grit bits to bring out the rock’s shine.

Section 3 of 5:

Benefits of Hand Polishing Rocks

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High-quality rock tumblers can be expensive, and they may not be worth buying if you don’t plan on polishing a lot of rocks at one time. Hand polishing, on the other hand, is more affordable, as you only really need sandpaper and a type of rock polish. Even household items like toothpaste, mineral oil, or car wax work.^{[12]
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Many people think using a rock tumbler is a quick way to polish rocks, but it usually takes several days to several weeks depending on the stones.^{[13]
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Research source} If you’re only polishing a few at a time, hand polishing is much faster, as it can be completed within a few hours.
Depending on the type of rocks you’re polishing, using a tumbler may be too rough. Stones that are on the softer end of the Mohs hardness scale (like turquoise and amber) tend to do better with hand polishing.^{[14]
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Research source} It’s also possible to hand polish harder stones, as well.
Many people enjoy hand polishing rocks because it’s calming and allows them to be more hands-on with their hobby. If you use a rock tumbler, the machine does most of the work for you, so it may not feel as rewarding.

Section 4 of 5:

Hand Polishing vs. Tumbling Rocks

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When you hand polish rocks, you first have to wash them, sand them down with sandpaper or a rotary tool, then apply the polish yourself. This may sound complicated, but many people enjoy the process, and it’s much faster than using a rock tumbler.^{[15]
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A rock tumbler is a machine that shapes and polishes stones by spinning them around in a mixture of water and tumbling grit. Tumbling is a good option if you aren’t able or don’t want to polish each rock by hand, though it often takes several days or several weeks to achieve your desired results.^{[16]
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Section 5 of 5:

Are rock polishing tools worth it?

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If you only want to polish a couple of rocks, it’s probably cheaper and quicker to just polish them by hand. However, if you polish a lot of rocks regularly, hand polishing would take up a lot of time and it might be better to invest in a rock tumbler.

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What is another way to polish rocks?

Kennon Young
Certified Jeweler
Kennon Young is a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Graduate Gemologist, an American Society of Appraisers (ASA) Master Gemologist Appraiser, and a Jewelers of America (JA) Certified Bench Jeweler Technician. He received the highest credential in the jewelry appraisal industry, the ASA Master Gemologist Appraiser, in 2016.

Kennon Young

Certified Jeweler

Expert Answer

If the rocks are of relatively the same hardness, you can put them in what's called a Tumbler which tumbles the rocks to a polished state.

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