a step-by-step guide to building a pebble soap dish from beach finds and food-safe sealant

I love turning small beach treasures into practical objects for the home, and one of my favourite weekend projects is a pebble soap dish. It’s tactile, low-waste and wonderfully forgiving — and the finished piece looks like it belongs in a calm, coastal bathroom. Below I’ll walk you through my preferred method: using beach-collected pebbles arranged on a shallow base and finished with a food-safe sealant so the dish is durable and gentle on soap.

Why I like this version

There are lots of ways to make a pebble soap dish — you can mortar stones together, make a drain-through design, or press pebbles into clay. I use a food-safe epoxy (or food-grade resin) to create a smooth, water-resistant topcoat. The result keeps the pebble texture while preventing soap scum from collecting between stones, and it’s easy to clean. It also means you can use smaller, flatter pebbles and still end up with a stable surface.

Materials and tools

Here’s what I gather before I start. I try to use reclaimed or second-hand tools where possible and always follow local rules when foraging on the shore.

Materials	Notes
Pebbles	Flat, varied sizes, washed
Shallow base (ceramic saucer, reclaimed wooden slice, or small metal tray)	Choose something slightly concave to catch water
Food-safe epoxy or food-grade resin	Look for products labelled FDA-compliant/food-safe for surface contact
Clear silicone adhesive or marine-grade epoxy (optional)	To secure large stones before resin
Parchment paper or silicone mat	Work surface
Disposable mixing cups and stir sticks	Follow resin instructions exactly
Disposable gloves, safety glasses, mask	Resin safety
Small torch or heat gun (optional)	To remove bubbles
Fine sandpaper (240–400 grit)	For smoothing edges
Felt pads	Protect your countertop

Before you go to the beach

I always check local regulations about collecting pebbles — some beaches protect their material. Take only a few, pick pebbles from the high-tide line rather than dunes, and avoid taking from areas that look ecologically sensitive. A small bag and a keen eye for flat, pebble shapes will serve you well.

Preparing your pebbles

Once home, I follow this routine to make sure the stones are clean and stable:

Rinse each pebble in fresh water to remove salt and sand.

Soak in warm, soapy water for 15–20 minutes, then scrub gently with a soft brush.

To sterilise, soak in a 1:10 bleach solution for 5 minutes or boil for a couple of minutes. Rinse thoroughly and air-dry completely — resin doesn’t like moisture.

Sort stones by size and thickness; reserve the flattest ones for the surface.

Choosing the base

I like using a thrifted ceramic saucer or a thin wooden slice. Ceramic is simple: it won’t warp, it’s easy to clean, and the resin adheres well. If you use wood, make sure it’s sealed on the bottom or you risk water damage. The base should be slightly larger than the soap you’ll use.

Dry run: arranging your design

Lay out your stones on the base without glue first. I play with colour and shape until the surface looks balanced — smaller stones fill gaps; a few larger focal stones give interest. Take a photo so you can replicate the layout when gluing.

Fixing stones in place

If your stones sit very flat you can rely on the resin to hold them; otherwise secure the largest or most raised stones with a tiny dab of clear silicone adhesive or marine epoxy. Let this cure as per manufacturer instructions.

Work from the centre out, keeping the top surface as even as possible. You want a generally flat plane so the resin pools and levels nicely.

Mixing and applying the food-safe epoxy

Read the resin manufacturer instructions carefully — cure times, mix ratios and safety notes vary. I prefer a slow-cure food-safe epoxy because it reduces bubbles and gives a clearer finish.

Set your base on a level surface protected with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

Measure resin and hardener precisely in disposable cups, stir slowly to avoid introducing bubbles. Mix for the required time, scraping sides and bottom.

Pour a thin first coat just to saturate the gaps between pebbles — this helps trap any dust and gives a good bond. Let this tack up according to the product guidelines (often 15–30 minutes).

Pour a second, slightly thicker coat to build the surface. Use a stir stick or a gloved finger to nudge resin into gaps. Run a small torch or heat gun briefly over the surface to pop bubbles — keep the flame moving and don’t overheat resin.

If you want a completely level top you can pour until resin sits just above the highest pebble; if you prefer the pebble texture to show, stop when the resin fills gaps and levels around stones but doesn’t fully coat the tops.

Drying, finishing and small details

Leave the piece to cure on a flat, dust-free surface. Curing can take anywhere from 24–72 hours depending on resin. Once fully cured:

Check edges and sand any rough drips with fine sandpaper. Wipe clean.

Attach felt pads to the underside so your soap dish won’t scratch counters.

Hand-wash only. Even with food-safe resin, I don’t recommend dishwashers — the heat and detergents can degrade the finish over time.

Care and safety notes

Only use products explicitly labelled as food-safe or FDA-compliant for direct contact items.

Wear gloves and a respirator when handling resin; work in a well-ventilated area.

If your soap leaves build-up over time, wipe the dish with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth — avoid abrasive pads that can scratch the resin.

Variations and ideas

If you’d like to experiment:

Make a drain-through version by spacing stones and leaving small gaps, then choose a base with a raised rim so water can run into a catch tray.

Use a timber base and leave the wood exposed around a pebble inset for a more rustic look (seal the wood with a food-safe oil and wax finish like a beeswax + mineral oil blend).

Try adding a thin line of brass or copper leaf between stones before resin — it ages beautifully but keep metal sealed from soap contact to avoid discolouration.

It’s a lovely weekend project that celebrates small, natural finds and makes a useful object from things you might otherwise pass by on a walk. If you try this, I’d love to see photos of your process — share them on the Take Root Design contact page or tag the blog on social media. Happy crafting.