The Dollar Tree Pool Noodle Hack That'll Add A Splash Of Style To Your Bathroom

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Pop quiz! What do you do when you want decorative features made of stone in your bathroom but you only have a dollar store budget? You doctor up some pool noodle boosters with a bit of rock-textured paint — that's what. Part of what makes this inexpensive decorating hack so interesting is the shape of the boosters themselves. Unlike regular pool noodles that look like long pieces of colored spaghetti, pool noodle boosters come with ridges. This feature makes them look a bit like giant gears made of foam. However, once they're painted properly, their appearance transforms into sandstone wall sconces, in just a few minutes flat.

If you'd like to try a pool noodle DIY project – this one specifically — you'll need to gather some supplies, starting with the boosters. Use as many as you'd like to make your display, but in decorating, groupings of threes (and multiples of three) are common. As such, buy three of the boosters when visiting Dollar Tree. A ruler, a marker, and a hand saw are also necessary to complete the project.

As for turning them to stone, no trip to Medusa's cave is required. Instead, you'll need paint: some Rust-Oleum 2X Ultra Matte Spray Paint and a stone textured spray paint of your choice. Rust-Oleum American Accents Stone Creations Textured Spray in the sierra stone shade is a fun one, but the choice is up to you. These two paint types create the rock-like appearance we're after.

You can't put the pool noodle boosters up on your bathroom wall as is. They need to be sliced in half with your hand saw first. The easiest way to do this is to sit them on a table with one of the flat sides down, giving you a bird's-eye view of a jagged foam doughnut. After cutting them lengthwise, you'll have two semi-circle pieces.

Do be aware, though, that the foam material can be a bit rough. The likelihood of rough spots or even small tears developing as a result of cutting through the material is higher because of this feature. In light of that, try to make your cuts as clean as possible as you cut the three boosters. 

To make your "rock" fixtures, apply generous coatings of paint on all sides of the pieces. Because the pool noodle boosters are very porous, you'll likely use a lot of paint to get the pieces covered. If this process feels a bit like you're painting a kitchen sponge, then you're on the right track. The matte paint not only gives the boosters their color, but it also functions like primer, sealing in some of the pores and smoothing things out a bit. The stone-textured paint on top of this seals the holes up more. Command strips stuck to the backs of the pool noodle boosters keeps them hanging pretty. It may not be one of the more clever ways to use command strips, but it'll keep your decor on the wall.

Because the pool noodle boosters have such a dramatic shape already, they'll look decorative even if you just stick them on the wall without any other embellishments. They become even more dramatic, however, if you add a little light. Make this a reality by pushing some Luminessence white tea lights from Dollar Tree in the holes in the middle of the halved booster. 

You may need to see how they fit underneath the pool noodle boosters before painting them. If they're a bit lumpy, try shaving off some of the backside of the boosters with a utility blade, like Elmer's Xacto Knife, so that the lights can fit flush. The process might be a bit challenging. However, it's worth the effort because these wall sconces are the perfect room refresh for your bathroom.

If those types of lights seem too unwieldy to work with, use the SHQDD Store's Fiber Optic Wands to create a stunning alternative. These will be fairly easy to use. Just remove the cord on the bottom of the wand, slide the wand into the wall piece, and fluff up the fiber optic ends. Finally, to keep them from sliding out of the bottom of the pool noodle booster, plug up the hole on the bottom with some tape just to be on the safe side.