How to Engrave Small Rocks xTool Laser (Little Peace)

This post may contain affiliate links, sponsored content and products received at no cost.

6:00 AM

How to Engrave Small Rocks xTool Laser (Little Peace)

If you’re looking for a heartfelt, handmade holiday neighbor gift, these engraved “Peace” stones are a beautiful and meaningful idea.

With just a few small stones, a little laser power, and some creative flair, you can turn natural stone options into charming décor pieces or thoughtful perfect gifts.

Let's get started!

MAKE SIMPLE FUNNY NEIGHBOR GIFTS:

Using my xTool S1 20W diode laser engraver, I engraved the word “peace” onto smooth black pebbles I found at Michaels.

The result? --A simple piece that captures both holiday warmth and budget friendly gifting.

MAKE SIMPLE FUNNY NEIGHBOR GIFTS: Using my xTool S1 20W diode laser engraver, I engraved the word “peace” onto smooth black pebbles I found at Michaels. The result? --A simple piece that captures both holiday warmth and budget friendly gifting.

These small rock engravings are perfect for Christmas gifting, home decoration, or even as teeny tiny miniature yard art or mini address stones for a little dollhouse.

Let’s dive into how you can make your own — with precision, creativity, and the right tools.

Supplies Needed for Engraving Pebbles:

affiliate links

xTool S1 20W Diode Laser Engraver (or similar diode laser machine)
Smooth small stones or river rocks (I used Ashland black decorative filler pebbles from Michaels)
xTool Creative Space software
A handwritten or script font of your own word — like peace, joy, or love
Ruler or calipers (to measure the exact size of each stone)
Cloth and rubbing alcohol (for cleaning the engraved area)

Step 1: Choose the Perfect Stone

Start by sorting through your types of stones and selecting the ones with the smoothest stone surface.

The type of stone matters — smoother, denser stones like river rock or polished pebbles tend to engrave best.

I only used super smooth rounded pebbles with a flat backing.

Avoid porous or irregular stones that could scatter the laser beams unevenly.

If you’re not near a Michaels, check your local source for landscape rock or natural stone options.

You can often find small polished stones in craft aisles, aquarium sections, or garden centers.

Lay them out and choose your perfect stone—smooth, flat, and sized to fit your engraved area comfortably (around ¾ inch is great for small designs).

Step 1: Choose the Perfect Stone Start by sorting through your types of stones and selecting the ones with the smoothest stone surface. The type of stone matters — smoother, denser stones like river rock or polished pebbles tend to engrave best. I only used super smooth rounded pebbles with a flat backing. Avoid porous or irregular stones that could scatter the laser beams unevenly. If you’re not near a Michaels, check your local source for landscape rock or natural stone options. You can often find small polished stones in craft aisles, aquarium sections, or garden centers. Lay them out and choose your perfect stone—smooth, flat, and sized to fit your engraved area comfortably (around ¾ inch is great for small designs).

Step 2: Prepare Your Design

In xTool Creative Space, import your design. I wrote “peace” in my own handwriting, then scanned and uploaded it. You can also type your own word in a script or calligraphy-style font for beautiful designs.

Resize the text to fit the small area of the stone — around 1/2 inch worked perfectly for me. The exact size depends on your rock’s surface area.

If you want to get creative, try experimenting with intricate designs or detailed designs like snowflakes, hearts, or holiday icons. Keep in mind that smaller stones need simpler designs for excellent engraving contrast.

Step 2: Prepare Your Design In xTool Creative Space, import your design. I wrote “peace” in my own handwriting, then scanned and uploaded it. You can also type your own word in a script or calligraphy-style font for beautiful designs. Resize the text to fit the small area of the stone — around ¾ inch worked perfectly for me. The exact size depends on your rock’s surface area. If you want to get creative, try experimenting with intricate designs or detailed designs like snowflakes, hearts, or holiday icons. Keep in mind that smaller stones need simpler designs for excellent engraving contrast.

Step 3: Laser Engraving the Stone

Place your small stones flat on the xTool’s honeycomb base. I recommend using a bit of removable putty or painter’s tape to keep them steady since their rounded shape can roll slightly.

Select the laser engraving stone preset in your xTool S1 software. The diode laser engraver does a great job of creating a precise engraving with impressive fine details—even in such a small area of the stone.

Set the xTool design to engraving stone and go with the default settings.

Hit Start and watch the laser technology at work! The focused laser beams trace your design with incredible accuracy, leaving a smooth, white-etched finish that stands out beautifully against the dark stone surface.

Step 3: Laser Engraving the Stone Place your small stones flat on the xTool’s honeycomb base. I recommend using a bit of removable putty or painter’s tape to keep them steady since their rounded shape can roll slightly. Select the laser engraving stone preset in your xTool S1 software. The diode laser engraver does a great job of creating a precise engraving with impressive fine details—even in such a small area of the stone. Set the xTool design to engraving stone and go with the default settings. Hit Start and watch the laser technology at work! The focused laser beams trace your design with incredible accuracy, leaving a smooth, white-etched finish that stands out beautifully against the dark stone surface.

Step 4: Cleaning and Detailing

Once engraving is complete, gently wipe the engraved area with a damp cloth or paper towel and a touch of rubbing alcohol. This removes any dust or soot from the deep engraving process.

For added texture, you can use a rotary tool or Dremel tool to lightly polish the edges or add a carved border for contrast. This gives your stone engraving even more dimension and a refined finish...I did not do this step, I was completely thrilled with the original results.

If you want even deeper engraving, add an extra laser pass or reduce speed slightly—but test first, since each type of stone reacts differently to heat.

Step 4: Cleaning and Detailing Once engraving is complete, gently wipe the engraved area with a damp cloth or paper towel and a touch of rubbing alcohol. This removes any dust or soot from the deep engraving process. For added texture, you can use a rotary tool or Dremel tool to lightly polish the edges or add a carved border for contrast. This gives your stone engraving even more dimension and a refined finish...I did not do this step, I was completely thrilled with the original results. If you want even deeper engraving, add an extra laser pass or reduce speed slightly—but test first, since each type of stone reacts differently to heat.

Step 5: Package and Gift

I wrapped my small rocks in little cellophane bags on a tag that says:

“Wishing you a little peace this holiday season.” with the rock adhered to the tag with some removable putty.

It’s a simple, clever pun and a thoughtful neighbor gift that’s both fun and meaningful. You could easily personalize your set with different words like hope, love, or joy, creating a full collection of holiday keepsakes.

These mini natural stone pieces also make perfect gifts for teachers, coworkers, or friends. Tie them onto wrapped presents as reusable décor pieces, or place them in a decorative bowl as part of your holiday display.

Step 5: Package and Gift I wrapped my small rocks in little cellophane bags on a tag that says: “Wishing you a little peace this holiday season.” with the rock adhered to the tag with some removable putty. It’s a simple, clever pun and a thoughtful neighbor gift that’s both fun and meaningful. You could easily personalize your set with different words like hope, love, or joy, creating a full collection of holiday keepsakes. These mini natural stone pieces also make perfect gifts for teachers, coworkers, or friends. Tie them onto wrapped presents as reusable décor pieces, or place them in a decorative bowl as part of your holiday display.

Variations and Creative Ideas

This stone engraving technique is endlessly versatile! Here are a few creative ideas for expanding your project:

Address Stones: Use a larger landscape rock to create a house number marker.
Wedding Favors: Engrave a bunch of small pebbles for table scatter or place settings for guests.
Business Signage: Engrave a logo or tagline for display at markets or souvenir stands.
Garden Stones: Make yard art with words like grow, bloom, or welcome.
Memorial Stones: Honor loved ones or pets with deeper engravings and detailed designs.

You can also experiment with other laser types, like fiber lasers for metal or glass, but for small stones, the xTool S1 diode laser machine is an excellent engraving option that balances precision, portability, and great performance.

Why Laser Engraving Beats Traditional Methods

Before laser technology, people relied on traditional engraving methods like chiseling or custom sandblast techniques.

While commercial sandblast engraving services still create beautiful, long-lasting results on large boulders, the laser engraving machine makes it easy to achieve high-quality results from home.

Compared to chemical etching or manual carving tools, modern diode laser machines provide precise control, finer details, and faster deep engraving on different materials.

It’s the best way to bring professional beautiful designs to your small-scale projects—without needing industrial tools or big budgets.

Why Laser Engraving Beats Traditional Methods Before laser technology, people relied on traditional engraving methods like chiseling or custom sandblast techniques. While commercial sandblast engraving services still create beautiful, long-lasting results on large boulders, the laser engraving machine makes it easy to achieve high-quality results from home. Compared to chemical etching or manual carving tools, modern diode laser machines provide precise control, finer details, and faster deep engraving on different materials. It’s the best way to bring professional beautiful designs to your small-scale projects—without needing industrial tools or big budgets.

That's it!

These engraved small stones prove that you don’t need a large workspace or expensive commercial sandblast engraving services to make something beautiful.

With the right laser machine, a few natural stone options, and a touch of creativity, you can craft meaningful perfect gifts that truly last the test of time.

Whether you’re making business signage, yard art, or heartfelt holiday décor pieces, laser engraving stone with the xTool S1 diode laser engraver opens up endless possibilities for beautiful designs on various types of stones.

So gather your perfect stone, design your own word, and let the laser beams bring your holiday wishes to life — one precise engraving at a time.