##  Paint Dipped Pinecones 

  
Bring a little winter woodlands into your house during the pre and post holiday months with these pretty dipped pinecones. If the cones around you aren’t fully opened (open cones look best) dry them out in the oven on the lowest setting until they open completely.

**Things you need:**  
Pinecones  
1 quart white paint  
Floral wire  
Newspaper

**Things to do:**  
1\. Wrap a piece of floral wire around the top of the cone loosely. You’ll use this both for dipping and drying so you’ll want it either well hidden in the cone or easily removed. Curve the top of the wire so that it is easily wrapped around the hanger.  
  
2\. Spread out the newsprint below a hanging surface. A closet hanging rod works well.  
3\. Shake the paint well and then open. Dip the pinecones slowly into the paint and suspend each over the can for a minute to let most of the excess drip off.  
  
  
4\. Hang over the newsprint to dry. Once the paint has hardened, slip or remove the wire before displaying.  


  1. Great project! Luv it!

  2. i just love it !! cant wait to dip paint all the pine cones ive been collecting !!!

  3. The pine cones looked great until they closed up after dipping them into the paint.

     1. I had to look twice to see what you were talking about. The pretty pine cones only look like they have closed up because the paint has filled up all the nooks, crannies and hollow spaces making them appear more closed. Open cones would have a hard time closing because as the paint dries and hardens the cones are permanently sealed in the open position.

  4. think you have yo put then in the oven on low to get them to open is what ive heard

     1. You are exactly correct. Preheat your oven to no more than 200 degrees. Then place one layer of pinecones closely together (where they are barely touching) on an aluminum foil covered cookie sheet. The heat will cause your pinecones to open up. Just be sure to watch them carefully and turn them every once in a while to prevent them from burning.

  5. maybe just use white spraypaint? much faster…no globs or drips??

     1. The spray method doesnt cover as well as the dipping method. I have tried both and way prefer to dip mine. I also like to sprinkle them with sparkle. Really makes for a pretty display.

        1. Yes I was going to say to add sprinkles and make a wreath with them

  6. Do you put them in the oven after dipping and dried or before?

     1. Hi Debbie! To get your pinecones to open up, you would put them in the oven first and then paint them once they are open. Hope this helps! Happy crafting 🙂

        1. Hmmmmm…. when I first collected my pinecones, I put them in the oven at 200 degrees for about 40 minutes to prep them. Then I sprayed 2 coats of primer. At all times the cones were open.However, when I dipped them in latex paint, they closed up. So I am at a loss as to how to keep them open…All ideas will be greatly appreciated, thank you!

           1. I just made some my closed back up with the latex paint too. I also dipped some in oil baised polly. the ones in the polly did not close back up so I guess it needs to be done with oil baised paint.

              1. Thank you-I will try the oil-based polyurethane paint. Happy holidays!

              2. I had the same problem, but once the paint was dry, we put above a radiator and they opened up again.

              3. I just dipped our cones and they like yours closed. Will try the heat method after painting. These are for a wedding coming in Jan in TN so I have plenty of time to work this out. Im scared right not tho. Thanks for the info.

     2. bake them before. It also kills any bugs that might be there.

  7. I just noticed how old the entries were, hope someone is still out there to answer this question.

  8. you could also put sparkles on them silver or white. i bet when sitting in the sun on the table they will sparkle.

  9. This sounds like a project Ill really enjoy. Thanks!

  10. I have tried this, but I smashed and crushed some cheap glass ornaments. Any color or multicolor is really pretty. Then just sprinkle onto the pinecones. They shine and glisten. Make some red and green for the holiday, and then make some with the white and silver or gold.

     1. The smashed glass doesnt sound kid friendly )

  11. To all of you very creative people, Help! Is there another way to color pine cones w/o using paint? I put pine cones back outside to decompose into new soil. Any ideas? Thank you!

     1. You could try making some home made glue,then sprinkling them with the colored sugar sprinkles, or use food coloring to color the glue. I did a google search on home made glue and there is one that uses only flour, water, sugar and vinegar. They should all be compostable.

  12. Every year I spray paint mine gold, and add gold glitter to them while wet. They are fabulous in a pot outside with fresh tree clippings!

     1. Hi Rosemary!I have just been thinking that it will soon be time again to collect pinecones…thanks for the inspiration.

  13. When I was a kid, we did this with colored, scented wax as a gift for my grandmother. She would their one on the for place and it smelled so good.

  14. Did this last night and they looked great still wet.Checked on them this morning and they had all closed up! Did I do something wrong?

     1. Pinecones have a tendency to close back up because of the moisture from the paint. Im not sure there is really anything you can do to avoid this reaction. You could possibly try spraying them with an acrylic spray, letting them dry then dip them into the paint. This just may do the trick, although I have not tried it myself yet. You could also just try lighting spray painting them instead of dipping them directly into paint for the a more open look. I hope this helps! Please let me know if the acrylic spray did the trick, if you go that route! Good luck with your next batch of pinecones 🙂

  15. How about sprinkling some glitter on parts of some of the cones ?

     1. I love that idea Merry B! I think they would look gorgeous!

  16. Hi,For the 2013 holidays, I painted pinecones gold and others with a high gloss lacquer I decorated some of them with Germany Glass Glitter. This is January/post Holiday season I would like to do something new with cones so I can continue to display cones for the winter. Has anyone tried painting designs on cones using either magic markers or paint pens? Also, does anyone know of any type of paint pen that leaves a raised or embossed finish? All ideas are welcome. Thank you!

  17. I save old candles and old crayons. Even friends give me their old ones. I melt the wax, add the color of the crayon I want my wax to be and dip the pine cones. They NEVER close. I often add a drop of scented oil like cinnamon when I put them in a basket for a gift. Some people use them in camp fires. Ive sprayed painted some silver and that worked fine for the look I was wanting to achieve.

  18. I love this….but I also love dipping pinecones in candle wax,it makes a beautiful display/ctr pc.

     1. Thanks for the great suggestion Lisa! I will have to give that a try!

        1. Your very welcome!

  19. These are so pretty! Thank you for the tutorial! Im putting together a round up of pinecone crafts and wondered if you would allow me to include your link with a picture. Thanks! Jessica

  20. Hi, there is another reason for baking the pinecones. …. Bugs! When you bake the, yes, they open but the heat also kills anything that is lurking in there!Love, love, love, that look.

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