Quik Rock 4 ft. x 8 ft. panel.

Q. What is Quik-Rock?
A.  Quik Rock is a 4’ x 8’ rock design.

Q.  How much does a 4’x 8’ panel weigh?
A.  48-50 lbs approx.

Q.  What is Quick-Rock made of?
A.   It’s made out of extremely light-weight, dense custom poly-urethane foam.

Q.  Is it strong enough to hold screws?
A.  Yes. Quik-Rock is constructed by attaching pieces of the rock together with screws. It’s very strong.

Q.  Can it be used to pour water over like in a waterfall setting?
A.  Yes, with the proper water-sealer. Just call us for detailed information on this process.

Q.  Can Quik-Rock be used outdoors?
A.  It can for limited use, but I don’t personally recommend it for outdoor construction.

Q.  How does it come shipped and is it expensive to do so? 
A.  An order for 1 or 2 Quik-Rock panels would come shipped in 2 boxes per panel ( 3 pieces in each box ) via ground shipping. Orders of 3 panels or more are shipped via truck freight shrink-wrapped/binding straps and completely whole on a pallet. This is the way to go for larger orders. Beginning with 3, the cost per panel is reduced by approx $10.00-$15.00/per panel or more as a function of shipping weight.

Q.  Is Quik-Rock better to use than paper-mache, rock mixes, chicken wire, burlap and plaster methods for making artificial rock?
A.  You would only have to ask our customers this question. Our results say - Yes. With Quik-Rock the mess is eliminated, realism is better, more durable, less weight, easy to paint, won’t chip or crack, not limited to particular designs, creativity and customer satisfaction is high.

Q. Can you help me with the most efficient way to bid a project for a rock mountain or other dioramas using Quik-Rock for my client?
A. Yes. It’s very easy. Just contact us and we’ll be happy to guide you through the whole process so that you and your client will be completely satisfied and comfortable with the results.

Q. What do you recommend for the seaming process?
A.  I recommend using a dry wall joint-setting compound mixed with shredded paper insulation (cello-use). Dura-bond is a very good brand, otherwise any generic will do. It’s very inexpensive and holds up well. Dry wall generally comes in a 25lb bag with a 90, 45, or 20 minute set time indicated on the bag. Use 90 for mountains, 45 or 20 min. set times for smaller projects. Paper-mache and dextrin works too.

Q. Should I use anything else along with the seaming material?
A. Yes. Most of the time you may need to crumple up some newspaper and fill in some gaps during rock construction so the compound doesn’t fall through the backside. See our video for this if you have further questions or call John Will at (763) 458-5557.

Q. Where can I buy dry wall joint-setting compound?
A.  It’s found in the building materials section of Home Depot, Menards etc. along with the cellulose.

Q. How do I mix the seaming compound?
A. Mix 50/50 ratio of the compound & shredded paper then add water until it’s like an “oatmeal” consistency. Be sure to use rubber gloves when handling the seaming compound.

Q.  Do I need to texture the seaming compound with anything after it’s in the gaps of rock?
A.  Yes.  I like using some crumpled up aluminum foil just when the seams are beginning to dry to give it a nice texture. Other items include, small Quik-Rock pieces, a stiff brush with an uneven cut edge, coral sponge etc. your preference.

Q. What types of paint do you recommend for Quik-Rock?
A. Latex or Acrylics generally – use what’s comfortable to you already.

Q. Any methods for painting the rock you can suggest?
A.  Several methods and color combinations are used by taxidermists. First of all, plan on using a min. of 4-5 colors; some customers use 10 or more depending on the look desired; I strongly suggest to get some reference photos of rock colors as a guide. Always wait until the seaming compound is dry first. One method is to paint the entire rock structure one complete color (matching closely to the existing rock color) then a watered down dark grey or black to work into the cracks, this makes all the crevices “pop out”. 

Next wipe off the excess dark and add browns and work toward the lighter colors. Apply with a dry brush, rags etc.  Next “flick” or speckle areas of the rock surface with accent colors using a toothbrush, your fingers, brush etc. to get the finishing effect you want. Remember, if you don’t like what you see simply start over.

Q. Do you have to seal the paint once finished?
A. Optional. We typically don’t seal the paint, after 2-3 hrs of drying it’s not coming off, but some people use a flat sealer.

Q. How do I go about buying Quik-Rock?
A. Just send me an email from the website or call anytime 763.458.5557 and John Will will respond within 24hrs. or less.
A. Order on line today.  Ordering is easy.