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Do's & Don'ts with epoxy resin
Working with epoxy resin is fun but can be messy. To ensure your project's success and the product depicts your vision, you must follow a few sets of rules. There are also a few things that you should never do as they affect the quality of your project. The following is a list of the dos and don'ts when working on an epoxy resin project.
Do's
Here is a quick list of ideas that can help you in your epoxy resin project. Some of these tips might seem obvious and some not; we thought it would be essential to give our clients the tools needed to succeed in their favorite epoxy resin projects.
Have a list of essential items
Working with epoxy resin is a time-sensitive project due to the working time of the resin. Therefore you must gather everything before your start. It would be best to have a list of all the necessary tools and materials and mark every item as you get them.
Prepare the surface
Whether you are working on a countertop, Resin Epoxy Art, or an epoxy river table, this step is crucial. Your resin will not look friendly with debris and dust on the surface. Ensure that your working surface is clean. Also, sealing all gaps and seams is crucial to ensure that your surface will not leak or become uneven.
Practice before you start
It is good to get your technique right before you do anything in life, especially with epoxy resin. Take a small surface and pour sample pieces first. That way, you will also learn design details that will work for you and ones that won't.
Pay attention to your climate
Before you pour your epoxy resin, ensure that you acclimate both the product and that of the surrounding. The ideal temperature for any epoxy resin project is anything between 73-80 degrees ℉. If you go below this, the project will soft cure. It will have unwanted features such as fisheye, uneven surface, and more.
Protect your environment
Working with epoxy resin can be messy, even if you are the meticulous type. Therefore you must mask every surface around your work area. The most important places are the floor where you are working, sides and under the cabinets and backsplash walls. Doing this will prevent epoxy resin from going where you do not want it. It will also make cleaning your workstation easy.
Be aware of your product's working & curing time
Different epoxy resins have different working & curing times. After mixing the resin with the hardener, the working time is how long you have until the epoxy resin starts to cure. Ensure to read all of our instructions for the different epoxy resins before using them!
Don't
As stated before, epoxy resin projects are fun. They can deliver astonishing results, but like any project, to ensure their success, we need a few sets of guidelines to respect and assure success! Here are few tips on what not to do that can potentially save your project.
Rush with the mixing
Mixing your materials is the most vital step in the whole project. It determines how your product will look and how it will cure. If you mix it hastily and poorly, the surface will develop soft spots and tacky areas that won't cure. Always follow the instructions on the product mixing time and the recommended ratios and follow them to the latter.
Leave your mixed epoxy resin
The epoxy resin hardens by the process of an exothermic reaction; the more you have in a container, the more it heats up. When you leave it in the container for extended periods, it will set in a short time. Therefore always pour the resin as soon as you finish mixing it; never leave it to tend to other things.
Pour with haste
When you pour the resin on your project, be patient and pour slowly, spread it across with smooth, even strokes. Be careful, gentle, and take your time to ensure that the resin is level across the surface. This will avoid any splash or epoxy stain on your surroundings and avoid making too much bubble during your pour.
Over-heat the surface
While using a torch or heat gun for degassing, you might want to go overboard with it; do not. Overheating it may cause an epoxy burn or make your surface develop amber torch marks, which will ruin your project. While hovering the torch or heat gun over the body, do not let it more than 1 second over the same place. Also, please do not use it on the project when it starts to cure. Doing this will ruin the surface.
Be afraid of making mistake
Performance anxiety can be detrimental to any project. Do not despair if your first pour seems to be a failure; you can always manipulate your epoxy during the working time allowed. Also, starting with a smaller scale project will help you refine your techniques.
Neglect the safety measures
Ensuring having proper ventilation and all of the required safety equipment is a must for any epoxy resin project. Never neglect safety for a few minutes of preparation.
Leave your project unmonitored
Always look after your project when it starts to harden till it cures. If you're working with a delicate project like an epoxy river table or countertop, you should cover it from any foreign debris, dust, or hair. Such contamination may cause low spots on the project or even alter the final presentation.
Bottom line!
Never be afraid to start your DIY Epoxy resin project. If you have any questions or doubts