Epoxy resin is a two-component polymer that has become very popular in the DIY and craft world. This material is vital for many DIY projects thanks to its strength, durability, and ability to be molded into almost any shape you desire.
As long as you use the right formula and follow the instructions carefully, your finished epoxy resin piece will be sturdy enough to last for years to come.
However, epoxy resin is not without its flaws. It can be difficult to work with because it has a relatively short working time before it hardens and becomes difficult or impossible to manipulate.
Additionally, this type of material tends to have a strong odor when first poured into molds; moreover, fumes can continue as your project cures over time.
This odor may make some people feel sick or dizzy if they are exposed to it for too long. It’s important that you always wear gloves when using epoxy resin so your skin doesn’t touch any of these harmful chemicals!
Can you drink out of a cup made with epoxy?
You can drink out of a cup made with epoxy. The key is to make sure you are using an FDA-approved food-grade epoxy.
You don’t want to get sick from drinking out of a cup or other item that is made with the wrong type of epoxy!
Table of Contents
Is epoxy safe to drink from?
No, epoxy is not safe to drink out of.
Epoxy resin applied to the interior of a cup is safe to drink from. Epoxy resin itself is not food safe. There are no resins that I know of that are considered food safe, or potable.
It’s important to remember that the FDA only approves components that can be ingested for use in foods and drinks, but this does not mean all items approved by the FDA are potable.
For example, some coatings used on mason jars and cups are approved for use with food by the FDA (because you may inadvertently ingest some), but they do not recommend drinking from them because they can be toxic.
Therefore it’s very important to check with the manufacturer or supplier of your epoxy (or other coatings) before using it around food or drink products
Can you make drinking cups out of resin?
You might have thought to yourself, “Can I use epoxy resin to make drinking cups?” Answer: Yes. The rest of this article will explain why and how.
Polyester resin is not safe for making cups because it contains styrene or other harmful chemicals, whereas epoxy resin does not.
You can make a cup with almost any kind of epoxy you get; there are two kinds: laminating and casting. We are going to focus on the casting stuff because you can use that to make a cup more easily than laminate resins (they’re also less toxic).
Most casting resins are also safe enough to eat out of once they cure, but before they do you should never put your mouth on them!
Making a cup is easy if you have the right tools. You can mold your own silicone molds or use some available on the market (there’s a nice selection of 3D printed molds on Etsy).
No matter what mold you use, remember that bigger is better; avoid ones that are too small or too shallow. You’ll probably want at least an 8 oz size for drinking purposes.
If not using a mold, you can blow up a balloon into an appropriate shape and then cut off the top part so you have an open bowl instead of just a ball-shaped blob of hardened epoxy; this works well if you made some mistake with your mold so it doesn’t come out as expected.
Can you put coffee in an epoxy tumbler?
While you can drink out of an epoxy tumbler, it is not recommended. Epoxy resin is a temporary material that will eventually crack and flake off over time.
As such, it is better to just use the epoxy as a coating on your tumbler as opposed to making the entire tumbler out of resin.
If you are looking for a way to make your own long lasting cup, then I would suggest using stainless steel or acrylic plastic instead of epoxy resin.
However, if you just want something fun to do for a few hours then making an epoxy tumbler might be worth trying!
Can you use epoxy to make shot glasses?
As epoxy is safe for food contact, it can be used to make shot glasses. As always, the main requirement when looking to use epoxy for making products that will contain liquids (or any food for that matter) is that the product be FDA compliant.
This is a given most of the time with modern epoxies as they are designed to be safe for use in food-related applications – but it’s always worth checking with your supplier first!
Epoxy resin should only be used with cold beverages and never with hot beverages. Epoxy resin has low thermal expansion and cannot withstand large temperature changes without damage or deformation.
The epoxy resin should also not be placed in a microwave oven and should not come into direct contact with flames, e.g., candle flames or open fireplaces, etc.
What epoxy is safe for tumblers?
The good news is, yes epoxy is safe for tumblers! But you need to make sure you’re using the right kind of epoxy.
There are plenty of different brands and types of epoxy resin on the market today, but not all of them are safe for tumblers.
In fact, some epoxies aren’t even safe for human skin contact. You must use an FDA compliant, non-toxic and food-safe epoxy if you plan on drinking from your tumbler or adding food to it in any way (such as ice).
These types of epoxies are made specifically for tumblers and are considered food safe.
Note: The first few coats of your tumbler should be painted with the FDA compliant version of the same brand that you will be using as a top coat.
This ensures that there is no chance that harmful chemicals can leach into your drink over time.
Is epoxy toxic after it dries?
Epoxy resin is not toxic after it cures. The components of epoxy are not dangerous to humans and pets, so people don’t need to worry about that.
You can use epoxy for making food and drink-safe containers, especially if you are going to use the container for a long time (for example, for beverages or food storage).
Epoxy resin is non-toxic after it has cured, but you should try to avoid getting it on your skin or in your mouth before curing.
Epoxy gives off fumes when mixed or during curing. This is especially true with uncured castings that have a hardener added; the fumes are given off by uncured epoxy stick around until solidification takes place.
Is epoxy resin food safe?
Epoxy resin is food safe. That does not mean all epoxy resins are food safe though. There are many other epoxy types that can be used for various products, but those are not meant to be used as part of food or drink-related items and should never come into contact with such things.
Some examples would be marine epoxy, floor and countertop epoxies (thicker pourable or tile-like thin pour varieties), etc. Some of these can even be hazardous to your health if swallowed in large quantities.
Epoxy resin that is meant for use with items that have direct contact with food and drinks will have been tested by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) and approved specifically for this purpose.
It should clearly say something like “EPA Approved” on the label when you purchase it from a retailer or online store.
Conclusion
Epoxy resin is not food safe. It contains dangerous chemicals that should not be ingested. Unless it is specifically labeled as food safe, epoxy resin should never be used to make cups and tumblers.
Unfortunately, there are no epoxies that can be used to make drinking vessels that are completely void of toxins so if you want a really cool cup, you’ll have to look for another material!
