Can you sand glaze coat epoxy in a shower or under where a tub meets the floor or tile? This floor was done on one of my re-modeling jobs. I used the question mark because I wasn’t sure if it was going to scrub up.
Can you sand epoxy top coat?
The good news about epoxy is that it can be sanded. The bad news is that the process of sanding epoxy isn’t always easy, and it can sometimes cause other problems (like dust).
If you’ve applied an epoxy top coat to a floor, countertop, table, or similar surface, and it has dried with imperfections like fingerprints, bubbles, or scratches, you may have considered trying to sand it down.
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Can you sand epoxy after it dries?
You can absolutely sand epoxy topcoat after it dries. The best way to sand epoxy is to use a power sander with medium grit sandpaper (80-120 grit) and work until the surface is smooth and there are no rough areas. Sanding off an epoxy layer will expose the resin below, so you should always be sure that the resin you used for your project has cured for at least 28 hours before applying the topcoat to make sure that it has hardened enough to withstand sanding.
Can epoxy be sanded and polished?
The short answer is yes, you can sand epoxy! Epoxy is a tough resin that dries very hard and generally doesn’t sand very well. However, it can be done if you’re willing to put in the effort.
Epoxy can be sanded to smooth out imperfections or remove brush marks. If a gloss finish is desired on the epoxy, then wet sanding with increasingly finer grit sandpaper should be used and then finished with polishing compounds.
Can you sand epoxy to smooth?
You can sand epoxy to a smooth surface, but you have to start with the right grit. A coarse grit will remove scratches and other blemishes, but it can leave swirls in the surface of your epoxy if you try to polish it right away. The swirls are caused by the uneven edges of the abrasive particles. You must use a fine grit to sand out the scratches before polishing.
Polishing requires specialized techniques that are beyond my knowledge, but many who have mastered them claim they can make an epoxy floor as shiny as glass. You may need a special polishing compound made specifically for epoxy floors.
How do you make sanded epoxy shiny?
When you sand epoxy, a few things are happening. First, the sanding paper is removing the top layer of epoxy that has lifted or bubbled and can’t be saved. Second, the sanding paper is removing any imperfections like dimples and high points. Third, the sanding paper is polishing the surface so it’s shiny and smooth.
The top layer of epoxy that has lifted or bubbled needs to be removed before you can sand for shine. The first step in giving your epoxy surface a nice shine after it has cured is to remove any damaged areas with 80-grit coarse sandpaper. Once all damaged areas have been removed, you can move on to finer grits to polish your epoxy.
Start by wet-sanding with 100 grit and move up through at least 400 grit for a high gloss finish (some go as high as 2000 grit). A buffer will work even better than hand-sanding for giving your surface a shiny finish after it has cured if you don’t mind spending a little extra money on supplies. For best results use one of these tools:
- Polishing compound and buffing machine
- Drill buffer
- Sanding sponge
- High-speed buffer
- Microfiber cloth
- Sponge and paint thinner
Can resin be sanded?
One of the main questions we’re asked about working with epoxy resin is “can you sand epoxy resin?”
The short answer is: yes, you can.
Epoxy resin is a type of plastic that can be sanded when cured. In fact, it can be machined and polished (also called buffed), just like wood. The difference between epoxy and polyester resins lies in their curing processes, as well as their hardness when cured.
When we say “cured”, what we mean is that the liquid components have become solidified through a chemical reaction. Epoxies cure by mixing two separate parts which react together to create an extremely hard material; polyesters cure by adding a catalyst or hardener to one part of the resin. When using epoxy resin, remember that heat has no effect on them (they don’t get softer when exposed to heat). However, they do lose some strength if heated above 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can you sand epoxy after 24 hours?
Yes, you can sand epoxy after 24 hours. However, for some epoxies, it is better to wait longer before sanding because the resin cures slowly over time. Slow-curing resins take a few days to cure completely. To learn more about this process, keep reading.
Why is my epoxy cloudy after sanding?
There are three main reasons your epoxy will cloud up after sanding, and they’re all a result of how easy it is for air bubbles to form while working with epoxy. If there’s been a reaction between the resin and hardener (or if you didn’t mix thoroughly), you could be looking at some cloudiness. The good news is that none of these problems are permanent and can be corrected pretty easily.
The first reason why your epoxy might be cloudy after sanding is that there was an incomplete chemical reaction between the resin and hardener.
This happens when the two components aren’t mixed properly or if one of them didn’t get measured accurately. You’ll want to measure both ingredients very precisely (using a ratio like 2:1) before combining them, then stir gently with a popsicle stick until they’re fully blended.
The more air bubbles you stir up in this process, the more likely your project will end up cloudy after curing.
