What you will find in this article is a step-by-step guide to epoxy resin, which is a popular alternative to traditional varnishes.
The article also includes an overview of some of the most popular epoxy resin products on the market and how they work. This information will help you decide if it’s something worth trying on your own table top.
Epoxy resin is best known for its durability and water resistance, but there are many other reasons why people use this substance instead of other types of varnish or finish.
How do you apply epoxy resin to a table top?
If you have a table in need of a facelift, then you’re in the right place. Applying epoxy resin is a relatively simple process:
- Clean the surface with mild soap and water. You should use a non-abrasive scouring pad or soft cloth to get rid of any dirt or stains that might be present.
- Mix equal amounts of resin and hardener together by hand until it becomes one uniform color (about one gallon per three square feet). Pour this mixture into an old bucket that has been cleaned out with soap and water, or use plastic cups or bowls instead. Stir thoroughly until there are no streaks left behind on either side of your mixing tool (no more than five minutes).
Table of Contents
- How do you apply epoxy resin to a table top?
- How do I prepare my table for epoxy resin?
- Can you apply epoxy directly to wood?
- How do you epoxy a kitchen table?
- How do you keep epoxy from bleeding on wood?
- Does epoxy scratch easily?
- How do I make my resin table top clear?
- How much epoxy do I need for a table top?
How do I prepare my table for epoxy resin?
When preparing a wood surface for epoxy resin, you’ll want to sand the surface and make sure it’s clean. A smooth, flat surface is ideal for applying epoxy resin because you won’t have any bumps or dips that will cause the finished product to look uneven.
Before applying any finish, make sure your table is dry; if there are any wet spots on the tabletop, get them off as soon as possible.
Wet surfaces will not only affect how well your finish adheres but also increase the risk of warping over time. If you do have a wet spot on an unfinished table top (like after cleaning), let it dry completely before continuing with these steps:
Can you apply epoxy directly to wood?
Yes, you can apply epoxy resin directly to wood. To do so, however, you must first sand the wood until it’s smooth and free of any oil-based products such as paint or varnish.
If you don’t remove these substances from your table top before applying epoxy resin, they’ll bleed through when the product dries and stain it an undesirable color.
You can clean your table top with any solvent or acetone solution that is safe for use on wood surfaces (ask your local paint store which ones are best).
After cleaning away all traces of oil-based products and debris from sanding, wipe down the surface with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits to ensure that no dust particles remain on the surface before applying epoxy resin
How do you epoxy a kitchen table?
It’s not an easy job, but it can be done with a little patience and research. There are plenty of tutorials online that will show you how to epoxy a kitchen table, so we’ll focus on the process here.
- First, clean your table thoroughly. The better the surface is prepared before you start putting on the epoxy, the better it will look when all is said and done.
- Next, use a brush to apply an even layer of resin (about 1/8″ thick) onto each side of your tabletop. Let this sit for about 30 minutes until it gets tacky – that means that if you touch it gently with your fingertip, there will be some stickiness left behind for about 10 seconds or so before drying out again due to evaporation from the heat being applied by lamps overhead during curing time frames between applications). You may want to set up some lamps with timers around this time so that they automatically turn off after 15 minutes without requiring any additional effort from yourself; this prevents them from getting too hot or burning through materials unnecessarily!
How do you keep epoxy from bleeding on wood?
- You can use a heat gun to dry your epoxy quickly, or you can place the table under a heating lamp. If you have access to central air in your apartment, turn that on full blast and point it at the table for a few minutes.
- If you don’t want to leave the room for more than five minutes at a time, but still want quick results… try using your hands! Simply hold them over an area of wet epoxy for about 45 seconds (this may seem like forever). The warmth from your palms will allow it to set faster than if left alone in its liquid state.
- A fan will work just as well as an actual space heater; simply aim it straight down at any areas of wet epoxy and let it blow until dry. This method is great if there isn’t any electricity nearby (for example camping outdoors with only one gas burner stove).
Does epoxy scratch easily?
No. Epoxy resin is a hard, nonporous, clear substance that can be used to coat tabletops or other surfaces. Epoxy resin is not easily scratched, but it is not completely scratch-proof.
How do I make my resin table top clear?
In order to get a crystal clear epoxy resin table top, you need to start with the right materials. When selecting your epoxy resin, look for one that has a final cure or gel time of at least 5 hours. You can find this information on the box or bottle of any particular brand of epoxy resin.
Mixing ratios vary depending on what type of finish you want and how thick or thin you want it to be (gooey versus viscous). For most projects, mixing equal parts hardener and resin will yield great results – but if you’re working with small amounts in an effort to achieve a certain consistency, then don’t forget about weight-based measurement!
Next up: stirring! Use an old stir stick and a mixing cup so that there’s no chance of contamination from other surfaces (like spoons).
Stir slowly; otherwise, air bubbles may form inside your mix and render it useless later on down the road when trying to pour it into its desired location without creating imperfections along edges where there shouldn’t be any.*
How much epoxy do I need for a table top?
The amount of resin you need to cover the top of your table depends on the size of your table and how thick it is. To find out how much epoxy you should use, try using an epoxy calculator like this one.
If you’re using an online tabletop calculator, just enter how many square feet are on your tabletop and click “calculate,” and it will tell you exactly how much resin to buy.
If your tabletop is long but not very wide (like a long dining room table), then use about two parts resin for every part hardener by volume. If your tabletop is very wide compared to its length (like an end table), then add an extra part or two more than normal.
Finally, if your tabletop has a lot of surface area relative to its thickness (like butcher block), then add another couple of parts per inch—for example, 1/2″ thick butcher block would require 4 times as much as 1/4″.
Conclusion
The method described here is a great way to apply epoxy resin to a table top. The process of applying the epoxy can be quite messy and difficult, but it’s worth it for the results. As long as you have prepared the wood properly and are careful when mixing your resin and hardener, you should be able to create a gorgeous tabletop that will last a long time.
If you want even more tips on creating handmade furniture projects, check out these additional tutorials:
- How To Make A Wooden Spool Table Lamp
- How To Make A Stick Chair With Cushions