Epoxy resin is a great material for many projects, both big and small. It’s used for everything from art to repair work and home improvement.
Epoxy resin is a strong and durable material that can be cured in many different ways, depending on the project. However, it is not indestructible and will break if dropped or otherwise mishandled. If you’re interested in using epoxy resin for your next project, keep reading for more information about how epoxy resin works and why it breaks when dropped or mishandled.
Does epoxy resin break easily?
No, not at all. In fact, it is hard and durable. Epoxy resin is stronger than concrete and often used in construction, automotive and aerospace industries.
It provides a water resistant coating to things like boats and surfboards, as well as serving as an adhesive for glass or metal reinforcement. It is also flexible enough that it can expand with certain materials without cracking, making it suitable for casting or coating things like statues.
Not only that, epoxy resin is also a pretty awesome artistic medium—it’s not just for industrial use! The resin holds up really well against impacts during the curing process (which takes about 20 hours). This means you can create beautiful designs by casting molds or pouring layers on top of one another without fearing that your artwork will break when you take it out of its mold or when you’re handling it later on.
In short: epoxy resin isn’t breakable or fragile at all!
Table of Contents
Will resin break if dropped?
If you’re worried about resin breaking or cracking if it falls on a hard surface, read on to learn all about the different types of resins and how durable they are.
Resin can break or crack if dropped on a hard floor or surface, but not all resin is the same. Let’s start with the basics: there are two main types of resin—epoxy and polyester—and let’s talk about which is more prone to breaking when it’s dropped.
Epoxy resin is known for being incredibly strong. It will not shatter like glass if you drop it; instead, epoxy tends to bounce if dropped from waist height onto a hard floor (make sure to clean up any mess you make!). For example, epoxy casted bar tops in restaurants can be dropped onto the floor without shattering into thousands of pieces. Epoxy is also used in high-traffic areas such as shopping malls because of its strength and durability.
On the other hand, polyester resin is not as strong as epoxy resin and very fragile compared to epoxy resin. Polyester will crack or shatter if dropped onto a hard floor or dropped even at waist height onto concrete.
Is epoxy resin fragile?
Epoxy resin is not necessarily fragile, but it can break. If the epoxy resin has dried, it will be brittle and therefore more likely to break if dropped or knocked off of a counter. However, the probability that epoxy resin will break after its cured depends on how well you’ve mixed it.
Once epoxy resin is applied over an object, drops and knocks are more likely to result in cracks in the dried epoxy. Any cracks or breaks in the hardened epoxy will most likely happen as a result of dropping or knocking over the object after the resin has been applied
What destroys epoxy resin?
Epoxy resin is a durable material to work with, especially when it comes to wood. It is weather resistant and protects the wood from moisture-related damage. However, the wrong conditions can cause the epoxy resin to break or crack.
The thing that destroys epoxy resin the most is heat. Epoxy resin melts at high temperatures and will crack at low ones. Exposing epoxy resin to extreme cold as well as extreme heat will damage it and make it less effective for your project.
The impact is also something that damages epoxy resin. If an object falls on or bumps an area with epoxy resin enough times, the chances are pretty good that some of it will crack off in those areas from being damaged by impact. This often happens over time with furniture where people sit on it frequently or put items on top of tables made from wood coated in epoxy resin.
Finally, UV rays can damage your epoxy resin if you leave your completed project outside for too long without protection against inclement weather. While this is much less likely than other things damaging your work, there’s no reason not to keep your project out of direct sunlight anyway as this tends to wear down all kinds of materials over time!
How long will epoxy last?
Epoxy resin is a very sturdy substance that can last a long time if it’s properly cared for. If you leave an epoxy resin art piece alone in your house and don’t drop it or scratch it, you shouldn’t have to worry about replacing the resin for many years! And if you do damage it, there are usually ways to fix the damage yourself. However, there are ways that epoxy resin can be damaged and even broken if not handled properly.
For example, if you drop a large piece of artwork on its corner without protection, the epoxy resin will likely crack or break (and so will the artwork). Epoxy resin also won’t last as long if outside forces cause damage to the surface of your artwork—such as sand or saltwater. This is why most people recommend coating their work with some sort of varnish or clear coat before applying any type of protective sealant over top.
Why did my epoxy resin crack?
If you’re wondering, “Why did my epoxy resin crack?,” it’s possible that the resin was not cured. The resin is considered cured once it has dried in a temperature-controlled environment for 24 hours.
If your epoxy resin was left to cure for 24 hours, but still cracked, it might have been because the curing process wasn’t done correctly. Make sure you’re using a heat source to cure your epoxy resin and keeping the temperature at or below 90°F. Additionally, if you used too much heat while curing your project, there is a possibility that it will become sticky or tacky on top and crack underneath.
It’s also possible that your epoxy resin cracked because of direct sunlight exposure during the curing process. While UV rays can speed up the curing process, they can also make your piece turn yellow or even orange over time.
Can you smash resin?
Because you’re working with two liquids that must be mixed together and then set, you need to take extra care not to drop your resin. Not only will this cause a mess, but once it’s dropped it is likely to break. There are also safety concerns.
The best way to prevent this from happening is by using a mold when working with resin because your project will have a relatively thick layer that can withstand the impact of being dropped–or even stepped on!
Investing in molds for your resin projects may seem like an unnecessary expense at first, but they’ll save you time and money in the long run by ensuring that when you do eventually drop something (and we all do), you won’t have to start from scratch.
When storing epoxy resin and hardener, keep them in their original containers and label them clearly so there’s no risk of mixing up which one goes with what.
Does resin break glass?
If you’re worried about whether epoxy resin will crack when you drop it, don’t be. Remember that it’s the glass—the surface to which you’ve applied your resin—that has a higher chance of breaking. If the glass is flat and smooth, the resin will not break it. There’s no reason to panic if you drop your wineglass or tumbler full of epoxy resin on a hardwood floor instead of gently placing it down.
However, it is important to remember that if there are any particles in the glass (like crumbs) they may cause scratching on the surface once they come into contact with other components in your home.
Also worth noting: as long as your resin layer isn’t too thick, there shouldn’t be any issues with cracking from impact or weight stress. So don’t worry about trying to make a thick layer for whatever project you’re working on!
There is one thing to keep in mind about epoxy and its relationship with glass, though: temperature changes can cause fracturing in coatings like this one because both materials expand at different rates when heated or cooled
Conclusion
If you’re looking for the most durable, functional resin to finish your latest woodworking project or piece of art, epoxy is a great choice. While it’s not as strong as some other kinds of resin, its many benefits make it ideal for plenty of projects.
One thing to note: if you drop a piece of epoxy resin jewelry or art that you’re wearing on a hard surface like stone or concrete, there’s a good chance that it will break—even though epoxy resin isn’t known for being fragile.
That said, it will take quite a lot (and probably more than you can muster) to break this stuff if you aren’t dropping it from a height onto a hard surface. So go ahead and feel free to dance the night away at your next wedding—it’s unlikely that your new earrings will suffer!
