You may have come across pictures on the internet of tables created like the Caribbean Sea or various jewelry pieces in which we can add our favorite flowers, objects, and colors. Behind these creations, however, which have recently gained wide popularity on the internet, stands the main product – epoxy resin.
Or maybe you are already familiar with it but are not sure where to start?
Where can I buy it? What type of resin do I need? What can I create with it? Is it expensive?
And more…
Don’t worry. For every craft, we need the right information to get started. In the following lines, we will guide you through the process.
You can watch the entire video on our YouTube channel:
What is epoxy resin?
Epoxy resin is a two-component product – from resin and hardener. By mixing the two components, a chemical reaction occurs, through which the liquid resin gradually hardens into a solid plastic. The final result is a super durable, glossy, transparent surface. It has been used for many years for things like floors, tables, industrial purposes, boat building … and art.
Recently, creations with epoxy resin have become a trend and are becoming more widely accessible … which allows us to be more creative and use it for jewelry, home decoration, paintings, or even sculptures!
1. How is epoxy resin mixed?
The working process with epoxy resin may seem like a difficult task at first, especially for beginners. But once the steps are learned, the process becomes fun!
Before you start your project, it is IMPORTANT to know that not all resins are the same. They differ, and different instructions are followed for each one. However, regardless of the resin you choose – the instructions do not differ much.
To get epoxy resin, we buy part A and part B,
Part A is the resin itself, and Part B is the hardener. When purchasing 1kg epoxy resin, we actually take 500 g resin + 500 g hardener. They are mixed in different ratios.
In the graphic illustrations, we will present to you 5 types epoxy resin from our store. We will explain the differences between them, their purpose, the mixing ratio with the hardener, and more.
2. Types of epoxy resin
Let’s recall that the types of resins differ according to their purpose and according to your goals – for decorations, jewelry, floor coating, for making volumetric objects, countertop coating and others.
Epoxy resin AHD 20
With this resin, we have the opportunity to make both large (conference tables) and small (coffee) tables. It is applied in a thick layer up to 5-7 cm. It spends 12-18 hours in a gel state, 2-3 days before touch and between 3-5 days until fully dry. It is mixed in a ratio 2:1.
Epoxy resin AHD 30
This resin is the favorite of women, also called "the jewelry" resin, because it is mainly used in working with jewelry, accessories, souvenirs and more.
It is also suitable for floor coating with a thickness over 1 cm, as well as for laminating Carbon fibers, fiberglass (glass fabric), Kevlar, etc. It is mixed in a ratio 2:1.
It can also be used as a varnish and differs from other resins with its fast drying time of 4-6 hours in a gel state, 12-18 hours before touch and up to 24-36 hours until fully dry.
This resin stands out with its ultra transparency, which imitates glass. It is suitable for coating tables, decorative wooden surfaces, accessories and floors with a thickness up to 1-1.5 cm. It is often used in making kitchen countertops and bathroom floors.
It is mixed in a ratio 4:1, can also be used as a varnish. It spends 6-10 hours in a gel state, 1-2 days before touch and between 2-4 days until fully dry.
Epoxy resin AHD 50
It's time to guess which resin creates the amazing marine effects, which we often see on the internet. The resin AHD 50 is ideal for painting on panels, for coating photos and for creating artificial fish (lures). It can also be poured over electronics.
It is mixed 1:1, spends 2-3 hours in a gel state, 6-8 hours before touch and is the leader in drying (up to 18-24 hours).
The final result of using all types of epoxy resin is a shiny and glossy surface.
In our case, we will use AHD 30 resin, which we will pour into a heart-shaped mold.
After deciding what to create and choosing the appropriate resin, we are ready to start, but before that, it will be necessary to gather some things:
- Protective mask/ Respirator
- Safety goggles
- Plastic cups
- Scale/ Measuring cup
- Hot air gun
- Mold
- Pigment
How to work with epoxy resin: Step by step
Especially for beginners and people who have never worked with epoxy resin, we decided to show the process step by step. In the video, we chose to work with AHD 30 epoxy resin, which is used for jewelry, souvenirs, and accessories.