How does resin work

Already have an account? Login here. Epoxy resin is one of the most versatile compounds in the market. You can pour it on almost anything and use it for virtually everything. Unsatisfied with your table's two-coat paint finish? Give it a little more gloss with epoxy resin. Need to stick two pieces of wood together for a project?

Epoxy resin can do the trick too! But putting its functions aside, another interesting thing about epoxy resin is the chemistry behind it. Understanding how epoxy resin works chemically will help you understand how this wonder compound can work either as an adhesive or a solid coat, depending on how you use it.

Epoxy resin is a type of thermosetting compound that is composed of various chemicals that work together to form a bond that enables them to stick together. Two-part epoxy is a combination of epoxy and a hardener that are mixed together to create a single solution. Since it's a thermosetting compound, a two-part epoxy sets, and cures when exposed to a specific temperature for a specific duration length of time. Try to stir slowly in a figure-eight movement and do not rush the process, as this could create air bubbles.

Remember, that temperature plays a vital role in the curing time of your epoxy resin, so the perfect temperature to have is 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is colder than this, then your resin becomes very thick and creates lots of micro-size bubbles. Warming up your resin will have the effect of shortening your curing time. Now is the time to add inclusions to your resin that will make it special and personal. These could include glitter, gold leaves, charms, dried flowers, and much more.

You can also add dye, alcohol ink , or resin pigment to change the color of your resin. However, be careful what you add does not affect the curing time. Next, it is now time to cast or pour your resin. An excellent idea is to have a timer nearby and to set it to the working time or time allowed before your resin cures. This will enable you to complete all you have to do before the resin begins to cure.

You may want to pour your resin over a flat surface, for example, over a painting. When working with resin, here is what you need to do:. Before you begin working with resin you need to make sure you are aware of the necessary safety precautions.

Some of these precautions may seem trivial to you, but we do suggest that you adhere to them for your well-being and safety. Your hands need to be protected from the hardener and resin fluids. Remember, these are harmful chemicals, and you need to protect yourself from them. This is much the same as you protect yourself from other substances like ammonia, bleach, and paint.

For this purpose, we suggest you use nitrile gloves, as they will not react with your skin or with the resin. So, if you by accident spill some resin on your skin what can you do? The easiest way is to take some wipes and wipe the resin off immediately, and then wash your hands with soap and water to remove the rest of the residue. However, if the resin is sticky and you struggle to remove it, use a pumice soap to exfoliate your skin to remove all the sticky residue.

Be careful not to use alcohol or acetone, as they tend to aggravate the reaction of the resin. Even though ArtResin is non-toxic, you still need to work in a well-ventilated room. This means you can open windows that will give you a cross-ventilation effect allowing air to move freely around the room.

If you cannot open windows, use the ceiling fan or other type of fan to draw the air away from your workspace. You will inevitably spill some of the resin and it could ruin your clothing, as you might only become aware of it at a later stage when the damage is done.

The perfect protection for your clothing is a PVC apron. This will protect your clothing and if you spill on it, the resin is easy to remove by peeling it off after it has cured. We sincerely hope that you never have to deal with resin splashing into your eyes, so be sure to use safety goggles. Safety goggles are fairly cheap, and they will offer you the protection you need for your eyes.

Do not be too concerned with this aspect, as when working with many resins you will not need a respirator. This watercolor painting was ruined by cheap epoxy resin. No matter what you're making, there are a few key tools you'll need when working with resin. As your confidence grows and you try more projects, you can start adding tools like colorants, silicone molds, 3D inclusions and more! Here are the basics you'll need when working with resin:. We get it—the idea of using resin can seem intimidating at first, but the steps are actually very easy: measure, mix, pour, spread, torch and wait.

No matter what you make, you'll be repeating those steps over and over again. Feeling inspired to try a resin project? From coating a painting to creating coasters, flow art, trinket dishes and more, there is so much you can do with epoxy resin!

We hope you found this informative and that it helped to explain and demystify what resin is all about. Like anything, practice makes perfect but we hope this will give you the encouragement to try a resin project out for yourself! Before you know it, you'll be wondering why you didn't try it sooner.

Please leave them below! Use the heat gun to remove air bubbles from your epoxy. The drying time depends on the room temperature and the type of resin used. With TotalCast from the same supplier this is 15 to 30 minutes, with UltraCast about 1. ArtResin behaves similar to MasterCast As with every painting, you should think about the composition of the epoxy painting beforehand. This is especially true for Resin Epoxy Art — once you have mixed the resin with the hardener, you only have a limited time to finish your resin painting.

Once you are clear about the image design and color selection, you are ready to go for your first Resin Painting:. With the finished Epoxy Painting your work is not done yet. Place the empty resin cups on a plastic foil with the opening facing down. Excess resin runs out of the cups and can easily be separated from the cup the next day.

Wipe your spatula with vinegar or a cloth soaked in isopropanol. You should also wipe off the remaining sticky utensils such as hot-air dryers, butane torches, tweezers etc. Attention, disconnect electrical appliances from the power supply before use!

Brushes and foam rollers, if you have used them, must, unfortunately, be disposed of. Do not leave wooden sticks in the resin, otherwise you will hardly be able to remove them from the surface the next day.

You should clean sticky hands with vinegar and then clean them with soap and water. There are hand wash pastes with rubbing agents in the DIY store, which are very helpful. With alcohol you should clean your hands only if necessary since this dries out the skin. However, it is best anyway if your hands do not become sticky in the first place when wearing gloves. If possible, resin should not get on the skin as it can cause irritations. If your resin image has holes or dents after drying, you may not have used enough resin or too much resin may have run off the image.

Dents may also form when using silicone oil or Resi-Blast. In this case, you have no choice but to carefully sand the painting surface with a fine grain and apply a new layer of resin. If you have used Resi-Blast or silicone oil in your Resin Art, clean the surface thoroughly with alcohol.

About five hours after applying resin if the resin is already a little hard but still sticks , you can apply another layer of resin. Several layers of resin on top of each other give the Resin Pour Art an exciting depth.

Alternatively, you can wait with another layer of resin until your Epoxy Art is fully cured at least 24 hours, rather longer. Then, however, you should carefully roughen the Epoxy Resin Art with sandpaper so that the new resin can adhere well.

Please use only fine grains. After sanding, clean the painting thoroughly with water and possibly an alcohol cloth. Grinding should not be done in the same room as resin, otherwise there is a lot of dust in the air that can settle on the freshly cast painting surface. In addition to the many beautiful sides, Resin Epoxy Art also has some disadvantages compared to other techniques: If you dare to use epoxy resin, you must not have a penchant for cleanliness — because working with resin is a sticky business.

This technique is also rather expensive. High-quality resin has its price. A resin Epoxy Painting is particularly exciting when several layers are cast on top of each other, so that the resin costs per painting are quite significant.

In addition, for the sake of health, safety measures should be observed. The technique is not easy — but this increases the appeal of designing. If you have the technique under control, you will be rewarded with satisfaction and beautiful works. Resin is a viscous, sticky substance that hardens completely at room temperature in a given time. Therefore, you should take care to protect your furniture and clothing from resin stains.

On the other hand, precautions must also be taken to protect your health. Even if you use a resin that has been certified as non-toxic and harmless, resin can cause skin irritation if it comes into contact with the skin.

It is therefore important to wear disposable nitrile gloves and long-sleeved clothing. In addition, you should refrain from eating and drinking in the immediate vicinity of resin.