New To Epoxy Resin? 3 DIY Projects You Can Start TODAY!

Want to start working with epoxy resin, but not sure where to start? Here are three of our favorite epoxy projects for beginners or anyone looking for an easy, fun DIY. Stay tuned to find out just how easy these projects are as Steve, our resident resin expert, walks you through the process. If we can do it, so can you! 

 

 

Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate/Expert

Project 1: Wall Hanging (Estimated Working Time: 90 Minutes)

Project 2: Bar Top (Estimated Working Time: 3 Days)

Project 3: Charcuterie Board (Estimated Working Time: 3 Days)

 Need some supplies? Here's where to buy epoxy.

WALL HANGING: 

Prep with a colored primer.

To prep we got a base canvas and spray painted it with a blue primer. We did this to match the blue color of the powdered pigment set we decided to use, so be sure to do the same! It’s important to prime your wood in order to create a strong chemical bond with the epoxy, which makes your project stay sleek, clean, and strong longer. 

 

 

Add your first coat of art resin. 

Mix and pour your initial coat of art resin onto the canvas. We chose to add our powdered pigment of choice, Deep Blue (BL3), to this first layer, but you can keep it clear and not add any colors until the next layer if you like.

 

 

Pour a layer of resin and create designs.

After you have laid your first coat of epoxy down, add a secondary coat of art resin. Although we chose to stick with one color, you can add as many colors from the powdered pigments set as you like to the mixed resin. 

As for designs, you can keep the colors separate, use a heat gun for more fluidity, or use a popsicle stick and swirl the colors around for an original design. While it was curing, we sprayed alcohol on the piece to get a really cool abstract effect. Let the project fully cure for a day.

That’s it- it’s really that simple! This piece took us an hour and a half to complete- it’s just so easy, allows for a lot of creativity, and comes out stunning! 

 

 

BAR TOP:

Prep the wood slab for a pour.

Choose any kind of wood you prefer and feel free to manipulate it with power tools however you see fit. We started off with a piece of cedar wood, flattened it out, and taped up any cracks and crevices on the underside to prevent epoxy leaks. You can also do this project to make a live edge bar top or a DIY epoxy table top! 

 

 

Choose your pigments and mix them into your resin.

Once you have everything taped up, flip the project over and choose pigment colors! We decided to go with Vivid Blue (Y427), Olive (Y4655), and Gold Red (OR2). We mixed up a batch of both tabletop and deep pour epoxy resin, then added them into small cups and mixed our powdered pigments into them. 

 

 

Pour the colored epoxy into the bar top.

Start pouring the colored mixtures one by one into the surface of the piece. We used the tabletop mixtures to fill up all the cracks and crevices on the face of the wood, and the deep pour mixtures on the deeper areas where there were big knots. 

We used our plastic spreader to make sure that all of the epoxy was seeping into the cracks, covered them briefly, and went over them two more times until the epoxy leveled up with the top of the crack. It’s important to make sure the surface is flush and level! Let the project cure for 2-3 days.

 

 

Add the finishing touches to the bar top.

After the curing was done, we sanded it up and added a finishing coat of tabletop epoxy resin. This makes the project POP and give it a glossy finish! If you’re using an old bar top for this project, don’t skip this step! The tabletop epoxy resin restores life into older pieces. 

Wipe off the sides, remove drips, let it cure for another day or two, and you’re good to go! Bar tops are fun, easy to make, and can double as a gaming console table, a library table, a sofa table, and so much more. Look at how cool this came out!

 

CHARCUTERIE BOARD:

Place your pattern inside of the mold and mix your epoxy resin.

Add both the wood and your chosen pattern to the mold- you can make a custom form or purchase a pattern online. Next, mix up a batch of deep pour epoxy resin. DIY Tip: Be sure to use the calculator on our website to figure out how much epoxy is needed for your pattern!

 

 

Choose pigments and separate them into cups.

After thoroughly mixing your colored deep pour epoxy resin, mix in the powdered pigment color(s) of your choice. We went with Deep Blue (BL3), Sparkle White (AW4), and Purple (Y4705). Separate the mixed resin into cups, adding each of your color choices into one. 

 

 

Fill the mold with your mixed epoxy and sand after curing.

Next, fill the mold with each cup of colored epoxy resin. Allow some time for your project to cure (48-72 hours) and then you’re ready to take it out of the form! After removing the board from the form, we highly recommend sanding, planing, cutting, and beveling your edges to create a beautiful and sophisticated look. 

 

 

Add a flood coat for a glossy effect.

Once it was safe to work with the project again, we poured a 1:1 ratio of tabletop epoxy resin mixing the product for 2-3 minutes. We did a flood coat on the piece and evenly distributed the epoxy with our plastic spreader. Next, we used a heat gun (you can use a torch if you have one) to pop any bubbles that came up. 

Finish the board off with finishing oil.

As said in the last step, we finished the top of our board off with table top epoxy resin, but then we finished the other side with a finishing oil. If you want your board to be multifunctional, don’t skip this step!  You’ll have a glossy side and a matte side, giving your board extra versatility. 

Now you have a gorgeous piece that you can use multiple ways. Once you master a charcuterie board, you'll be able to move on to resin coffee tables, dining room tables, round epoxy tables, and more epoxy projects with ease. Join our digital resin course for more tips and tricks!

 

 

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