DIY epoxy resin coasters [manual]

Are you creative and do you want to make something unique? Then make the most beautiful epoxy coasters yourself. Making epoxy coasters is not difficult at all. In this article we explain to you what steps you need to follow to make great coasters yourself!

Supplies:

• RESION UV Resin Art LV (low viscosity)
• RESION MetalTint pigments (or other pigments of your choice)
• Silicone mould for coasters (or another coaster mould of your choice)
• Gas burner + gas canister
• Nitrile gloves
• Mixing cups
• Mixing spatulas

Step 1. Preparation

Have all materials ready. Make sure you always wear nitrile gloves when working with epoxy. To prevent epoxy from getting on your work table, protect it with protective foil or, for example, a garbage bag. No epoxy adheres to this.

There are several ways to make your own coasters. The easiest way is with a silicone mould. But you can also saw MDF into squares or rounds and pour epoxy over them. For the best result, ensure that the surface is level during pouring and curing. We recommend always injecting a silicone mould with release agent to simplify release.

Step 2. Mixing epoxy

Carefully weigh component A and component B according to the mixing ratio on the packaging. We recommend always doing this with a scale. Then mix the two components carefully together (at least 3 minutes). Take enough time for this and also scrape the bottom and side of the mixing bowl with the mixing spatula. If you don't mix properly, the epoxy will not harden completely. Therefore, work according to the two-cup mixing method. 

Divide the mixed epoxy casting resin between a few small mixing cups and mix again. Add a small scoop of MetalTint, Piñata Alcohol Ink or other pigment of your choice to each small mixing cup and mix by colour. Check out all our Resin Art pigments for unique epoxy coasters!

Step 3. Casting epoxy coasters

Now it's time to cast your epoxy coaster! The easiest thing to do is to start with the darkest color and work your way lighter. Pour a small amount at a time. Pour a little more of the base colour. You can mix the colours together a little with a mixing spatula to create fun effects. There are a lot of possibilities with epoxy, so let your creativity run wild!

Are there air bubbles in the epoxy after casting? Then you can easily remove them with a gas burner or RESION Bubble Burst. Make a sweeping motion over the workpiece with the burner. Don't do it for too long because the resin will discolor or the epoxy will stick to the mould. Now let the epoxy rest to harden completely.

Step 4. Finishing

After about 24 hours the epoxy is hard enough to remove from the mould. If the edges are not completely neat, you can edit them within 24 hours with a sharp knife. You can also use a gas burner to smooth the edges neatly by carefully heating the edge. The epoxy coaster is now finished! :-)

We recommend that you wait at least 24 to 48 hours before using the coasters. This allows the epoxy to harden a little further. Are you proud of the result? Then share this in the nicest Resin Art community in the Netherlands and Belgium: I Love Resin Art. Becoming a member is free of charge!

The photos in this article are of epoxy coasters made by Minca Wood.