I’m looking to attempt a small live-edge table resin project for the first time, and am seeking advice from anyone at the Space who’s done these wood/resin table projects before.
I saw something called ‘Eco-Resin’ on the University of YouTube, and it looks promising, but isn’t cheap.
Anyone have any tips/recommendations for a first-time user for a live-edge table resin project?
I think “resin” and “not cheap” are synonymous.
While I’ve not made one myself, I’ve watched a lot of videos and the overall consensus on them is a bartop style polyurethane resin is the way to go. Especially since you will want to heat cure out the bubbles after pouring. When looking at different brands make note that some have a 1/4 inch max pour depth, and others go up to 1/2 inch. Consider how many applications you want to do. my 2 cents is you kind of want to do a 1 and done if possible, and I’ve had really good experiences with East Coast Bar top resin. Its also one of the cheaper bar tops out there, and takes dyes really well.
Dabbled in resin a little. My first purchase was West System’s products and I found it had a very yellow cast to it. My next purchase will likely be from the Polymeres Technologies Chill line. (Haven’t completely identified what I will purchase yet.) Clear would be very helpful overall including when adding pigments. My recent attempt at white ended up very creamy despite using a lot of pigment.
Ecopoxy can be poured up to 2" thick in one pour, and takes 72 hours to cure. West System can only be poured 1/8" thick. I think Ecopoxy is the #1 for river tables amongst all the big name producers. My neighbor used it in a huge river table they made, he did end up with some bubbles but it was because it was not the right ambient temperature. I would follow the instructions to ensure you pour at the right temperature.
Seconding Ecopoxy, that is the most common but I have heard it is still best to layer your pours in about a 1" thickness to help with bubbles.
I use Pro Marine Supplies Crystal Clear Bar Table Top Epoxy Resin with excellent results. I have used the type that allows for thicker pours on occasion but even then finish up with the one referenced. To allow for thicker pours, it has to have lower catalytic levels so as to not overheat. In my personal opinion, “Crystal Clear” has advantages on non-yellowing and hardness.
Pro Marine is available on Amazon, eBay, and their own site. Check all three … prices vary and can’t predict where best deal may be.
Adding some other tips … make sure you do seal coats using about 1 oz/sqft until you have eliminated all “dry” or “dull” spots on the surface. This will go a very long way to minimizing the “bubble fight” that comes with the larger pours that should be about 1/8" thick and kept constant with the correct notched trowel. Additional layers can be poured as soon as the temperature drops. You don’t have to wait 5 hours between pours.
If you will spend a half hour with this guy, you’ll pick up some useful tips:
He obviously pushes his own supplies for epoxy, and as long as you accept that going in, you can learn a lot. He has a ton of other videos on various variations.
The epoxy Kris uses is super slow curing and that works to her advantage on her artwork. Not so sure on a table.
She uses Art Resin and I’m not sure it would be ideal for a table pour, though it is a high quality Polyurethane resin. It is also widely respected in having a very good UV block to delay yellowing.
Art resin would be awesome for a table…if you’re a gazillionairre.
This is the second time you have said “polyurethane” … don’t you mean “epoxy”?
No, there is somewhat of a misnomer regarding the word “epoxy”. Epoxy refers to any 2 part compound (usually a polymer) in which there is a chemical reaction, generally exothermic in nature, and the 2 parts bond creating a new compound. Most commonly we refer to fast bonding adhesives like Loctite or Gorilla glue (2 part epoxides) as epoxy; but the term epoxy is generic. Like Paint for example. there’s lots of different kinds of paints, and while they all do the same job of applying color to something, they make different kinds for different jobs (latex, acrylic, spray, oil, etc.).
By stating Polyurethane resin, the 2 part epoxides are implied, and I am being ultra specific as to the exact type of material that makes up said epoxy. This is differentiated from 1 part polyurethane wood finish (oil based), which is air cured.
Kris also uses Tarbender
Not exactly.
Epoxy resins, also known as polyepoxides are a class of reactive prepolymers and polymers which contain epoxide groups.
Polyurethane polymers are traditionally and most commonly formed by reacting a di- or
polyisocyanate with a polyol.
Might also note that epoxy molds and jigs are used when molding items with polyurethane. Distinctly different chemical classes.
Interesting, well then it was explained to me incorrectly.
I was, then, referring to polyurethane resins, not epoxies, to address Scott’s questions.
Based on that article, it would seem that a Polyurethane resin would be a more suitable application for a river bed table than an epoxy.
Well I definitely would not put the softer urethane coating on a table top. That’s probably one of the reasons epoxy is the standard.
I also bet a urethane finish would leave a depression if you set a cup of coffee on it. It may bounce back but it will give due to its elasticity when heated.
Think rubber versus granite. Each will wear well when used in the proper environment. They don’t substitute for each other very well.
Just so you know, I am a chemical engineer by training. I can discuss practical applications of chemistry most of the time. However if there’s a real chemist available I will defer to their specialized training.
The Alumilite brand resin (self proclaimed as a urethane resin) I use for woodworking is hard as a brick so I wonder if certain brands may have different formulations?
Alumilite sells a urethane for wood turning and an epoxy for bar tops. Would certainly test it or at least talk to them before switching applications.
