Can I add a second or multiple layers?

Yes. Pouring in layers is normal practice with epoxy resin, whether you're building up thickness, embedding objects at different depths, or fixing a flawed first coat. There are two ways to add a layer, and which one you use depends on how cured the layer underneath already is.

Layer limits by product

Each Craft Resin product has a maximum thickness per pour. Go over it in one pour and you risk excess heat build-up, cracking, cloudiness, or a layer that never fully hardens.

Product	Max layer per pour	Working time	Hard cure
Arts & Crafts	6mm	~35 min (50g at 25°C)	24 hours at 25°C
Table Top	3mm per coat	~25 min (100g at 25°C)	36–48 hours at 25°C
Deep Pour	50mm in open moulds, 30–40mm in narrow/enclosed moulds	~1 hour	48–72 hours

If your project needs more thickness than one pour allows, layering is exactly how you get there — pour up to the limit, let it cure, then pour again.

Method 1: Recoat while the previous layer is still tacky

If you pour the next layer before the one underneath has fully hardened, the two layers chemically bond to each other rather than just sitting on top of one another. This is the easier route because you skip sanding.

The catch is timing, and this is genuinely a grey area — there's no single official cutoff, because it depends on room temperature, humidity, and how thick the first layer was. As a rule of thumb, stay within each product's working time as a starting point for how soon you can recoat, and don't wait past its hard cure point — once a layer has reached hard cure it's no longer tacky enough to grip a fresh pour without sanding. If you're unsure whether a layer is still "green" enough to bond to, touch a discreet edge with a gloved finger — if it's still slightly tacky, you're fine; if it's fully firm and dry, switch to Method 2.

Method 2: Sand and recoat after full hard cure

If a layer has already hardened past the tacky stage — or you're fixing a problem like amine blush, rippling, or trapped dust — let it reach hard cure first, then key the surface before pouring again:

1. Wait for hard cure using the times in the table above (24 hours for Arts & Crafts, 36–48 hours for Table Top, 48–72 hours for Deep Pour).
2. Sand the surface with 80–120 grit sandpaper. This is meant to look rough and scuffed — that's the point, it gives the new layer something to mechanically grip.
3. Wipe away all sanding dust with a lint-free cloth. Any residue left behind will show up as texture or haze under the new layer.
4. Mix and pour the new layer, staying within that product's maximum thickness per pour, and clear any new bubbles with a torch or heat gun as usual.
5. Cover and let it cure for the full hard cure time before handling, and allow the full ~21 days before judging final scratch resistance or mechanical strength — that figure applies after any layer, not just the first.

A note on Deep Pour and heat

Deep Pour cures exothermically, which is why its recommended room temperature actually drops as batch size goes up (22–25°C for 1–5kg batches, down to below 18°C for anything over 20kg). Stacking layers doesn't reset that — each new pour adds its own exotherm on top of a mould that may still be warm. Never use a heat gun or torch on a Deep Pour layer to clear bubbles; torching is for thin coating layers only, and on Deep Pour it can cause cracking or yellowing.

One more thing worth knowing: mixing a bigger batch gives you less working time, not more, because a larger mass generates heat faster. Plan multi-layer projects with that in mind rather than assuming you can mix once and pour slowly over hours.

If a layer is destined for a kitchen countertop, note that we do not currently make a food-contact claim for Craft Resin.

Related articles

• Mixing Ratio — How to Measure Resin and Hardener Correctly
• How to Fix Bubbles in Cured or Curing Resin
• What Won't Craft Resin Stick To?