Get started with epoxy resin

Epoxy resin is a two-part system — resin and hardener — that you mix together and pour. Once mixed, a chemical reaction starts that turns the liquid into a solid. Getting a good result mostly comes down to three things: picking the right product for your project, measuring it correctly, and giving it the right conditions to cure. This guide covers all three.

Which Craft Resin product do you need?

Different projects need different resin. Using the wrong one is the most common reason a first project goes wrong.

Product	Best for	Mix ratio	Working time
Arts & Crafts	Jewelry, coasters, small art pours, casting	1:1 by volume	~35 min (50g batch at 25°C)
Table Top	Countertops, bar tops, large flat surfaces	1:1 by volume	~25 min (100g batch at 25°C)
Deep Pour	Thick single pours, river tables, deep moulds	2:1 by volume (resin:hardener)	~1 hour
UV Resin	Small, fast-cure pieces, jewelry, quick repairs	Single component — no mixing	Cures 60–120 seconds under a UV lamp
Silicone	Making your own moulds	1:1 by weight	20–40 min

If your project needs a single pour thicker than about 6mm, Deep Pour is almost always the right choice — Arts & Crafts and Table Top are designed for thin layers and will overheat, yellow, or crack if poured too thick.

What you need before you start

• A level, protected surface. Resin self-levels and drips — cover your table with plastic sheeting.
• Graduated mixing cups for measuring by volume, plus a mixing stick or paddle.
• Nitrile gloves and a well-ventilated workspace.
• A heat gun or butane torch to pop surface bubbles — except on Deep Pour (see below).
• A room you can control. Most Craft Resin products want an ambient temperature in the 24–30°C range and reasonably low humidity to cure properly. Table Top is the most humidity-sensitive product in the range and prefers humidity under 70% RH; the others tolerate up to about 85% RH. If your workspace runs cold (under 15°C), warm the resin (Part A) to around 30°C before mixing.

Step-by-step: your first pour

1. Pick the right product for the job using the table above, and read that product's specific mixing ratio and layer limits before you start.
2. Check your room, not just your ingredients. Confirm the temperature and humidity are within range for the product you're using — this affects cure quality as much as the mix itself.
3. Measure by volume, not weight, unless your product's instructions say otherwise (silicone mould-making is measured by weight). Equal weights of resin and hardener are not equal volumes, because the two liquids have different densities — mixing by weight when volume is called for throws off the ratio even if your scale reads "even."
4. Mix thoroughly and slowly. Scrape the sides and bottom of your cup as you go so nothing is left unmixed, but stir gently to avoid whipping in extra air. Larger batches give you less working time, not more, so don't mix more than you can pour in the time available.
5. Pour, torch if needed, and walk away. A quick pass with a heat gun or torch pops surface bubbles on Arts & Crafts and Table Top pours. Never use a heat gun or torch on Deep Pour — the heat can cause cracking or yellowing in a deep mass of resin; torching is for thin coating layers only. Then leave the piece undisturbed to cure.

Cure basics: three different milestones

These terms get used loosely, but they mean different things:

• Working time is how long the mixed resin stays pourable and workable — not curing time.
• Hard cure is when the surface feels dry to the touch, but the resin hasn't finished reacting.
• Full cure is when the resin has completely finished reacting and reached its final properties. Wait for full cure before demoulding, heavy handling, or (where relevant) food contact.

As a rough guide: Arts & Crafts reaches a hard cure in about 24 hours, Table Top in 36–48 hours (leave undisturbed 72 hours before any kitchen use), and Deep Pour in 48–72 hours depending on pour thickness. Across all of these, full mechanical strength — the point where the piece has finished hardening completely — takes around 21 days. That doesn't mean your project sits untouched for three weeks; it's usable well before then, it just isn't at peak scratch and impact resistance yet.

Common early mistakes

• Measuring by weight when volume is called for. This is the single biggest cause of resin that stays soft or tacky.
• Torching a Deep Pour. It's tempting to chase bubbles the same way you would on a thin coat — don't.
• Working outside the temperature or humidity range for your product, especially with Table Top, which is the most sensitive to humidity in the range.
• Judging "done" by touch. A hard-cure surface can still be days away from full cure underneath.
• Assuming heat resistance means direct contact. Cured resin has a rated heat resistance, but that's a material property, not usage advice — use a trivet under hot cookware rather than placing it straight on the surface, even within the rated temperature.

If your project will touch food — a cutting board, a cheese board, a coaster under a hot mug — 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 long does craft resin take to cure (harden)?
• How to avoid lines and streaks in your projects