How to make an epoxy pouring table

Creating an epoxy river from an epoxy mold is a project many DIY enthusiasts dream of undertaking. To successfully complete this type of project, it's important to understand the principles of epoxy mass casting. Here are some professional tips for creating a beautiful wood and epoxy table.

Tips for making a beautiful epoxy wood river table

Practice first on a small model

Our first piece of advice is to start with a small project before embarking on a big adventure. A small side table, a bedside table, or decorative shelves are examples of small projects to undertake to develop your skills.

1. Epoxy River Table: It starts with a good, watertight mold

The first step is to build a watertight mold. This must be made from a solid, smooth material. Melamine is usually a good choice. It must be perfectly watertight because epoxy molding is particularly liquid.

Your mold could leak some of its contents if there's even a small open seam. Once assembled, seal the inner edges with a micro-bead (very thin) of acrylic sealant or clear silicone.

Apply Duck Tape to the joints on the outside. This will ensure that there is no epoxy loss.

2. "Grease the mold" to help release the epoxy

Although melamine is non-porous, epoxy casting is very sticky and tends to adhere as it hardens. Therefore, it's best to coat your mold with a release agent spray. This will greatly facilitate demolding in the end. Instead of a release agent, furniture wax can also be used.

3. Prepare the pieces of wood

The pieces of wood to be incorporated into the epoxy must be clean and free of loose bark. To minimize the risk of bubbles, it is important to properly seal the portions of wood in contact with the molding epoxy.

Specifically, the ends of the boards, their thickness, and any sections with knots or branch beginnings. Wood contains air. This air is likely to escape when the piece of wood is heated for many hours by the epoxy that has been poured over it...

The best way to seal your pieces is to apply a thin coat of epoxy. A 473 ml container is usually enough for a 2-foot x 4-foot table. After pouring a small bead and spreading it evenly with a brush, let it dry for at least 24 hours.

For this step, some people use varnish, lacquer, or shellac to seal. Personally, I get better results with a thin coat of epoxy. That's what the epoxy manufacturer recommends...

In the case of a table where only the edging is epoxy-coated and not the tabletop, you can seal only the thickness of the boards in contact with the epoxy. Wooden tabletops can be left natural or oiled, for example.

4. Secure the pieces of wood to the bottom of the mold.

Most types of wood are less dense than epoxy casting. If the pieces are not properly secured to the mold, they will tend to rise and then partially float on the liquid epoxy.

From the bottom, insert two screws through the melamine piece to hold your parts in place . Another technique is to secure them from the top with clips and clamps. However, this makes casting more difficult, especially for small projects.

5. Important: the product temperature

Molding epoxy is weakly exothermic. This means that the chemical reaction of catalysis and curing releases less heat than ordinary epoxies. (Ordinary epoxies release so much heat when applied in a layer thicker than 1/8 inch that the heat, cracking, bubbles, or other unwanted effects can occur.)

This characteristic of casting epoxy—its low exotherm—explains why its curing time is longer than that of a standard 100% solids epoxy. Typically, it takes about three and a half days (84 hours) to cure a 2- to 3-inch-thick layer.

It is important to note that the temperature of the product, the air, and the surfaces can accelerate or slow down the curing process. In cold conditions, it will take longer; in warm conditions, it will take longer. Therefore, it is recommended to work in a room heated to 24 degrees Celsius and to have acclimatized the product for at least 24 hours beforehand.

It can also be noted that a thin layer of molding epoxy (say ½ inch) will take longer to cure than a thicker layer (2 or 3 inches) under equal conditions.

6. Calculate the approximate amount of epoxy needed.

To get an idea of ​​how much casting epoxy you need for your river table, you need to calculate the volume of the river as accurately as possible.

Here is my formula to convert a volume (cubic inches) to liters of epoxy: width (in inches) x length (in inches) x thickness (in inches) divided by 61 = the approximate number of liters required.

For example, for an epoxy river 6'' x 32'' x 2.5'' = 480 cubic inches / 61 = 7.86 liters of epoxy required.

7. Color the resin or a colorless epoxy?

If you want a colored epoxy river, you must first incorporate the pigment into the resin (component A). Regular pouring epoxy is ideal for colored rivers.

For opaque colors, liquid colorants are normally used. Do not exceed 10% of the resin volume.

For metallic colors, powdered pigments are best for this type of project. A small amount can stain easily, so it's important to apply it gradually, little by little.

If you want a colorless epoxy stream, you should consider purchasing "UV-resistant" casting epoxy. It is more crystalline at its base and better resists yellowing caused by UV exposure over the years.

We suggest you use the product: Epox-y for molding by SamaN

8. Catalyze the resin with the hardener

The mixing ratio is 2 parts resin (component A) to 1 part hardener (component B). In a clean, dry container, mix 2 parts resin with 1 part hardener.

9. Mix

Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the container while kneading. Mix for 3-4 minutes with a drill fitted with a paint mixer attachment. After mixing, transfer the mixture to a similar container and mix again for another 1-2 minutes.

Once kneading is complete, the mixture can remain in the container and be worked for a period of approximately 6 hours.

10. Application

Simply pour the contents into the mold.

11. If there are bubbles...

Wait 15 to 20 minutes, then heat with a waffle iron or lightly pass a lit propane torch over the surface at a 45° angle with the torch tip at least 6 inches from the surface until all the bubbles are gone.

The carbon dioxide at the end of the flame helps the bubbles to break free and burst. This will help ensure a smooth glass finish. If any latent bubbles are released, a similar process may be necessary after 30 minutes. Do not attempt to remove bubbles after more than 2 hours; this will affect the smooth finish of the poured epoxy.

12. Protect from dust

Since epoxy casting takes approximately 3 days to cure, it is particularly important to cover the area to protect it from dust. A large piece of cardboard or hardboard will work very well.

13. Unmold

It is crucial that the molding epoxy has completely hardened before proceeding with demolding. Carefully insert a spatula or flat trowel between the mold and the edge of the table.

You must work in a way that protects your work while removing the melamine surrounding it.

Epoxy-y for molding SamaN Perfect for creating river tables, this product is specially designed for molding and any other application requiring a high level of transparency. Easy to mix, it is resistant to heat, water, UV rays, and chemicals. A thickness of 10 cm (4″) is achieved in a single pour. This low-odor, VOC-free product has bubble-release properties, allows for a working time of up to two hours, and cures 100% solidly without cracking. Buy now