How to make a pouring table. Epoxy resin table: how to make stylish tables and kitchen countertops with your own hands. Transparent or plain tabletop

Available for sale different options kitchen tables - classic and original, made of wood, MDF, glass and other materials. You can make such furniture with your own hands. The table looks incredibly beautiful epoxy resin, after all this material allows you to create unique designs, real objects of art.

Features of the material

Epoxy resin is often used in workshops on making jewelry, crafts, sculptures and interior items. Particularly popular is transparent epoxy, which has enormous scope for imagination. The composition of epoxy for pouring includes synthetic oligomer compounds, alcohols, and a number of other components. To obtain the desired properties, it is necessary to pour a hardener into the product - only after this can the resin harden.

Depending on the amount of hardener and the introduction of other substances, the resin for products may acquire different characteristics. It has the ability to harden or turn into glue, be super strong or rubber-like. For the bay dining tables It is necessary to use hard resins, both for creating new furniture and restoring old ones. It is this coating that will be abrasion resistant and durable.

Advantages and disadvantages of epoxy countertops

A huge advantage of the products is their unique design. The tabletop can have any appearance that the user desires. For decorating chairs, coffee tables, kitchen tables and even desks use different materials- pieces of wood and glass, stump cuts, stones, foil and glitter, sawdust and sand. Shells are also used marble chips, pebbles, souvenirs and money, dried flowers and leaves. The resin can be painted in any color, up to the most saturated tone, to achieve the effect of a landscape, sea, river, etc.

Other advantages of the products are:

completely waterproof, washable;
tolerance of many household products;
no shrinkage during operation, preservation of shape and original color;
absence of deformation and reaction to moderate mechanical stress.

When choosing this technology, you need to take into account its disadvantages. The cost of a table for the kitchen, living room, countertops for the bathroom will be high. The consumption per 1 m2 of epoxy is high; it can take 10-20 liters of resin or more. If the sequence of actions is violated, at the slightest mistake air bubbles will appear inside, which are difficult to get rid of.

Types and design features of tables

Typically, countertops are made using epoxy. It is better to make table legs from a different material, although they can also be cast. There are different table options:

transparent without base;
with a base of saw cuts, boards, and other parts of wood;
combined;
with different fillings.

Structures without a supporting surface

If we are making a massive or miniature transparent tabletop without support, we need to make a mold for it. Its appearance can be anything, even bizarre. It is in such tables that it is often used LED backlight, glowing neon elements, “lightning”. The pouring table with the addition of water looks original - you get real space objects on the surface. The disadvantage of baseless tables is the need for careful operation.

Wood and epoxy resin countertops

The combination of oak, elm (elm), pine and other wood with epoxy is very popular. The resin can be used in transparent form or color as desired. Matte bases look worse because wooden inserts poorly visible. You can paint a piece of wood to make it brighter or more luminous.

Another option for making a table is to fill a wooden base with resin; boxes and old boards will do. For the base for the table you can take a painted plywood surface or marbled chipboard. You can even base it on a painting, still life, or drawing.

Wooden tables with epoxy coating

Such products involve the manufacture of a full-fledged wooden table - round, square, original. Decor is scattered on it (colored pebbles, shells, plants, cones, painted bolts and nuts, coffee beans, buttons). Cut hemp with moss and bleached pieces of logs look beautiful. Next, the table is filled with a thick layer of epoxy mixture, adding edges along the edges.

Slab and epoxy tables

A slab (blind) is a solid solid slab of wood or stone. A stone table filled with epoxy resin will be too heavy, but the product made from a wooden slab will be successful. It is required to prepare a slab with the following characteristics:

wood thickness - 5-15 cm;
cut - longitudinal, without processed edge;
the array is solid, there are no gluing points;
the pattern is beautiful, rich, with knots and interesting texture.

Ready-made slab can be purchased or ordered from a woodworking company. How much it will cost depends on the size, type of wood, and quality of the material.

Table in the shape of a river

River on the table - interesting option decor, it is often adjacent to volcanic lava. In the center of the tabletop there is an insert reminiscent of a river flowing through a mountain gorge. The insert has a blue, blue-green color, the base is usually made of solid wood. At the bottom of the “reservoir” you can put pebbles and shells. The table can be made in any shape - rectangular, oval, round or square.

Choosing a resin for making a table

Which resin to choose for creativity? There are various brands of epoxy, the best one is the one that has a long period before hardening and is absolutely transparent. If the properties of the material are different, the time for layer-by-layer pouring will increase, the resin itself may boil - overheat and deteriorate. Base resins such as ED-20 are not suitable due to their thickness. After curing, there will be replacements on the table air bubbles. The transparency of cheap base resins leaves much to be desired, and their strength is not always the best.

What resin would be better suited for the table? A number of products are suitable for furniture production:

Art-Array. Low-viscosity composition based on modified epoxy resin. Allows you to pour a layer 60 mm thick.
"Epoxy Master". This resin easily hardens in a 5 cm layer and perfectly fills hard-to-reach areas. The reactivity of the product is average, so you can work with it on large products.
"Art-Eco" from Ekovanna. This material is poured only in thin layers, but it is resistant to the formation of cracks and allows the use of acrylic colors.
Epoxacast 690. Transparent jewelry resin, great for filling small elements on the table.
PEO 610KE. Russian resin does not turn yellow, does not become cloudy, and has no darkening from ultraviolet radiation.

Counting the amount of epoxy resin

To avoid mistakes, you need to carefully calculate the volume of resin consumed. Each manufacturer indicates the exact material consumption, but the differences between brands are small. On square meter surface, 1-1.1 kg of mass is consumed per layer 1 mm thick. You need to multiply this amount by the estimated thickness in millimeters and quadrature, adding a little material for the error.

DIY table - technology

To make a table, you need to read the instructions and follow all the steps step by step. It is important to remember that epoxy hardens quickly when room temperature, so you should work with it faster. Some people wonder whether and why it is possible to heat resin with a burner? It is forbidden to heat the fill from above; it will immediately become deformed. Other rules for working with epoxy:

do not forget about safety measures, use a respirator, gloves, goggles, so as not to harm your health;
work only in a well-ventilated area;
Avoid exposure to sunlight until the resin hardens; it may turn yellow;
do not make sweeping movements when mixing two components (resin and hardener), otherwise the appearance of air bubbles will not be avoided;
Do not freeze the tabletop until it is completely ready - the material will delaminate;
do not forget about polishing and coating with protective varnish.

The composition hardens poorly at high humidity, so it must be adjusted in the workroom. To increase the speed of curing of the solution, increase the temperature in the room, but without directly heating the product.

Required materials

Depending on the selected model, different accessories may be required for operation:

resin in the required quantity;
acrylic paints, interior;
masking tape;
wooden sticks for dividing the tabletop into sectors;
jars (containers) for mixing resins different colors;
spatula for spreading resin over the countertop;
fine sandpaper for sanding or a sander;
construction level, laser;
desired decor;
boards;
self-tapping screws, wood screws;
stain;
plywood for the form;
funds personal protection;
wood hacksaw;
cellophane for covering the filled product.

Sketching

To complete a sketch, it is better to contact someone who has experience in modeling if you decide to prepare a complex product. Beginners should start making tables with simple designs. You need to calculate the size, all sides of the product, draw them on paper, not forgetting to mark the location of the decor.

Fabrication of the supporting structure

Step-by-step instructions for building a table begin with creating a support. When the technology does not provide support, this point is skipped. Usually the frame is made of plywood, wood, or less often metal. In the latter case you will need welding machine, therefore this technique is used infrequently. The shape and size of the structure are chosen taking into account the dimensions of the future table.

Preparation of formwork and filling

The tabletop can be whole or consist of separate parts. Depending on the needs, formwork is prepared, the edges of which should be as smooth as possible. All joints are sealed with silicone to prevent resin from leaking through the holes. The formwork is installed on the base and placed inside decorative elements. Next, they are carefully glued individually to the base, not allowing the glue to protrude, otherwise it will be visible in the transparent resin.

Before pouring the countertop, the mold must be degreased. How to coat the support to prevent the resin from sticking? For this purpose, special primers or wax compositions are sold. Also, the inner surface can be covered with a transparent polyethylene film.

Preparation of epoxy

Epoxy resin is mixed strictly according to the attached instructions. Any composition is two-component. Colors are added only to the resin before adding the hardener and mix well. The paint should first be heated to +30-35 degrees so that it can better integrate into the composition. You can’t heat it up too much - it can ruin the resin!

Next, a hardener is added to the main component. Typically the ratio is 10:3.5, but may vary depending on the brand of resin. The mass is thoroughly kneaded, but without sudden movements, so that bubbles do not appear. If they are present, carefully blow on the epoxy. warm air from a hair dryer while stirring. The composition should be poured within 5-7 hours; it has a limited shelf life, so mixing the mixture into several layers at once will not work.

Correct filling

You should start pouring depending on the thickness of the solution and the needs of the master:

liquid texture - used to fill multiple depressions and corners, such a mass easily flows off the stick;
“liquid honey” is a more viscous epoxy, allows you to create drops, lenses, small decorations, and is also used for filling round tabletops;
“thick honey” - better suited as glue, not suitable for pouring;
“rubber” resin is already a half-hardened material, but you can sculpt products from it, like plasticine.

Epoxy up to 5-6 cm thick is poured into one layer. Otherwise, you will have to do the work in several passes, but only after the first layer has completely cured. Pour the resin in a thin stream from the center, for which it is lowered into the solution wooden stick. Then they force the mass to flow down it. The solution is leveled on top with a spatula.

Sanding and varnishing

Some resins do not require sanding, others require sanding. finishing. For polishing, only the finest sandpaper is useful; coarse material should not be used. Work is carried out at a slow pace so that the surface does not overheat. It is better to add water little by little to remove heat in a timely manner. To complete the work, the base is coated with a protective varnish.

Tabletop care

You cannot place hot pots or dishes on the countertop - they will melt. For care use only soft cloth- wool, flannel. Use a damp cloth to remove heavy dirt, then wipe dry. Do not use abrasives, aggressive agents, acetone, or alcohol. Heavy objects are also harmful to the tabletop - if dropped, the product may be damaged. If you follow these tips, the table will serve for a long time without any complaints!

Hello Dear Friends!

This article will talk about working with resin when making a table or countertop:

For transparent products it is necessary to use a new generation resin: MG EPOX STRONG
For color (designer and single color): MG EPOX WHITE (no longer available)

As for hot items: it is strictly forbidden to place frying pans or pots removed from the stove!!!

Making a table/tabletop with your own hands from epoxy resin:

Where to start is, of course, with surface preparation, because, as in any other matter, quality preparation is the key to success. The blank of the future product must be placed in a horizontal position with maximum accuracy, otherwise sagging may form.

IMPORTANT!!!

When we make an item in a horizontal position, there is a possibility that unwanted objects will get into the resin mass, such as hair, eyelashes, remains of dried paint on special sleeves. clothes, etc.

Specialist. cloth:

paper painting suit
rubber gloves (gloves are very important point because there is hair on the fingers)
headdress; a shower cap is suitable for this purpose.

Let's look at the three most popular options for making countertops:

monochrome
combined colors
with fillers and decorative attachments in the resin mass

Single color:

The application surface must be dry and clean
If the surface is absorbent, for example, made of wood (), then it should first be generously primed with resin to cover the pores. If this is not done, then when pouring resin it will begin to be absorbed and air bubbles will creep out.
Now we take resin and dyes, get the desired shade and pour it onto the surface
Let it sit for 10-15 minutes and use construction hair dryer or burners, remove air bubbles.
Leave for 48 hours, then you can sand and polish (if required). Full strength gain 7 days at room temperature.

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Combined colors:

Everything is the same as in a single-color application, but other colors are only added.

with fillers and decorative attachments to the resin mass:

This production is the most responsible and requires the attention of the master!!!

We have already talked about a dry and clean base, now it is worth noting that decorative attachments and fillers must also be 100% dry. Sometimes customers ask what will happen if they add a slice of lemon, a fresh rose, moss, etc. We answer: if the filler is not dried, then at the moment of contact between wet objects and the resin, whitish spots will appear, this is the reaction of the resin with water.
Light attachments must be glued to the base otherwise they will float. If the fillers and decors do not have a large height, say 1-5 mm, then the resin can be poured at a time.
If tall and complex shaped objects (), such as stones, wrenches, chain, etc. objects that have texture and indentations, then you should be patient and do the filling in several operations. It is recommended to fill the intermediate layers no later than 48 hours.
When pouring layers, the condition of the resin should be monitored, because in some cases, there are depressions and pores in the objects and decors being poured, the resin gradually penetrates into these places and squeezes out air, respectively, bubbles rise to the top and must be removed with heat (hair dryer, burner). This resin penetration process can take up to three hours depending on the structure of the item. The easiest way is to pre-dip or thoroughly coat the object with resin, and then immerse or fill it with resin.

After applying the last layer of resin, the product needs to gain strength, at room temperature this happens within 7 days, you can speed up the process of gaining strength by placing it in a heat chamber, optimal temperature 25°C, so strength gains occur in 3-4 days.

An example of processing objects with resin and pouring:

Photo gallery: tables and countertops made of epoxy resin:

14.03.2018

Epoxy resin has unique properties, thanks to which it is widely used in various industries. Based on epoxy with appropriate additives, various compounds, which allow us to produce high-quality, aesthetic and incredibly practical things, from small decorations to floors in an apartment or house. Epoxy resin is also used for pouring countertops and making entire furniture. Used for thin layer coating epoxy varnishes Etal And epoxy paints etal.

A product made of epoxy resin or coated with epoxy compounds is not afraid of mechanical and chemical damage and looks really impressive, especially when using decoupage or similar techniques. The entire manufacturing process will require personal protective equipment and accuracy, but no special tools or special skills are needed. Read more about the filling method further in the article.

Material characteristics

For pouring countertops two-component epoxy compounds, consisting of a resin and a hardener, for example brand Etal(transparent Etal-3D, Etal-Optic, Etal-257Carbon/Light etc.). After hardening, the mixture does not decrease in volume and does not become cracked; it perfectly fills small uneven areas. The material is resistant to moisture, abrasion, but when exposed to high temperature melts, a sandy tint may appear, like all epoxies.

Specialized epoxy compounds have special additives that improve the properties of the epoxy resin, such as wear resistance, heat resistance, UV resistance, chemical resistance, impact resistance, etc.

You can make your own epoxy resins different brands hardeners, additives, dyes.

The most common epoxy resin in the post-Soviet space is epoxy diane resin ED-20, the main disadvantage of which is the increased viscosity of the substance, which makes removing air bubbles from the mass very problematic. After some time, the ED-20 countertop loses its transparency and becomes slightly yellowish, but when using dyes this is not so important. In addition, ED-20 resin different manufacturers differs in physical and mechanical properties after curing, in particular in fragility, and in shade. Its role in performance characteristics The hardener selected for polymerization of the resin also contributes. Actively used hardeners Etal-45M, PEPA. The advantage of ED-20 is its low cost.

Among imported resins, an analogue of ED-20 resin can be called epoxy KER 828 resin. But if you need a resin with low viscosity (like water), transparent and quick-curing, then we recommend using resin KER 215 With hardener KSA 4303.

Epoxy compounds allow you to create various shapes products: the thicker the consistency, the easier it is - this is, for example, when working in epoxy plasticines stamps Etal, and in the manufacture of composite products (fiberglass, carbon fiber), it is necessary to select impregnating epoxy compounds Etal with low viscosity.

Countertops and furniture can be made entirely from epoxy resin or combined options with other materials, for example: wood, stone.

When covering wooden table top The epoxy composition stabilizes the wood: its pores are filled with resin. As a result, the tree becomes invulnerable to ultraviolet radiation, solvents, and organics.

In addition to operational properties, epoxy resin also has decorative advantages. With its help, patterns, decorations, and imitations are created. For example, you can coat a painting, shells, pebbles, leaves, etc. with a layer of resin. Epoxy resin can be painted beautifully, e.g. epoxy tinting pastes Etal. You can get a colored transparent or opaque coating, as well as with various stains.

Specialized epoxy compounds are not cheap materials, but if you compare them with analogues for treating surfaces with increased stress on abrasion, moisture and mechanical damage, then the price becomes very reasonable. The price of epoxy casting transparent compounds as of 2019 varies depending on the properties of the composition and packaging in the range from 37.8 to 45 rubles per kilogram, the wholesale price will be lower, about 32-41 rubles / kg. Epoxy varnishes are even cheaper. Savings, of course, are possible by selecting separately cheap, unmodified resin and hardener, without the use of special chemical additives. (We advise, however, to pay special attention on the environmental friendliness of the hardener. Health is more valuable.)

There are several types of countertops made using epoxy compounds:

Made entirely of resin, without support. Similar view most often found in the manufacture of coffee or coffee tables, for which significant loads are not planned.

2. Made from wood and coated with epoxy as a protective layer. The role of the base can be played by a board made of any material: solid wood, multiplex, paneled surface, fibreboard, chipboard, OSB, etc. Before pouring, such tabletops are often decorated (with prints, stencil painting, paper elements, according to the decoupage principle, mosaics, pebbles, flowers, coins, shells - whatever).

3. Combined, when the resin alternates with fragments of another material: wood, stone...

The base can have any shape (square, round), it is important to make the sides of the required height so that after the pour hardens side surfaces the countertops were smooth and level.

Advice! When choosing a material for decorating a tabletop, remember that the more embossed the decoration, the thicker the layer of fill will have to be made; it will take longer to dry.

Advantages of a countertop coated with epoxy resin:

After drying, the substance does not shrink.
After hardening, the surface becomes perfectly smooth, like glass.
Resistant to damage caused by mechanical impact(dents, chips, cuts).
Insensitive to moisture and aggressive cleaning agents household chemicals, therefore does not require a special selection of care methods.
Under the influence ultraviolet rays does not collapse.
Looks impressive.
Can be subjected to mechanical processing: drilling, cutting, grinding, polishing.

Useful tips

To epoxy resin table top, made with your own hands, turned out to be a real work of art, should be followed work requirements and take into account the recommendations of professionals:

1. To do high-quality filling, exact adherence to the proportions of the components will be required.
Advice! Dosage is carried out by weighing on scales.
2. When mixing one-time large volumes of epoxy compound, a slight yellowness may appear due to strong heating.
Advice! If colorlessness of a transparent product is required, mix the compound in smaller portions.
3. When mixing components and pouring the countertop, bubbles may form.
Advice! Mix the components of the epoxy compound at low speed with the mixer, having previously mixed each component separately and adding the hardener while mixing into the resin. When pouring the compound, it is advisable to first apply it to the surface of the mold. epoxy composition using a brush, and then fill. If there are still bubbles in the layer after leveling, pass the burner over the tabletop, the bubbles will come out - but do not linger on the flame over one place to avoid overheating.
4. The resin cures faster and more uniformly at room temperature.
5. To avoid deformation, do not heat the surface from above.
6. When pouring layer by layer, a section of layers may be visible.
Advice! Do not overexpose the product, pour the next layer when the previous one is gelatinized (dried) “tack-free”. During exposure, close the product to prevent dust from entering the surface. If the previous layer has already dried, then sand the surface and clean it before pouring the next layer of epoxy.
7. After curing, the surface of the countertop is uneven or there are uncured areas or spots - this indicates uneven mixing of the hardener with the resin.
Advice! It is necessary to mix the components of the compound more thoroughly. To avoid unmixing and obtain a uniform distribution of components, pour the mixed composition from one working container into another container, completely clearing the walls and bottom of the compound, and again thoroughly mix the mass with a thick mixer, spatula or spatula. Try not to bring the tool to the surface of the mass, otherwise there is a high probability of air bubbles being sucked in.
8. The surface of the tabletop turned out to be somewhat cloudy.
Advice! Cure the resin in a dry room. High humidity may cause cloudiness. To eliminate this, grind and polish the surface (grain size from 320 to 600, speed no more than 1000 with paste and water to prevent heating of the surface).

9. When poured into the mold around the perimeter, a border along the side was obtained.
Advice! Cut the edge around, grind and polish the surface. Lubricate the surface of the mold with wax release agent.
10. A sharp drop in temperature can lead to the appearance of white flake-like inclusions in the deep layers - the hardened substance separates under the influence of extreme cold.
Advice! To remove white flakes that appear, warm the countertop to +50-60˚C.
11. When using the product near fire or in direct sunlight, the solid resin begins to turn yellow.
Advice! Use special UV-resistant and heat-resistant epoxy compounds to manufacture the product.Etal.
12. When exposed to high heat, the tabletop material will release toxic chemicals. human body substances.
Advice! To prevent the release of toxins when heated, coat the countertop with an additional protective transparent varnish.
13. When pouring into a springform mold, epoxy seeped through the seams.
Advice! For sealing seams in molds, it is better to use , MaxSil or adhesive sealantADHESIONMS(in case of using a polymer form).
14. It is necessary to work in compliance with safety rules as strictly as possible.

* * *

Be careful when performing work, do not ignore advice,

and work will give excellent result and will bring a lot of fun.

The furnishings in the house ensure that it is cozy and matches your tastes. However, furniture stores are not always able to offer something that suits your vision of the interior. Yes and standard solutions- is not at all what suits people who strive for individual design. It’s easier, of course, to order an exclusive and pay money for it. But it’s much more interesting to implement the idea yourself. For example, for a tabletop it makes it possible to create any creative surface, unique and inimitable. Of course, you will have to work hard. But epoxy is a fairly simple material to work with, and mastering the basics of handling it is not difficult.

Advantages of the material

What is especially good about epoxy resin for pouring countertops is that when it dries, it retains its original volume. Varnish, for example, dries due to the evaporation of the liquid entering it. As a result, its layer shrinks, which often creates problems. Resin hardening is caused by chemical reaction. And if you require a lens by design, you will get it. Moreover, it will not be subject to chips, removal, or deformation. And just a flat surface will remain flat, without sagging as it dries.

Another advantage that epoxy resin has is price. The material is cheaper than others designed to create durable surfaces. The cost on average ranges between 200 and 280 rubles per kilogram. And if you need epoxy resin in bulk, the price will drop to 180-190, depending on the size of the batch.

Guarantee of success: preparation

To mix the material you will need a bowl (the volume depends on how much epoxy you need), a mixing stick and two measuring containers. Before mixing, you need to carefully study the instructions: the proportions of the components are different and depend on the manufacturer. They must be strictly observed, otherwise the material will not harden well.

First, the epoxy is measured, and then the resin hardener. You need to pour it into the base, and not vice versa. The combined materials are kneaded as thoroughly as possible; the quality of hardening also depends on this. Once homogeneity is achieved, you need to wait until the resin reaches the desired consistency, after which you can use it for its intended purpose.

Which stage to use for what?

Countertop epoxy resin comes in several thicknesses, and each is suitable for a different purpose.

Liquid stage: the composition flows freely from the stick. Ideal condition for filling molds - at this stage all corners and depressions will be filled.
Thickness like “liquid honey”. It flows viscously from the sampler, lingering at the tip. Exactly what you need to create drops and lenses. Also suitable for filling soft shapes, for example, for a round tabletop.
“Thick honey” stage. It is practically not suitable for pouring, but it is impeccable as an adhesive - previous consistencies will run off.
The next stage, in which the resin is separated from the total mass with difficulty, is of little use for any purpose. Either they don’t bring it to this point, or they wait for it to thicken even more.
The rubber phase allows you to create fancy shapes, like modeling from plasticine. True, in order for the epoxy resin for the countertop to retain its shape, it will have to be fixed in in the right position, otherwise she will straighten up.

The last stage is solid. When the epoxy reaches it, your countertop is ready.

Subtleties of the process

Before you make an epoxy resin countertop, take care not to add any further work to yourself. In particular, cover the table you are working on or the floor under the workbench with polyethylene - leaked resin can be removed with great effort.

Until the surface dries, it will collect all the dust. Consider your coverage option in advance. For example, low racks on which the film “roof” will be stretched.

No water should get into either the resin or the hardener. Including from the air, so when high humidity It's not worth working. It also requires a certain temperature regime: if the room temperature is less than 22 Celsius, you risk getting a poorly hardened countertop. You can speed up hardening by increasing the temperature, for example, by placing the product on a radiator. You should not heat it with a hairdryer: the resin will boil and give a huge number of bubbles.

If a bubble appears near the surface when the epoxy resin for the countertop is first poured, you can blow on it through a cocktail straw, a thin syringe, or even the body of a ballpoint pen. The ball will burst without spoiling the craft.

Nuances of use

A tabletop made of epoxy resin, made by hand, has its own characteristics in operation. Firstly, the material tends to turn yellow from sunlight, and sometimes from heat. If you plan to place the table in a southern room or kitchen, or in a poorly protected garden gazebo- buy a foundation with a UV filter.

Secondly, the cold sometimes causes flakes or grains to form on the countertop. You can return it to its original appearance by heating it to 40-60 degrees.

Thirdly, epoxy resin is not very suitable for countertops used in kitchen conditions, since it can emit toxins when heated. If you want to place such a table in the kitchen, cover the surface with a protective transparent varnish. Best of all - designed for yachts.

Table top mold

You will need it if you want to make it completely out of epoxy, without using anything as a supporting surface. For the form, you can take glass of the required size. It is thoroughly washed, wiped dry and degreased with acetone. Then the surface is rubbed with wax mastic, which after a third of an hour is polished with a dry rag. The edges can be made from If you want perfectly smooth edges of the tabletop, buy polished ones. The inner surface is treated with a mixture of turpentine and paraffin. They are attached to the glass with window putty.

All of these procedures are required to ensure that the epoxy resin for the countertop does not stick to the mold, and that the finished product can be easily removed from it. However, if you intend to insert the surface into a “frame,” you do not need to worry about the smoothness of the cuts. in this case, the sides can be assembled from any available material and sandwiched with polyethylene or rubber - epoxy will not stick to them.

Otherwise, everything is simple: prepare the solution, bring it to the desired consistency and pour it. To obtain a varied structure, you can tint the resin with water-insoluble dyes or add inclusions to it - small pebbles, fragments of colored glass, etc.

Coin idea

It is not at all necessary to make a countertop only from this material. Epoxy resin for countertops makes it possible to use a variety of additional elements. For example, if you have an old but strong tabletop, you can actually make a new one out of it, and a very unusual one at that. The surface is cleaned; you can paint it in suitable color. Old coins are cleaned with a special solution. The tabletop is laid evenly, with low borders along the edges. Coins are laid out inside the “box”. There is no need to fasten them in any way. All that remains is to fill the mold with epoxy and wait for it to set. This idea is especially good for a bar counter.

Wood plus resin

A very elegant solution would be to combine epoxy with natural wood. Either a regular tabletop is knocked together from boards with cavities, or they are artistically cut out on the finished one. The surface is sanded until smooth; Fluorescent dyes are added to the diluted resin. All cleaned cavities are filled with the composition. After drying, the tabletop is coated in several layers with intermediate sanding. An unusual and colorful table is ready!

Handmade products have always evoked admiration and respect. Each of us can independently make unique, inimitable things, decorative and household items, furniture. At the same time, a person will not need any special knowledge or skills. Enough with a huge desire, imagination, ideas, devices, equipment, substances that can be either improvised means or acquired and naturally the hands of a master.

IN lately, about a couple of years old, is especially popular among craftsmen. This is an excellent substance for creating various interior items, in particular tables, and to be more precise, countertops. It is not necessary to use the services of professionals and place an order for production in a workshop. You can do all the same things without outside help. All that remains is to be patient and provide yourself with a place for creativity.

How to choose the right chemical raw materials

Any production begins with the purchase of consumable raw materials. In our case, the main thing is to choose epoxy directly for this product. Since a lot of it will be spent, we immediately rule out expensive options such as brands for optics and jewelry.

There are several fundamental rules that will help you make the right purchase.

Transparency must be complete. This provides an opportunity to bring the most daring projects into reality. The product will look perfect if you install lighting from below. To do this, you can take a phosphor or LED strip. It will also look good if you tint it with color while maintaining transparency or use some other materials, such as wood, as a backing. As for people with experience, they create real masterpieces in the form of 3D figures.
Slow curing is another requirement. This feature allows you to different stage solidify to form various patterns or tint fragments of a future masterpiece. Filling is done when the mass is in a liquid state. Parts are formed when it acquires viscosity.
Loss of volume during hardening is eliminated.
Low viscosity is necessary to prevent bubbles from forming during mixing.

Preparatory stage before starting activities

To begin implementing your idea, you will first need to prepare. We will need:

a workroom with room temperature, low (ideally, the temperature should be higher, then the work will be completed much more quickly) and an optimal amount of free time;
raw materials for creating a special template (plastic with low porosity, acrylic, polyethylene);
grout, as well as (plasticine to rub the cracks, paraffin or the well-known Vaseline, so that the resin mixture can be easily removed from the matrix);
measuring containers in which to place the hardener and epoxy resin. According to all the rules, the main component must be weighed, for which specially designed scales are used, which, unfortunately, not everyone has. Modern manufacturers we took care of the permissibility of fluctuations in proportions, which allows us to measure the components by volume;
bulk containers intended for mixing, as well as necessary equipment, construction mixer;
tools for grinding (it is recommended to use a grinding machine with a set of different-grained sandpapers);
a set consisting directly of the epoxy itself and the hardener;
various additives, including phosphors and pigments;
details for the decor of the future finished product, which include slabs (wood layers that have been processed, their edges are untreated). This also includes quartz sand different colors, providing the effect of a “stone” surface when polishing, balls of multi-colored glass, bottle caps and much more.

This approach to production allows you to save quite a lot of money.

Procedure

As when working with any material or equipment, you first need to study the instructions. This way you can avoid mistakes and quite unpleasant surprises. After familiarizing yourself with the instructions and recommendations and learning the theory, you can begin practical tasks.

Some useful information

To help home craftsman experts offer some simple but important tips.

Workplace before starting labor activity it is advisable to cover plastic film. If epoxy gets on it during work and hardens, it will be extremely difficult to remove it.
Remember that your workshop should be clean and dust-free.
Do not allow water to get into the working mixture. It can be harmful.
How more material, the faster it hardens. If the fill thickness is 1-2 cm, you can begin further work within a day. A thin layer of 1 mm does not always harden completely even after two or three days.
To speed up the hardening process, the room is often heated. It is better not to do this until the resin thickens.
Ideally, choose brands with low viscosity for work.
Remember that worst enemy such a product remains ultraviolet radiation, first of all, straight sun rays. By dyeing (adding dye), the level of light exposure becomes much lower.