How to make a table of epoxy resin with your own hands?

In modern interior design, more and more unusual and exclusive interior items have been used that can emphasize all the attention of people in the room. To such an original interior solution can be attributed tables decorated with epoxy resin.

In the production of furniture, epoxy resins are not used in their pure form, since the magical qualities of epoxy occur as a result of its contact with a special hardener. By changing the ratio of these two parts to be joined, it is possible to obtain a composition of different consistency. Depending on howfor what purposes it will be used, it can be:

• liquid essence,
• corrosive or rubber substance;
• solid matter;
• high strength base.

The process of making any furniture with decor using epoxy resin involves coating this polymer with a wooden base and carefully polishing the product after the resin has hardened. The general properties of the whole composition will depend on a correctly made ratio of ingredients. The wrong amount of hardener can significantly reduce the strength of the finished product, as well as its resistance to the effects of the environment and household appliances. Therefore, it is so important when preparing a mixture for work to comply with the ratios recommended by the polymer manufacturer, most often these figures are 1: 1.

Compared with ordinary tables made of natural wood, tables with epoxy resin have a number of advantages:

• the composition of the resin upon drying has practically no shrinkage, keeps its shape well, retains the original color, does not deform and is not subject to mechanical damage;
• the exclusivity of each product and unlimited design options;
• the ability to use various additional materials for decoration (coins, tree cuts, shells, stones, starfish, etc.);
• the possibility of adding multicolored dyes to the mixture, including phosphorescent dyes;

• impermeable to moisture and dampness;
• excellent tolerance to chemical cleaning agents.

The main disadvantage of these tables is the very high cost of the product. To cover one copy, depending on the size and shape of the product, it can take up to several tens of liters of a polymeric substance. Another possible unpleasant drawback is the presence of air bubbles, which are formed in the epoxy mixture as a result of non-compliance with instructions and technologies during production.

The first and one of the most important stages in the preparation of a wooden structure for epoxy pouring is the thorough removal of dust and all other contaminants from the surface of the tree.After that, the surface of the table, which will be exposed to pouring, must be primed. If this is not done, the resin, being absorbed into the porous wood, forms air bubbles that will spoil the look of the product.

Only after the preparation stage is completed, the necessary amount of the mixture is prepared from epoxy resin and hardener. At this stage, the most important thing is strict adherence to the proportions indicated in the instructions for use. Depending on the design chosen, dyes or additional decorative materials can be added to the finished mixture. Next, the mixture is applied to the prepared wooden surface.

If a certain design from additional materials is conceived on the table top, then they should be placed on the table surface before pouring. Moreover, light materials, such as wine corks or shells, must first be glued to the surface in accordance with the planned pattern. It is necessary, so that during the pouring of the mixture they do not surface, thus turning the thoughtful composition into a disorderly and uninteresting structure. In case of undesirable air bubbles in the process of pouring themYou can remove them with a construction hair dryer, sending a stream of hot air to the problem area.

The mixture will begin to be grasped in fifteen minutes, but the final stage, namely, the grinding of the product, can be started only after the resin has completely cured. It is desirable to withstand the product within a week, since after this period it has fully settled and will be ready for use.

To create a table with an original tabletop decorated with epoxy resin, you can take absolutely any tree species, including various fragments, cuts, chips, and even sawdust, the main thing is that all even the smallest particles of the future tabletop should be thoroughly dried. The epoxy resin looks surprisingly old and rough wood. For decoration, you can also successfully use sea and river shells, pebbles, dried herbs and flowers, coins, and other inclusions that can give the product a special originality or a specific theme.And mixed with epoxy resin fluorescent dyes, you will create a magical effect of glow.

In resin, a tree eaten by bark beetles or damaged by dampness looks very unusual. Natural damage, filled with epoxy with the addition of a dye or luminous paint, can create unrealistically beautiful cosmic patterns on the tabletop. All sorts of holes, cracks and paths in wood can be created artificially by creating your own drawing. All small holes are filled with the prepared solution using a construction spatula. After curing, the excess resin is removed using a grinder.

The process of making countertops using the pouring method is the most costly and time consuming and also requires special care in working. It is used in the manufacture of worktops with attachments, as well as to create original design copies with fantastic ideas and unusual solutions. As, for example, the famous American designer Greg Klassenwhich creates original models of tables with “natural landscapes”."River" or "lake", frozen in the tops of its amazing tables, amaze with its grandeur and incredible beauty.

How to make a wooden table with a river of epoxy resin with your own hands, see the next video.