Build, Restore & Repair Home & Business Furnishings with Epoxy Resin
In this Guide:
I Introduction
II Build Your Own Epoxy Resin Furniture
- Resin River Table
- Creating Dramatic Inlays
- Build or Buy?
III Create Durable Resin Bar, Table & Counter Tops
IV Restore, Repair, Refinish using Epoxy Resin
I Introduction
When you go to a favorite dining or drinking establishment, have you noticed the gleaming table or bar tops? That’s Epoxy Resin.
Or maybe you’ve noted these same durable and attractive surfaces at a friend’s house, and wondered how they came to be? Well, you too can create these stylish, sturdy and easy-to-clean furnishings – on your own – using, you guessed it – epoxy resin…
Epoxy resin is a versatile, durable and easy-to-use 2-part polymer (resin & hardener) that provides a long-lasting and resilient finish – perfect for a wide variety of home, office and business furnishings. The ‘secret’ to epoxy resins popularity and wide use is its thermosetting properties (heated bonding for a superior hold) that make for a crystal-clear hard-shell finish – as well as its quick curing time.
In this guide, we’ll explore some creative ideas for furniture design and construction, as well as how to repair and restore furnishings to their original luster – all using epoxy resin – read on…
II Build (or buy) Your Own Epoxy Resin Furniture
Resin River Table
One of the pieces of furniture we frequently see crafted using epoxy resin are coffee and accent tables made out of interesting pieces of wood. In one of our weekly blogs, we featured the epoxy resin river table, with information on how to either build this beautiful piece (or purchase one if you prefer – read on for vendors and ideas):
The first thing you need if you decide to create your own resin table, is a piece of wood you find attractive. By definition, since each piece of wood is unique, each table will be one of a kind. There are many sites online that feature complete tool lists and instructions for ‘epoxy resin river tables.’ And of course you can find the right epoxy resin for the job from us HERE.
Creating Dramatic Resin Inlays
Aside from using the polymer to coat, seal and protect the wooden surface; epoxy resin is perfect to create colorful resin inlays – for unique and personal designs that may be mixed with eye-catching resin dyes to dramatic effect.
For instance, in ‘How to Create Dramatic Inlays with Epoxy,’ found on www.finewoodworking.com Christopher Moore explains, “Resin is a wonderful inlay material. You can create delicate patterns without the worry of having to cut and fit matching, delicate inlay pieces. Instead, after drawing and cutting “mortises” for the resin, just pour the resin and watch as it fills the voids. You have an unlimited choice of colors, and the resin can be as translucent or opaque as you’d like. There really are no limits on the designs possible with resin inlay. It’s also a lot of fun, even magical at times.”
Synopsis: Epoxy resin makes a great inlay material because it allows you to create delicate, complicated patterns without having to cut and match delicate, complicated inlay pieces. Here, Christopher Moore explains how to use resin to create stunning inlay and expand your design horizon. From issue #267—Mar/Apr 2018
Epoxy Resin Furnishings – Build or Buy?
For those of you who don’t feel that you’re ready to build an epoxy resin river table on your own yet, but really want to own one; there are many hand-crafted styles and sizes created by myriad artisans available online through sites such as Etsy.com.
Another resource for one-of-a-kind epoxy resin tables and ideas, whether you want to buy or build, is Nable Furniture (www.nablefurniture.com). Their Epoxy Resin Collection features unique custom-crafted tables that highlight the unique characteristics of the wood selected; each piece carefully preserved in high-quality non-toxic resin.
If you’re so inclined to create your own home furnishing however, we encourage you to do so as you’ll get immense satisfaction from doing-it-yourself – and a job well done!
III Create Durable Resin Bar, Table & Countertops
Image from epoxycountertopdiy.com
Remember those memorable lines in ‘Cheers’ when Norm would walk in the door – followed by a beer being slid down the gleaming, slick bar? Bars that have that shiny hard finish, that doesn’t easily mar or scratch, are made of epoxy resin. Creating these bar, table and counter tops is not difficult, and they make for durable and decorative furnishings for your home or business.
In fact, in my teenage years, I helped my father create a bar top – into which we sealed an assortment of memorabilia – wine labels, matchbook covers, cigar bands and postcards from far and wide; creating a unique and memorable tableau for guests.
Epoxy resin is ideal for this type of project due to its multipurpose properties of adhesive, sealant, coating and protectant against impact, moisture and wear. Quality epoxy resin is self-leveling and cures quickly in about 20-30 minutes – to a crystal-clear hard-shell finish – and adheres to most substrates including wood, metal and most plastics.
Surface preparation and polymer application can be easily learned and accomplished in very little time. “Working with wooden countertops and tables is among the easiest. To prep the surface, you may want to use a sander to remove imperfections that you do not want sealed inside. This is also the best time to re-stain it if you have the hopes of changing the wood color slightly while keeping the natural wood grain look of it,” as explained on www.epoxycountertopdiy.com.
You can find complete instructions and tips on surface preparation, epoxy dispensing, mixing and application, cure times and more on the FAQs section of our web site.
IV Restore, Repair, Refinish using Epoxy Resin
Tabletop Epoxy Resin
Over time, even the most durable of surfaces will show some signs of wear. Or maybe something was dropped on the surface causing a chip or scratch. If the surface is made of epoxy resin – no worries – as it may be easily repaired, resurfaced or refinished and look like new again!
Surface scratches and small chips may be smoothed out using the steps found in ‘How to Repair a Clear Epoxy Resin Countertop‘ from www.doityourself.com. These include applying Old English Lemon Oil, then sanding, cleaning and applying a light layer of epoxy. Epoxy resin in cement form may also be applied to chips.
“If you have a clear epoxy resin countertop or a countertop that will need repair, epoxy resin is worth consideration. Home improvements are pricey and time consuming but the benefits are wonderful. If you can do it yourself, you have got it made.”
Creating bar, table and count tops made form epoxy resin makes for strong impact-resistant surfaces capable of a featuring a smooth texture and finish that most other materials can’t come close to matching. Damage to these surfaces is infrequent; but when it does occur, light sanding exposes undamaged layers – which may then be easily patched. No wonder epoxy has become so popular! Try it for yourself and see. We think you’ll be surprised at epoxy’s ease-of-use and impressed at the results!
Access the PDF of this Guide: Build, Restore & Repair Home & Business Furnishings with Epoxy Resin.
