The Best Epoxy Resin of 2024
If you are a creative person who loves to play with colors and paints, then you must have come across those "river tables" that people make and keep in their homes. This artwork is done on wood and it doesn’t only involve exquisite wood finishes. Rather, it uses a special compound called epoxy resin for wood, which can be used in hundreds of different ways for artistic purposes.
Epoxy resin for wood is readily available in the market, and you can make anything with it. Nowadays, social media is full of people creating beautiful art work by combining woodwork and epoxy resin, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t try it also. If you aren’t sure of how to go about it, there is no reason to worry. Check out our favorite, the DR CRAFTY Clear Epoxy Resin, for a great woodworking experience.
Our Top Picks
The Best Epoxy Resin
Best Overall
The DR CRAFTY Clear Epoxy Resin is a 2-part kid that features 1 gallon of resin solution and 1 gallon of hardener. Both solutions are mixed in an equal amount to prepare a glossy and beautiful solution that can be used on wood finishes and other types of artwork. The package also comes with 2 measuring cups with spouts, as well as 2 large mixing sticks and 2 plastic spreaders. These accessories help you mix and pour the solution properly over the wood, ensuring that there are no bubbles in it. This excellent formula mixed with great included accessories makes this the best overall product on the list.
Pros
- Contains resin and hardener bottles
- The solution hardens quickly
Cons
- Doesn’t cure well if not mixed properly
Best for Beginners
Unleash your creative spark and immerse your wood artistry with the Unicone Art Epoxy Resin Craft Kit. This kit promises to deliver crystal clear and minimal bubbles results. The kit comes with 2 gallons of epoxy resin, designed to provide a high-gloss, UV-resistant, and odor-free finish to your artistic endeavors.
This resin epoxy kit stands out as the most user-friendly for beginners, enabling even the novice artists to achieve professional-level results.
Besides its top-notch quality, it’s BPA-free and has a non-toxic crystal clear formula, ensuring a safe and healthy environment while you create. Its high-gloss and UV-resistant properties ensure your artwork’s longevity, keeping them fresh and vibrant for an extended period. So whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting, this craft kit from Unicone will elevate your wood artistry to new levels.
Pros
- Easy to mix and apply
- Cures clear and hard
- Resistant to bubbles
Cons
- Strong odor when mixing
Most Efficient
If you’re ready to dive into the world of crafting and woodworking, investing in the Better Boat Epoxy Resin Kit should be your first step. Renowned for its quick-curing properties, this epoxy resin kit takes your crafting experience to a whole new level. Ideal for business owners with a passion for DIY projects, it enables you to create beautiful art, jewelry, tabletops, and even boats with an unmatched clear finish.
This high-efficiency epoxy kit is not just for beginners. Even seasoned resin crafters love how quickly it hardens, saving them valuable time on each project. This kit ensures your creations boast a crystal clear finish, highlighting the intricate details of your work. It comes with a range of resin molds, making it a comprehensive solution for anyone eager to explore epoxy resin crafting. Whether working on a small business project or a personal crafting endeavor, the Better Boat Epoxy Resin Kit delivers results that will impress. So, why not turn your creative dreams into reality with this top-tier epoxy resin kit? It truly is the best way to create beautiful art with wood.
Pros
- Ideal for crafting and small business use
- Easy 1-to-1 mixing ratio
- Fast curing time
Cons
- Fast curing time reducing workability
High-Quality Option
The Pros Marine Supplies Epoxy Resin is a premium quality product that is suitable for use with table tops, wooden countertops, bars, wood finishes, and artwork. It consists of two 1-gallon bottles: table top epoxy and epoxy hardener, both of which are mixed in a 1:1 ratio and used to deliver the right consistency and texture. This epoxy resin has a high gloss to it, and is also UV-resistant, water-resistant and self-leveling.
This premium quality epoxy resin for wood is available in sufficient quantity and can be used for quite some time before you would need to order it again. It is the perfect choice for people who are trying out DIY projects.
Pros
- Has a self-leveling technology that makes it easier to use
- Doesn’t have any bubbles or yellow patches when it hardens
Cons
- Can ruin wood furniture if not mixed properly
Most Versatile
The Superclear Premium Epoxy Resin is specially formulated to be used for river tables, countertops, bars, and other types of artwork. Plus, it can also be mixed with alcohol ink, resin dyes, tints, and other mixtures for adding color to your epoxy resin. It is a 2-part kit that features two solutions, each of which is mixed in a 1:1 ratio to create a smooth and glossy resin finish. The end product is also UV and water-resistant, thus helping you create the perfect artwork.
This epoxy resin for wood is easy to use and is suitable for DIY enthusiasts, as well as people who are working on a professional project.
Pros
- Can be mixed with different pigments, resin dyes, and much more
- Works well with all types of tables, bars, countertops, etc.
Cons
- Takes a lot of time to harden
Full Kit
The HXDZFX Epoxy Resin Kit comes in a 2-part and consists of a resin and hardener. These two solutions have to be mixed in equal quantities to achieve a perfect formulation. The epoxy resin kit also includes 2 gloves for easy handling, 2 graduated cups for mixing both solutions in equal parts, and 2 wooden sticks for proper mixing. Moreover, there is also a detailed and comprehensive instruction manual that you can refer to if you don’t understand anything.
This epoxy resin for wood can be used for all types of art and crafts, as well as for making river tables and much more. It has a clear consistency that is free from yellowing and bubbles, thus giving a refined look.
Pros
- Comes with gloves, graduated cups and sticks
- Has a 40-minute work time
Cons
- Doesn’t work well with high temperatures
Resistant to UV Damage
The Incredible Solutions Table Top & Bar Top Epoxy Resin is a premium quality solution that consists of a base resin and curing agent, both of which are mixed in equal parts for better hardening. It has a highly clear curing quality with little or no bubbles, a smooth texture, and also resistance against moisture or UV rays. Not only that, but the resin is durable and stays solid even after impact.
This epoxy resin for wood has a self-levelling quality as well, which means that you don’t need to level it after pouring. It doesn’t have any unpleasant odor, and can also be mixed with different types of dyes and pigments.
Pros
- Specially formulated for tabletops and bar tops
- Impact and UV-resistant formulation
Cons
- Temperature requirement is difficult to match
Best Epoxy Resins Buying Guide
What Is Epoxy Resin for Wood?
Basically, epoxy resin is a material that is made by mixing two substances with each other. It consists of a polymer with more than one three-membered ring, which is also known as epoxide. Resin exists in liquid form and when mixed with a hardener, it goes through a exothermic reaction and solidifies within a few hours. This process occurs as a result of heat generation that is given out when the two solutions mix together, and this allows the material to cure better.
There are different types of epoxy resin you can find, one of which is an epoxy resin for wood. It can be used on tabletops, bar tops, wood finishes, and even in some types of resin art. You can easily upgrade the look and feel of your coffee tables, kitchen countertops, cutting boards or even bathroom vanities by applying epoxy resin over them. The different kinds of epoxy resin vary in viscosity, thickness, and also the time it takes for the material to cure properly.
Why Do You Need Epoxy Resin for Wood?
If you like wooden artwork and are fascinated with river table, then epoxy resin for wood is what you need to make all of these on your own. There aren’t many solutions that come close to the quality and appearance provided by epoxy resin. Not only does it have a glossy texture, but it is also durable and lasts longer than any other material used for this purpose.
If mixed properly, epoxy resin for wood has a self-leveling quality, which means that you don’t have to worry about layering it properly. The epoxy resin solution hardens within a few hours and maintains its shape and appearance for a very long time, which makes it the perfect option for people who want to design their wooden tables or bars in a beautiful manner.
Another benefit of using epoxy resin for wood is that it is a multipurpose solution that can be used for more than just artwork. You can make use of it to stick other materials with wood, as it bonds well to the surface and stays in place for a long time. Other than this, you can also make use of epoxy resin as paint, sealant, or even as a repair solution.
Last but not least, you can also add different kinds of pigments, alcohol inks, pigments, resin dyes, and other coloring agents to epoxy resin to give it numerous colors, and this further enhances the aesthetic appeal of your artwork projects.
Things To Consider Before Buying Epoxy Resin for Wood
There are a few factors that you should keep in mind whenever you are considering buying epoxy resin for wood.
Viscosity
Viscosity refers to the thickness and ease of flow of the epoxy resin. Since the liquid resin is mixed with a hardener, this reduces its viscosity and makes it less free-flowing. Generally, products that have a higher viscosity will add more shine and sheen to the project that you are working on. However, these products will dry up very slowly and it is also difficult to prevent air bubbles from forming in them. You can use a heat gun to get rid of those pesky bubbles while the resin is still wet.
On the other hand, products with lower viscosity will be much thinner and won’t have the same appearance and texture as the former. Therefore, you will have to add more layers of epoxy resin to refine it, but you can expect it to dry up much quicker.
Curing and drying time
After you have layered the epoxy resin, the time it takes to dry determines the total duration of your project. Moreover, the drying and curing time of the epoxy resin that you are using is determined by the hardener you use. When you are choosing an epoxy resin for wood, you have to wait for minimum 24 hours for it to dry and cure, depending on the size of your project.
If you have a more meticulous and detailed project, then you would need an option with a longer drying time whereas, for simple and short projects, you make use of something that has a lower drying and curing time. You should know that there are different curing times when it comes to using epoxy resin, and you should be aware of all of them.
You can use a blow dryer to dry epoxy. However, overheating can spoil the resin by making it brittle and resin can eventually shatter.
Toxicity
The purpose for which you are using it also determines how much you should worry about the toxicity of the epoxy resin. If you are using it for a countertop, tumbler, or any other surface that will come in contact with food, then you need to ensure that the resin is food-safe.
Most epoxy resins consist of BPA, which isn’t a food-safe material at all. Plus, there are other ingredients that can be dangerous if they come in contact with food. Therefore, you should check the epoxy resin for wood to see if it has any toxic substances that may make it unsafe for use with food. Formaldehyde-based resins contain dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which is hazardous and can cause health issues. So, it is always advisable to use proper safety measures while using resins indoors.
Yellowing
No matter which epoxy resin you use, it will eventually turn yellow, no matter how much a company advertises a non-yellowing formula. If you want an epoxy resin that doesn’t yellow for a very long time, then you should read the customer reviews instead of focusing on the product description. It would help you find out which product will manage to hold its original appearance for the longest time.
Durability
Most epoxy resins for wood have been advertised as being durable and impact-resistant, but not all of them are strong enough. Therefore, durability and protection is other factors that you need to consider while choosing between different options. You should look for epoxy resins that provide protection against UV rays and moisture, to say the least.
Moreover, it would also be a bonus if you can find an epoxy resin that handles itself well even if weight is applied to it. For instance, if you use epoxy resin on your flooring, it will have a lot of foot traffic on it. So, you need to be sure that it is durable enough to withstand the weight.
Ease of application
Last but not least, another important thing to consider before buying epoxy resin for wood is the ease with which it can be applied. If you are doing it for the first time, then you will need a product that can be applied easily. Getting a product that is rather advanced or difficult to apply will make it difficult to cure the epoxy resin, and you may also end up ruining the wood piece you are working on.
Check the video from John Malecki for some useful tips about working with epoxy resin.
People Also Asked
Is epoxy resin for wood injurious to health?
Some epoxy resin products are known to have harmful or toxic substances, but unless you use them for serving or consuming food, you shouldn’t be in danger.
What are other applications for epoxy resin?
Epoxy resin started off as being used for dental fixtures, and later on it started being used as adhesive for wood and other materials.
Can epoxy resin for wood be used with glass?
Generally epoxy resin does bond well with glass, so you may be able to incorporate it into your artwork project.