Technical Resin & Epoxy Questions

Epoxy tables are made by pouring mixed resin around a sealed wood slab inside a mold, curing it into a solid surface, then sanding and finishing. See Our Blog To Learn More>>

Mix your resin and hardener using the correct ratio, pour into a sealed mold, remove bubbles with a heat torch, and cure in layers for deep pours. For a full breakdown of what worked for me (and what went wrong), read my blog on pouring epoxy tables.

Use melamine or HDPE panels with sealed corners and mold release to create a leak-proof epoxy mold. For the exact mold setup I use (after trial and error), check out this blog on how I build my epoxy molds.

Position live-edge slabs to form a gap, seal them, pour colored resin into the “river,” then cure and finish. I break down the full process and what I wish I knew before starting in this blog about how epoxy tables are made.

Sand the surface thoroughly, clean off dust, build a border to contain the pour, and apply self-leveling tabletop epoxy in a thin, even coat for a glossy refinish. I shared the full process (and what I’d change next time) in this blog about refinishing and recoating a table with epoxy.

Sand through progressively finer grits, buff the epoxy to a shine, and apply oils or polyurethane only to the wood portions of the table. I walk through the finishing techniques that actually worked on my pieces in this blog about getting a clean, durable finish on epoxy tables.

Use wet/dry sandpaper starting around 120 grit and work up to 1000+ grit, keeping the surface wet to minimize heat and avoid scratches. I break down the full sanding process I used (and what I’d do differently next time) in this blog about polishing and prepping epoxy surfaces.

After sanding with high-grit paper, apply a polishing compound and use a microfiber pad or buffer to achieve a mirror-like finish. I shared exactly what products I used—and what actually gave me that gloss—in this blog about polishing my epoxy tables.

Brush on a thin coat of epoxy or use a form to pour directly against the edge to get clean, glossy sides. I covered the edge work techniques I used during one of my full builds in this blog about how I built my resin table mold.

Epoxy gives a glass-like finish that’s thick and durable, while polyurethane offers UV resistance and a more subtle, natural-looking sheen. I compared both in real projects in this blog where I tested epoxy vs. polyurethane in my studio.

You’ll need wood slabs, resin, a mold, personal protective equipment (PPE), mixing containers, a heat gun or torch, sandpaper, and finishing tools. I broke down the full list of gear I actually used in this blog about building my first epoxy table.

Use UV-resistant deep pour epoxy for thick river pours, and switch to tabletop epoxy for the final coating to get a clear, self-leveling finish. I explained the differences and what worked best for me in this blog on the types of resin I use for tables.

Tabletop epoxy is a clear, self-leveling resin designed for thin surface coats that create a glossy, glass-like finish. I break down how it compares to other types of resin in this blog about tabletop vs. regular epoxy.

Tabletop epoxy is fast-curing and meant for thin, surface-level pours, while deep-pour epoxy is slower to cure and designed for thick layers like river tables. I covered the key differences (and where I use each one) in this blog about comparing epoxy types.

No — tabletop epoxy is designed for thin, surface-level pours and will overheat or crack in deep layers. For river tables, always use deep-pour casting epoxy. I learned this the hard way, and explained the difference in this blog comparing tabletop and deep-pour epoxy.

Follow the exact mixing ratio recommended by the manufacturer (like 2:1), stir slowly for 3–5 minutes, and be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of your container thoroughly. I shared what went wrong when I didn’t do this right—and how I fixed it—in this blog about mixing epoxy properly.

Calculate using length × width × depth; use an epoxy volume calculator to avoid shortfalls. I always use Total Boat's Epoxy calculator to make things easier!

Most epoxies take 24–48 hours to set and around 5–7 days to fully cure, depending on temperature, humidity, and the specific product you’re using. I learned how cure times can really impact your project timeline in this blog about what I wish I knew before starting epoxy work.

Yes — sealing the wood helps prevent bubbles and cloudy spots by stopping moisture and air from escaping into the resin. I ran into this issue early on and shared what sealing methods worked best in this blog about my first epoxy table mistakes.

Drill pilot holes or use threaded inserts to secure the legs after the epoxy has fully cured. I shared what mounting methods actually worked for me (and which ones didn’t hold up) in this blog about choosing and attaching table legs.

Disassemble the mold carefully, then use plastic wedges and steady, even pressure to release the cured epoxy table without damaging the edges. I explained the exact process (and what nearly cracked my piece) in this blog about building and breaking down my table mold.

A random orbital sander with variable speed and wet-sanding capability works best for leveling and polishing epoxy without leaving swirl marks. I shared the exact tools I used (and what I’d skip next time) in this blog about polishing my epoxy tables.

You can’t stain cured epoxy, but you can tint liquid resin with pigments or mica before pouring.

Yes — epoxy is a strong adhesive that bonds wood slabs, fills cracks, and helps reinforce weak spots. I tested this out myself and shared what actually happened in this blog about whether resin sticks to wood.

Yes, if the surface is fully cured, clean, and sanded, epoxy will adhere and seal over it.

Yes — epoxy works great over old wood tables if properly sanded and prepped.