Epoxy from resin to resin art.

Epoxy

Discover all about epoxy.

From resin to Resin Art and other applications such as adhesives, primers and fillers.

What's epoxy?

Epoxy is a two-component, thermosetting plastic. The two components consist of component A, the base resin, and component B, the hardener. After mixing both components, a chemical process occurs. This process ensures the hardening of the epoxy resin.

When you use epoxy resin in combination with glass fibre or other fibres, this is called a composite. Laminated or cast pieces of epoxy resin and composites are much lighter in weight than traditional materials such as metal, wood or aluminium.

There are different types of epoxies.

Casting resins
The first type of epoxy we will discuss is the casting resin. This can be used for both crystal clear and coloured castings. You can also add dry fillers to epoxy casting resin to obtain a polymer concrete. Polymer concrete resembles concrete after curing, but is up to four times stronger than classic concrete. Within the range of casting resins, there are very clear resins with different hardeners. By using a fast working hardener, it is possible to make small castings. With the slowly hardening hardener you can also pour large volumes in one go. Important to know is that, during the chemical process of hardening, heat is generated. So if you would cast larger volumes with a fast hardener, the whole thing would burst due to the heat.

Lamination resins
A second type of epoxy is laminating resin. This type of epoxy resin has to be used in combination with fibres. This is the case with glass fibre, aramid (also known as kevlar) or the very strong and stiff carbon (carbon fibre). By using these reinforcing fibres to place multiple layers on top of each other, you get a laminate. This laminate creates an extremely light, yet strong whole. In addition to the standard laminating epoxy, there are also Bio Epoxy laminating resins available today. These are made from natural raw materials, such as the shells of the cashew nut. The properties of these biobased epoxies are in some cases even better than the standard variants. Bio Epoxy is best used in combination with natural fibres such as flax fibre or basalt fibre.

Adhesives
There are also adhesives based on epoxy. These 2-component adhesives are used in various sectors, including construction, model building and the production of parts for cars and boats. Thanks to the rapid curing and very good water resistance, epoxy adhesives are excellent for structural connections. An additional advantage is the chemical resistance and mechanical properties.

Furthermore, epoxies are also used as primer (adhesive layer) or as coating. The unique properties of epoxy resin offer an excellent adhesion to various substrates such as wood, concrete, plastics and metal or aluminium. These primers offer an excellent undercoat for different types of paints or lacquer systems. The use of coatings is mainly found in the offshore sector and boat building. Here, the resistance to wear and several chemical products are the strongest assets.

Buying epoxy casting resin

If you are looking for an epoxy casting resin, there are several options available. The price difference between crystal clear and standard casting epoxy is quite big. That is why it is important to determine beforehand what result you want to achieve. Is it your intention to use it to cast a crystal-clear layer? Or should it be a fast and cheaper solution to realise a solid and chemical resistant casting?

Transparent epoxy casting resin is of higher quality and therefore much more expensive. During the chemical process of curing, a temperature increase occurs. If the wrong type of hardener is used, this temperature can rise considerably, causing the casting to crack. It is therefore important to be well informed about which type of resin and hardener to use for your project.

Buying epoxy resin

Epoxy resins come in different qualities and types. Be well informed about the different types of resin and hardener that are suitable for your project. There are hardener systems based on dangerous and even carcinogenic raw materials. These are much cheaper, so you may be misled by the price. The current and new generations of epoxy systems are biobased, which means that the origin of the raw materials is natural. In most cases, epoxy resins are not even that much more expensive.

When purchasing your epoxy resin, pay close attention to the type of packaging. Some hardeners are sensitive to moisture and this causes the resin to flower in the container once it is opened. Epoxy resin can therefore only be stored for a limited period of time, once opened. The shelf life of epoxy resins is quite long, sometimes longer than one year. However, we advise you to limit the quantities to those you actually need for your project. Your packaging also has a big influence on the price. So if you need to pour a large quantity, it is advisable to order one large pack rather than several smaller ones. For extra large quantities, it is best to request a price offer.

Epoxy resin applications

Most epoxy resin applications originate in America. The hype has spread to Europe and the name epoxy resin is now also used in Europe. Epoxy resin is the collective name for epoxies that consist of two components. These products can be thinly liquid to be used as casting resin. The thicker types of resin are used as laminating resin in combination with reinforcement fibres to manufacture composite parts. These can be found in car or motorbike parts, but also windmill blades and yacht masts are made with epoxy resins.

In addition, there are adhesive layers (primers) to improve the adhesion on most surfaces. In the tank and container construction industry, many coatings are used because of their excellent chemical resistance to a wide range of acids and alkalis. Wood and epoxy resin also go together exceptionally well in, for example, boatbuilding. In this case, users combine the epoxy with glass fabrics or use it as a filler to fill in unevennesses or even holes.

Epoxy adhesive

Today, it's almost impossible to think of an applications that doesn't involve the use of adhesives. Epoxy adhesives also completes this list. Epoxy adhesives are subdivided into 2-component adhesives and UV-curing adhesives. The UV-curing varieties are especially suitable for colourless gluing of glass. Thanks to UV curing, these adhesives react within seconds. This makes large and fast production volumes possible.

For the handyman, there are quick-drying, liquid epoxy adhesives available for all kinds of applications. These range from bonding wood, metal, plastics and glass to more technical connections of composite materials or 3D printed objects. A disadvantage of most epoxy adhesives is their rather limited UV resistance. This means they will discolour when exposed to light.

Epoxy filler

Nowadays, polyester putty is increasingly being replaced by epoxy putty.

Polyester putty was mainly used in boatbuilding or when repairing polyester below the waterline. Later, it turned out that these putties were insufficiently watertight and did not adhere to the surface. As a result, a repair had to be carried out several times. Also the formation of osmosis on the hull of a sailing yacht or swimming pool, for years, was carried out with a putty based on polyester.By using epoxy putty, you achieve a more durable and better result than with polyester putty.

The supply of epoxy putty has increased enormously. There are two types of epoxy putty.

Filling and strengthening epoxy puttyThese epoxies are fibre-reinforced and are used for filling deeper irregularities or holes and for joining components together.

Finishing puttyThis type of epoxy putty contains very fine fillers, making it easier to sand down and giving a nicer and smoother result.

The great advantage of these epoxy fillers is their adhesion to heavily water-loaded parts and to almost any surface. In most cases, epoxy putty can be painted or varnished over. The durability of such products is thus assured for years.

Epoxy primer

By applying an epoxy primer you can apply epoxy resin on almost any surface. In addition to the adhesion on steel or metal, these primers form an excellent protection against rust. Thanks to the vapour-proof property of a High Solid Epoxy Primer, no water or water vapour can penetrate.

Most epoxy primers are a Direct To Surface (DTS) solution. This means that, if properly prepared, you can work directly on the surface. There are even epoxy primers that can be applied to a moist surface. Ideal as a pre-treatment on a damp wall or floor in the basement or garage. Most epoxy primers have limited UV resistance. It is therefore best to apply a top coat.

Epoxy primers are 2 components, of which you have to stir the resin (A component) and hardener (B component) together in the right ratio. The chemical process then starts and the created quantity must be used within the indicated processing time. In addition to application by brush or roller, an epoxy primer can also be sprayed. For this application it is best to add a thinner. This is no tinner, but an appropriate thinner that does not affect the quality of the epoxy primer.

Epoxy workshop

When working with epoxy, it is best to follow certain guidelines and processing information. To make things clear and easy to understand, epoxy workshops are given. These sessions are usually for do-it-yourselfers or hobbyists and deal with casting with crystal clear epoxy casting resins. With these resins you can make resin art or you can start casting your own river table. Every application has its own tips and tricks and these will be discussed in this epoxy workshop. There are also epoxy workshops for the industrial user. These usually deal with the application of casting floors or mortars and with the manufacture of high-quality parts in glass fibre or carbon. Here, training is rather customised for the client, in function of the application and the level of the user.

Table or table top with epoxy resin

Casting a table, tabletop or worktop with epoxy resin has become extremely popular in recent years. On Youtube, Instagram and other social media channels, you can find numerous videos in which epoxy resin is poured between two wooden planks. This casting resin is based on crystal clear casting epoxy. To create special effects, such as marble effects, water- or ocean effects, colour pigments are used. Often several different colours and even glow in the dark effects are used.

As epoxy resin has a perfect adhesion to wood, it can be used to make fantastic combinations. Woodturners pour in objects such as pine cones or wood and then mill or turn them. The result is unique objects. Casting wooden boards to make tables and tabletops is a popular method in restaurants and interior design shops.

Thanks to the enormous strength of epoxy casting resins, there are virtually no limits to the dimensions that can be cast with them. The only disadvantage may be the cost. Clear casting resins are among the most expensive of their kind. It is important to calculate the right volume and not to be satisfied with one centimetre less. But let your imagination run free and who knows, you may create an art object that is unique in its kind.

Epoxy primer for the underwater hull

The underwater hull of a boat has to endure a lot. In addition to adhesion to the surface, this primer serves to make the underwater hull watertight and water vapour-tight. This prevents the metal underneath from rusting or protects your polyester from osmosis. In most cases, however, the epoxy primer should ensure the adhesion of an epoxy filler or a paint and varnish system.

In addition, the epoxy primer has to deal with expansion factors of different substrates such as wood, polyester or metal. Direct UV and heat resistance also put the quality of the epoxy primer to the test. When choosing an epoxy primer, never go for the cheapest version. There are epoxy primers that are filled with fillers to reduce the price, this usually affects the quality of the epoxy primer. There are also epoxy primers that can be applied with a brush or roller or can be sprayed. Spraying epoxy primer is done with a pressure gun. It is also best to add epoxy thinner. This is not normal thinner, but a reactive thinner that positively influences the speed of curing.

However, you should strictly follow the advice given on the packaging and the technical data sheets. Air humidity, dew point, direct contact with UV light and the right temperature contribute to a durable result. Do not skimp on the quantities indicated either, because here too you will find after some time that the supposed product properties have not been achieved. Make sure you are well informed before you start is the message!

You can cast epoxy yourself

Epoxy casting is becoming increasingly popular. Often the American term 'resin art' is used. More and more people are starting to cast small objects with epoxy resin themselves. This can range from casting small objects, such as flowers, to casting table tops and creating river tables.

Nothing is impossible when casting with epoxy resin yourself. You receive 2 liquid products, a resin (A component) and the hardener (B component). After you have mixed both in the right ratio, you start the casting process. You can consult the potlife (processing time) on the labels or the technical data sheet of your resin. After mixing, the chemical process is started and irreversible.

In most cases you simply pour out your mixed amount of epoxy and you're done. In the latest generation of epoxy casting resins, de-aeration additives are added. This eliminates the need to vent the poured epoxy with a gas burner. As these epoxy resins are water-thin and liquid, they flow smoothly and quickly into all corners and crevices. You don't actually have to do anything. Just pour and wait until the layer has hardened.

What if you do not succeed with your mixture?
Don't worry, you just prepare a new mixture and then pour it onto or over your first pour. Everything cures completely at once and as one. These 2-component epoxies do not require air or oxygen to cure. So processing under vacuum or simply under a plastic sheet is not a problem for the curing of your epoxy resin.

As far as colouring your transparent epoxy resin is concerned, there are various colouring pigments. These pigments can provide an opaque colour or translucent.. You can also experiment with glow in the dark or fluorescent pigments. Let your imagination run wild and discover for yourself the many possibilities of epoxy resin. You can cast epoxy all by yourself and you don't need any experience. If you still have questions, you can always attend a workshop. There you will always get tips and tricks to help you with your project.