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Letter 12362
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Heads up guys,
Regular epoxy will not do what you're trying; it will yellow and probably crack as will any form of polyurethane at that thickness or any acrylic coating from a retail store. I do Commercial installations for bars and nightclubs I've used several different products over the last few years the best I have used is a two part plastic. Epoxy coatings are difficult to use at best and are specially formulated for this application typically around $100 - $150 for a gallon kit and Most of the suppliers I've dealt with only offer wholesale services. Keep in mind this is not an easy thing the epoxies must be mixed exactly by volume 50/50 stirred well left to "sweat in" for 1/2 hour applied then two or three hours minimum going over the surface with a blow torch to release the air bubbles out of the surface. Note this takes a light touch and determines the quality of the results. If the last part is done well you get a crystal clear thick coating that will last in a high wear commercial environment for years. My first job with this type of product was over 5 years ago and still looks great in a club open 7 days a week
Hope this helps there is a lot of confusion about how this is done I talk to a lot of people who do it wrong and ruin a project they spent a lot of time on. Even saw a bar owner try pouring poly over his bar to achieve the same effect ruined his bar and it had to be tiled over to hide it.
Adam Jones
general contractor - Clemson, South Carolina
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++++ There are several brands out there, I have been using Famowood by Eclectic Products [link is to product info at Amazon]. I have also been doing a search online to find a more reasonable cost. Be well and much success to you! Pam
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I would like to encapsulate pea gravel in the top of a small patio table. The maximum thickness would be about 1/2". Will a two part epoxy or plastic hold up in direct sunlight?
Also, logic tells me that I should be able to minimize the presence of bubbles by covering the pebbles only partially. If this is the case can the total encapsulation be done in two steps and how many hours between pours are allowable?
For example would you expect good results using a hair dryer per the following: Partially covered pea gravel on Day #1(pour 1/4" thick) and complete the encapsulation on Day #2 (pour the last 1/4")?
Don Abbott
retired engineer, hobbyist - Ventura, California
I respect the warnings above from professionals, but I tried a 1
gallon
Environmental Tech EnviroTex Lite
[link is to product info at MisterArt], a deep
(1/2 inch) pour on top of a large maple trunk section to produce a
coffee table, and it came out great. The propane torch comment is
true, with much patience and time required to pop the surface bubbles
after they gradually emerge from any unsealed cracks in your
substrate, while the polymer sets over several hours. Plenty of
drips, too, through any openings.. the stuff flows well for a couple
hours. But I'll do it again!
Kent Murphey
- Gainesville, Georgia
Kent,
What was the size of your coffee table? What did you spread the resin
with and use to seal it first? I want to try this to a 7' x 2' bar
top. Thanks.
Dan Romero
- Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
I use E X 74 made by environmental technology inc. I make slab tables from large trees I cut in P.A. The E X 74 degases very easily with a propane torch.You have to stay with it for an hour or so. It must be mixed exactly.Then stirred for a few minutes vigorously. Then poured on right away.Spread evenly with a credit card.Then wait for the bubbles to appear usually about fifteen minutes. A dust free environment is a must. If anyone has questions feel free to ask.
George Leonard
- Bayville, New Jersey
How exactly do you use the propane torch to degas?
Has anyone seen a description of the whole process? I am a newbie,
but I am determined to made my own patio table with maps and coins.
Serge Plaski
- Pompano Beach, Florida
I used Famowood by Eclectic Products [link is to product info at Amazon] high build epoxy coating on a table project of mine. The first table went well...beautiful finish. On the second table there's a spot about 3x3 inch that will not harden. Still after nearly two months it still tacky to touch. Is there any thing I can do to make this harden? Can I remix and repour it on top of the original? OR what can I do?
Phyllis Brown
hobbyist - Kerens, Texas
With regard to achieving a completely flat surface when pouring a thick layer of epoxy on a tabletop, is it self-levelling if poured quickly? how do you create a completely flat, blemish -free surface? furthermore, what materials would you use to create moulds for table edges, where you want to pour a half inch layer of epoxy on a table top and its sides? and finally, can anyone recommend any dyes for tinting the epoxy?
William Gant
- Glasgow, U.K.
Just a note to let you know how to get bubbles out after you pour Pourable Clear Epoxy on a surface. The product I use, you can breathe over the surface not blow and the bubbles will disappear from the carbon dioxide we breathe out.
Todd Lawson
- Winston Salem, North Carolina
I use this as an artist.
Environmental Tech EnviroTex Lite
[link is to product info at MisterArt] is the product
of my choice. This stuff just needs to be mixed well 50/50, in a dust
free environment. You can add anything to the mix like dried flowers,
beads you name it.
I pour it on from center out. I only mix what I need. You can use
popsicle sticks or a credit card to gently move product to edges.This
method is only for small surfaces. If you want a 1/4 inch thick or
more, you have to build a cradle frame flush to fit around your table
or surface. I put Vaseline on edges for easy free up. Then the edges
are ground or sanded down. Wear a MASK!
You can use a small crafters blow torch
[Blaser Micro Torch] or cooking
creme brule blow torch. Heat will not remove the bubbles. Only carbon
dioxide will hence exhaling on a small surface can be done. Don't
stay too close to surface. WEAR A MASK!
WARNING I was intoxicated from exhaling on my wood panels. I would
not recommend it unless you have an area no bigger than 12 x 12. The
bubbles pop and believe me they release small quantities of epoxy in
the air as they pop. I had an accumulation in back of my throat which
lasted a week. I came close to going to EMERGENCY.Water, dry bread,
nothing worked. I was slowly feeling the product harden in back of my
throat! What a nightmare!
I now USE A MASK when I work with this product as I do not want lung
cancer or other health problems.
It takes about 8 hours to harden.
second coats are possible. You wipe your surface with alcohol. add on
more decoupage if you want, then follow instructions above
again.
If you want to remove the gloss finish, you can give it a light
sanding and you will get a frosted glass look. Test this method first
before attempting it on big surface.
REMEMBER, wear goggles [link is to product info at Amazon] and
a mask. Don't be fooled by no odor. This stuff is toxic, and I could
have sued for bad instructions given by company to exhale onto
surfaces. It's just not worth it.
Rosemary Cosentino
- Canada
Polished white pebbles in a clear resin tile? I would like to know how to make a tile or a sheet of pebbles that are suspended in resin. How do I make the resin? they are to be set into a coffee table I am making.
Julie Charbonneau
- Montreal Quebec, CANADA
I would like to make a countertop for a beachside condo (approximately 18 inches wide by 5 feet long and about 1 inch thick. Just a bar type counter to sit at to look over ocean while I drink my AM tea). Do I pour resin into a self built frame or could I use a mold w/ bull nose edge and then mount it to wall with supports? Has anybody tried this project or something similar? Suggestions, comments, ideas?
Thanks, Tammy who would love to be in Siesta Keys, Florida but lives in Northeast Ohio. Sunny days to you all.
Tammy Kubek
hobbyist and wanting unique coastal condo - Hudson, Ohio
I have used Envirotex-lite on many projects. I do worry about this product and it's link to causing cancer. I do not have much information on this subject and was wondering if anyone is informed of the "risk" associated with its use. I also use a blow torch to rid of surface bubbles. Does this produce any toxic gas? Is it dangerous when I leave it to dry in my house? it does have a strong scent...I would appreciate any knowledgeable info on this subject...or any answers to my questions.
Mandy Ornstein
- Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Hi, Mandy. You'll need to ask the supplier for an MSDS (material safety data sheet). No one else knows what is in the formulation and they can change it at any time. Is a Ford Thunderbird a sports car, 4-seat luxury car, or a 6-seat family car? It's whatever Ford decides it is that decade, and Envirotex-lite contains whatever chemicals the supplier decides. Good luck -- they'll know what an MSDS is.
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 Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
Advice for the beginner:
When using pourable epoxy, make sure you use a non-yellowing epoxy,
such as bio clear 810, by progressive epoxy polymers, inc.
Be sure to measure (as accurately as possible) the volume you need
for your project, and mix that amount plus 2-5% for what gets lost in
your mixing container and on your stirring tool. Make sure you are
not exceeding the recommended thickness for the particular kind of
epoxy you purchase. Some mixtures (especially 50/50) generate a LOT
of heat when setting, and can discolor, bubble, melt plastic, even
darken your poly undercoat or wood finish. If you need a thicker
layer than 1/4 inch, be sure the epoxy you buy specifies that it's
safe to do so.
Before pouring, spray the surface and objects to be encased in
polyurethane and allow to fully cure. This helps minimize gassing and
bubbles trapped at the bottom of the epoxy layer.
When mixing your epoxy, don't be in too much of a hurry. The pouring
itself takes so little time, and it levels itself, so relax, and make
sure you mix thoroughly. Don't whip the epoxy, as introduced air
bubbles are more difficult to eradicate than the gas created during
dry time. Smooth, slow strokes are best, allowing the epoxy to settle
behind the stirrer. I recommend using as sturdy a piece of wood or
metal as you can manage. A friend of mine uses a strip of nylon
cutting board wrapped in plastic wrap.
As a previous post indicated, heat is not what helps epoxy gas, it's
the chemical composition of the air. Get a block of dry ice
(available at most grocery stores), put it in a bowl of water, and
hold the bowl over the table. The CO2 will sink to the tabletop, and
provide you with as bubble-free a surface as possible. If you are
using a frame, this is a bit easier, because the heavy gas will
settle into the frame and sit there as long as the air remains
still.
If you need a smooth, polished finish around the edge, but are
worried about the dust, build a flush frame, and very carefully wrap
it in plastic wrap, stretching it and securing it with super glue on
the back side. Make sure there are no wrinkles, for those will be
impressed upon the edge. I've found it useful to wrap the wood first,
then assemble the frame. Epoxy does not adhere to plastic wrap
because it is a truly non-porous surface, and will leave a perfectly
transparent edge. Beveling is also possible, if you add a second
small triangular strip of wood to the top of your targeted level.
Also wrap this piece in plastic, of course. Be sure to use latex
caulk around the join of the table to the frame, because pourable
epoxy is wickedly flowable, and will find any tiny little gap to end
up all over your floor, which brings me to:
CARDBOARD UNDER YOUR WORK AREA!!! Always use scrap wood or cardboard,
newspaper will end up permanently adhered to your floor.
I hope this helps people! You don't need to be a professional to use
epoxy surfacing, just make sure you are safe. Always work in a
well-ventilated area, and wear a mask and goggles at all times.
Jason Parano
- United States
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March 30, 2009 I am looking to encapsulate a fishing lure with a clear coating that will be waterproof,and thick to protect a delicate finish that I am putting on the lure. I have tried two part epoxy but it takes too long, and is messy. Is there any kind of hot plastic dip that could be used for this application or anything else someone could recommend? Bill DePace
May 3, 2009 I use Polytex 2 part epoxy resins for embedding
decorative stones into carved wood handles or burls/knots in
wood tables. It mixes (1:1) easily and bubbles pop ok on
flat surfaces with my exhale or the torch. My problem is how
to remove bubbles in the recesses. My sonicator did not
help. A slight vacuum helped somewhat. What do you
recommend? Sarah Lee-Allen
can I use a blow torch to also tease out those small bubbles in my satin minwax polyurethane? Cori Barry
I do not have a bubble problem after we poured the mixture on our bar top. What I have is one end is thicker than the other due to the floor being slightly off level. The thicker part is still tacky. It has been 6 days and it is still tacky. Just one end. Will this ever harden up or is there something I can do like use a heat lamp? Beth Johnson
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