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Thick plastic coating by the gallon
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Q. I have been to eating and drinking spots with unique tables. On the surface of the table, underneath what seems to be one-half or three-quarters of an inch thick clear coating, are maps and coins and beads and other trinkets. I asked the bartender how they made the table tops, and she told me that there is a product sold by the gallon which is poured onto the table surface to whatever thickness. And when it dries you have what looks like a hundred coats of decoupage. I can not find the product anywhere. Do you know of these products, and where might I find them?
Bill Henry- Somerville, Massachusetts
++A. I've seen the stuff you are looking for in a local hobby shop - I think it is called Clear Cast - it is I think an acrylic resin - a two part epoxy like thing. I think it cost about $10-20 per quart. I've seen more than one brand name.
Keith Kropf
steel pans - Gulf Breeze, Florida
++ A. What you are looking for is a two part pourable polyurethane.
David Parker
- Baltimore, Maryland----
Ed. note: You can buy Environmental Tech EnviroTex Lite[linked by editor to product info at MisterArt] online.
+++A. The stuff you are looking for is a two-part epoxy. One popular brand is called "Kleer Koat." =>
It is a tricky process for a novice, as any little contaminate or unmixed resin will mess up the top.
Duane Daugherty
- Kansas City, Missouri
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Q. I am also trying to do a project using the epoxy. Every where I read about it, they all say it is not a product for a beginner. But I have no other choice, I have to use this particular product to complete my project (a bar table top with pictures and solid objects). Is there any hope for a beginner and this product? Also, my table top area is about 20" x 30" and I want the epoxy to be at least 1/4 of an inch when I am finished. How much epoxy do I need to buy?
Leah [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Nacogdoches, Texas
+++A. A gallon is 231 cubic inches, so it sounds like about 2 gallons. Good luck, and send a picture when you're done.
By the way, see a bunch of beautiful bottle cap tables on letter 17560, and discussions with the guys who made them.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey
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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 Jonesgeneral contractor - Clemson, South Carolina
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There are several brands out there, I have been using
Famowood by Eclectic Products [linked by editor 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!
 Pamela Godsoe - Plymouth, Maine |
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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
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I respect the warnings above from professionals, but I tried a 1 gallon
Environmental Tech EnviroTex Lite
[linked by editor 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!
- Gainesville, Georgia
+++++Kent,
Dan Romero
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.
- Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
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I use EX-74 made by environmental technology inc. I make slab tables from large trees I cut in P.A. The EX-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
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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.
- Pompano Beach, Florida
++++++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
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I used Famowood by Eclectic Products [linked by editor 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 Brownhobbyist - Kerens, Texas
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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.
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I use this as an artist.
Environmental Tech EnviroTex Lite
[linked by editor 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 [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] 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 [linked by editor 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.
- Canada
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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
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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 Kubekhobbyist and wanting unique coastal condo - Hudson, Ohio
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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 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, and Envirotex-lite contains whatever chemicals the supplier decides. Good luck -- they'll know what an MSDS is.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey
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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.
- United States
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 DePacehobbyist - Claymont, Delaware
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
Speciality Furniture manufacturer - Tucson, Arizona
May 30, 2009
can I use a blow torch to also tease out those small bubbles in my satin minwax polyurethane?
Cori Barryconsumer - Virginia
September 12, 2009
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 Johnsonnovice, homeowner building a bar - Toledo, Ohio
December 4, 2009
We made a bar used polyurethane to make top alot of bubbles appeared after it dried. How can we get them out after it has cured? They are many large ones Can you use a blow torch after it has cured?
Peri youngstudent - Escanaba, Michigan
March 28, 2010
One tip I would like to add to the post about the pour on epoxy. I used it for the tops of 3 credenzas. I had a very hard time spreading the epoxy on the large surfaces until I used a large stainless steel trowel. It worked like a dream.
Mary Anne Merfeld- Alpharetta, Georgia
May 3, 2010
I've so enjoyed reading about and seeing pics of all the projects made with this liquid plastic. I am wanting to use it to create lacy-looking lamp globes to encase twinkle lights to hang from trees for my daughter's wedding. Has anyone ever tried to pour this epoxy resin once it's gotten pretty hard. The idea is to wait til it's quite thick and pour it over an up-turned bowl covered with plastic wrap in swirlies and circles. I've thought I would try to meld two halves together to create the "globe". Does anyone have any experience with this type of use, or know anything I need to know before I get started? I would like to make a dozen or so of these light globes and in various diameters. Any thoughts or advice?
Leslie Booth- McKinney, Texas
May 14, 2010
I'm doing your standard bottle cap beer pong table with Kleer Koat. Should I apply a seal coat on the wood before placing bottle caps? Or can I apply my seal coat after I've already glued my caps? Or do I need to do both?
Chuck Bee- Portland, Maine
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Ed. note: Letter 17560 has pictures of more than a dozen bottle-cap tables, and great discussions about how they were built. Although at least one reader did not glue his caps down, almost all readers did.
July 30, 2010
When pouring a 2 part epoxy finish, air bubbles will form after the pour is completed. Use a blow torch to lightly heat the surface of the pour. The bubbles will immediately disappear.
Dennis Drechsler
- Victoria, BC, Canada
August 24, 2010
If you check over on Make:Projects site by Make Magazine, I posted step-by-step instructions on doing a countertop covered in $77 worth of pennies.
Michael Reilly
- Dallas, Texas, USA
August 24, 2010
Hi, Michael
Nice job on that countertop. I've always been good at those "guess the number of jellybeans in the jar" contests. My guess is there are 7,700 pennies in your table -- how close am I? :-)
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey
August 31, 2010
I have searched everywhere for a solution to my outdoor-specific problem. Can I use the methods and products mentioned above to encapsulate vinyl letters on a small porous rubber substrate to create outdoor-durable signs? Any help or links would help as I've really hit a wall in the process.
Thanks!
- Raleigh, North Carolina USA
January 12, 2011
Hi
I have been trying enviroTex light, a 2 part epoxy on some marquetry (thin wood veneers cut into designs) with not very good results. I am trying to do this as a business so production time is very important. Has anybody ever tried to thin this product down?
It seems there is no easy way to work with this besides trial and error.
Yesterday I used a one part water based finish and it destroyed the entire project...oh well..
thank you all for you interesting inputs.
Here is a question I almost didn't ask because it seems stupid...but then I remembered something about there are no stupid questions except the ones you never ask...
So my work is sitting flat on a table and every time I lift the torch up and point the flame down it "flames out" than goes out. A friend said that is because the propane in the tank is partially liquid and it will do that every time. So how do you point the propane torch down without it flaring and going out?
thanks
Bill Carli
- St. Thomas, Virgin Islands USA
January 29, 2011
Hi all,
I figured the torch out (use mapp gas)...but I cannot deal with Envirotex any more. There are always imperfections, something and I cannot run a business like this anymore. I wonder if there are some other coatings out there that might do somewhat the same thing that Envirotex does. I don't need heat resistance, nor such a thick coating. I am covering wood veneers and they are about 1/32 of an inch high.
any thoughts
bill
Bill Carli
- St. Thomas, Virgin Islands USA
September 3, 2011This question is for Bill Carli (St. Thomas) from Jan. 2011-- Did you ever find a solution/product better than envirotex lite? Sounds like my art pieces are very similar to what you are doing. Thanks for any input.
Meredith Keith
- Birmingham, Alabama, USA
January 18, 2011
Hi there
I have used the 2 part epoxy resin on canvas paintings, it works wonderfully. I now have a sculpture that I want to coat. It is a plastic upright mannequin covered in coins and paua shells. what product would be thick enough to pour this on? As you can imagine it is an upright non-flat surface.
I would love some help with this
Kind regards from Auckland New Zealand
Lisa
artist, buyer - Auckland, New Zealand
February 10, 2011
have used envirotex light for years for covering paintings on panels huge and small/
wear a respirator with organic filters not a mask. the stuff is carcinogenic even though it don't smell too bad at all.
do in a totally dust free area with plenty of heavy plastic on floor as you will make a mess the first few times and, if you do, it's there to stay unless it's on a wood or non porous floor.
warm temps like 70 to 80 degrees speed up drying of epoxies like this.
mix equal parts , stir very well until it gets clear and makes bunch of bubbles.
pour onto surface center and with latex gloves spread to edges. if it goes over it will continue to drip for hours (thus the plastic on floor)
you have about a half hour or more depending on room temp to spread it. it is very easy and just fills out nice. nothing to it.
i then come back in 1/2 hour and crank up the butane torch and lightly go over the surface as a very shallow angle to pop any bubbles. do this a few times. then let it cure which takes about 8 to 12 hours to surface dry and 12 to 24 before its hard.
if you do a thick pour it will crack as it heats up with the epoxy reaction. also will show a yellow cast with coats over 1/8 inch thick.
clean up is with rubbing alcohol. don't use a hair dryer instead of torch to pop surface bubbles - you will just get tons of lint in it!
never gets super hard. can get soft in heat. I would not use this product at all for bartops. that is a different product altogether that is more durable to scuffing and wont crack when the internal temps get to 150 F if pouring out a half inch of e-tex.
-rudy
- portland, Oregon usa
September 5, 2011
I just completed a penny bar using US Composites Kleer Coat. All the advice on the page was correct. I mixed a total of 1 gal at a time and stirred for just over 10 min. The working time was longer than expected. I made a raised edge around the bar using molding and used liquid nails and finish nails to mount it. Any corner I thought was sealed well enough, wasn't. Almost every corner dripped, but not badly. (I'm not a carpenter, so my angles weren't perfectly cut.) This IS NOT AS HARD as you think. I used cabinet grade plywood for top, stained it and then put 3 coats of regular poly on it and used molding to as described above to trim it out. I used fruitwood stain, would go darker if I did it again. The tip on popping bubbles with torch is awesome. It is especially useful on second coat where most bubbles are tiny (I thought they were dust particles) from the mixing process and the torch pops them very easily. First coat bubbles were bigger and used nail to pop. Top is CRYSTAL CLEAR ! Not that difficult. 2 man project though. Would definitely do it again. LOVE IT!
John Norwillo- Duryea, Pennsylvania, USA
October 26, 2011
Most Artists are using EX-74 epoxy coating to coat paintings.
It has a UV inhibitor, which retards the ambering of the finish. EX-74 is also used to coat bars, and tables, and for making plaques with pictures etc.
Other products which are similar but do not have the UV inhibitor are EX-88, Envirotex Lite, Crystal Sheen, GlazeCoat, and KleerKote.
All of these products are similar, and work the same. They are easy to install, but you have to read the instructions.
I have been coating bars and tables for over 20 years, and I have also coated several paintings.
Most people that have problems with the coatings do not mix them properly, and that is a critical point. If you want it to look swell, you gotta mix it like H......
CREATIVE WHOLESALE - Stockbridge, Georgia, USA
November 20, 2011
I work at a zoo that has different plastic type animals kids get on for photos. Patches are coming off exposing the sponge material underneath. Is there a repair for this, possibly dyeable to match colors?
Robert Merrill- North Highlands California USA
November 29, 2011
How thick is the EX-74 when it is poured onto your surface? Is it thin like water or thicker? I have a 48" section cut from an oak tree and was thinking about using the EX-74 to cover it, but would also like to cover the bark. On the surface I would like to get it to a 1/4". Anybody have any tips on coating the bark or the whole project?
Tyler Smith- Jefferson City, Missouri
December 5, 2011
I am thinking about making a copper penny bar top outside by my screened pool area. It is 24 sq ft and will get a lot of sun exposure. Is the EX-74 the best coating to protect it since it has the UV inhibitor? Is it too hard for a beginner to use? Would some type of surfboard gloss resin be better? I want it to be a thin covering, and I don't want to worry about it yellowing... Any help or recommendations are appreciated!!!!
Pamela Noto- Lithia, Florida, USA