Please practice proper safety. PPE gloves, respirator, and proper air circulation is recommended (either open air or ventilation system). These should be treated like any other chemical. Be cautious and always practice good safety.
DO NOT DUMP ALL THE BOTTLES INTO A BUCKET. The volume of product in the bottles is not always 100% even.
When mixing epoxy resin, a chemical reaction occurs. This exothermic reaction creates heat. The more you mix together the more chemical reaction occurs (more heat). Be sure you are ready to pour out the mixture prior IMMEDIATELY AFTER MIXING. Do not leave a large volume of freshly mixed epoxy resin inside a bucket unattended.
One 4-gallon kit mixed and layed out in a 1" - 2" setting is ideal. Yes, deeper is possible.
One 8-gallon kit mixed and layed out in a 1" setting is manageable too.
12 Gallons Kits should not be poured in one setting unless layed out quickly in an 1" below setting. Deeper settings can create too much heat with possible cracking.
Proper Prepping for the RIver Table Epoxy Resin Project:
IE: have your river table secured, taped off, caulked off, siliconed off to prevent the leakages. There will be NO TIME to prepare after you mix. Advanced users commonly use melamine wood forms, Tyvek tape and silicone caulking to prep their areas. If you don't treat the epoxy like water, it will find a way to leak out.
This Prepping Should also Include How to Support of your Design.
Are planning on extending epoxy resin off an edge of a slab of wood without any under supports? Please consider under table supports to help maintain the level appearance of the table.
When epoxy resin is under heat (165'F-175'F) direct/indect sunlight, the table epoxy can heat up and begin to sag if not properly supported (especially when not fully cured).
Seal anything pourous objects with a flood coat. Pourous material may absorb your epoxy resin which will throw off your calculations and can create uneven surfaces.
All materials and working environmental conditions should be maintained at or close to 70 degree Farenheit. A rise or decine in either the temperture of the room or the epoxy resin will have an adverse effect. Be consistent.
We have found the most ideal environment temperature is 70F.
Overmixing (especially with a drill) will increase the temperature of the epoxy resin. While it's not always optimal, we recommend mixing smaller batches by hand when possible.
Epoxy Resin is temperature sensitive.
Colder epoxy resin is thicker and sets slower.
Warmer epoxy resin is thinner and sets faster.
If your room or the epoxy resin starts off too warm, the chemical reaction heat can cause yellowing, shrinking & cracking.
You must know the volume of epoxy you plan to pour. If you pour too much epoxy into a particular VOID, it may result in overheating. Overheating can create shrinking, yellowing or cracking.
Especially for larger pours, you can reduce the risk of the epoxy resin overheating by utilizing a work fan. This is mostly important when working conditions are above 70 degrees. Keep in mind your ideal working temperature of the material and the environment is 70 degrees farenheit.
Max casting thickness can vary depending on a number of factors including shop temp, material temp, mixing quantity, mold material, project dimensions, etc.
Larger slabs should be poured thinner than smaller castings to minimize exotherm. Do not exceed 2” casting thickness on general river table pours.
Pouring in half inch intervals and torching in between to remove any surface bubbles.
In some situations where the pour is wide enough, you can exceed 2″ but we recommend keeping it under 2″ for best results.
Exceeding 8-gallons in one batch pour is not ideal for beginners. We recommend One 4-gallon kit mixed and layed out in a 1" - 2" setting.
Yes, deeper is possible in one pour, but please have experience and understanding of the heat that will be created from large volume chemical reaction.
Get epoxy resin on your skin?
You’ll want to remove epoxy resin from your skin before it cures.
Warm soapy water in most cases is enough to remove epoxy from skin. You can use a cloth soaked with warm soapy water to rub the epoxy off your skin.
Using Vinegar is a more natural approach too. You can soak a paper towel, cloth, or cotton ball in vinegar and gently rub it on the epoxy until the resin softens enough that you can peel it off. You can also add some baking soda to the affected area.
Citrus-based waterless hand cleaners have been reported to remove epoxy from skin too. Pour some cleaner onto a cloth and scrub the epoxy on skin, rinsing it under warm running water. Once the epoxy is gone, wash your skin thoroughly and use lotion to soothe the area.
** while paint thinner and acetone's can remove epoxy from surfaces, you will want to avoid the use on skin. They are too harmful to your skin.
River Table Epoxy was founded in the Southern California area with an ambitious goal: Create a powerful epoxy resin that you can pour deep enough without the stress of seeing it fail a couple days later!
We hope you love it!
Address: River Table Epoxy
540 Crane Street Suite A
Lake Elsinore CA 92530
Phone: (951) 677-0404
Hours: Monday - Friday From 9 AM To 5 PM
E-mail: support@rivertableepoxy.com