Planning your first (or even your second or third) epoxy project can feel a little overwhelming. There’s a lot to learn when you’re new to the process, and while applying epoxy becomes straightforward with experience, careful planning is still very important.
One of the first steps of a project is determining the type of epoxy you need and selecting a reliable source to purchase it from.
In this article, we’ll outline five ways to avoid common mistakes when shopping for epoxy as a newcomer to epoxy resin projects. By informing yourself on this underappreciated aspect, you'll be ready to make the right calls when planning an epoxy project of your own.
5 Big Mistakes to Avoid When Shopping for Epoxy
Deciding to do an epoxy project means you'll have to obtain some good epoxy suited for your goals. There are many brands and types of epoxy. Brand often represents quality, whereas the type of epoxy determines what it's best used for.
Finding a reliable epoxy dealer can be tricky at first, but the good news is that once you do, you can stick with them for any future projects. It's worth taking your time to find the right one.
Below is a list of 5 big mistakes to avoid when shopping for epoxy resin. We'll go into detail for each of these, first discussing the issue, then explaining how to prevent it from being a problem.
- Using an epoxy variant not meant for your project.
- Selecting a low-cost budget brand epoxy to spend less initially.
- Ordering from a shady or unscrupulous dealer.
- Purchasing insufficient epoxy for your project.
- Buying from a supplier who doesn't deliver fast enough.
We'll start with number 1.
Mistake #1: Using an Epoxy Variant Not Meant for Your Project
A common mistake beginners make is assuming that all epoxy works the same or that there is only one type of epoxy.
While Table Top Epoxy is indeed very common and versatile, other types of epoxy may be better suited for specific projects and goals.
Using the wrong type of epoxy can result in imperfections and blemishes, problems which then demand additional time to fix. Therefore, it’s important to understand which epoxy your project needs
What Are the 2 Main Types of Epoxy Used for Finishes?
There are two types of epoxy resin that cover nearly every type of epoxy project. These epoxy types are:
Epoxy Type #1: Table Top Epoxy
Table top epoxy is the most resilient form of epoxy. As a liquid it is a thick and viscous resin, with syrupy consistency. As it cures, it transitions to an incredibly durable solid state, becoming a super hard surface that easily resists physical damage such as scratching, cracking, and blunt impacts better than any other epoxy type.
To achieve this sheer durability, however, table top epoxy gives up its fluidity and is unable to be poured in thick layers without the undesirable development of blemishes such as air bubbles.
Our Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy is our premium-grade table top resin. It cures to a crystal-clear finish that exhibits unmatched surface strength.
Epoxy Type #2: Deep Pour Epoxy
Compared to table top epoxy, deep pour epoxy is more situational. In its liquid state, it's far less viscous and has a watery consistency. For application purposes, deep pour epoxy supports incredibly thick layers of up to two inches (depending on the quality of the resin being used). This makes certain types of projects, such as river tables, much easier to accomplish with a pristine finish, free of imperfections.
The downsides to deep pour epoxy are that it isn't effective for seal coating, and it doesn't reach the same extreme strength that table top epoxy cures to.
Our Primaloc Deep Pour Epoxy is a premium-grade deep pour epoxy. It supports extra-thick layer depth of up to two inches per layer, allowing users to achieve a deep resin finish in far less time and with much lower risk of problems.
Epoxy Is Perfect for Porous Materials
Epoxy substrates are typically porous, containing numerous tiny holes that hold small pockets of air. When epoxy is poured onto a porous substrate, it seeps into these surface-level pores and displaces the air. This process helps epoxy form a strong bond with the surface by anchoring itself into these pores.
Air Bubbles—A Slight Bother, But Manageable
Due to epoxy's above average viscosity, air often gets trapped within the finish before it can escape, leading to air bubbles. The more viscous the epoxy, the more likely it is to develop air bubble imperfections.
In many cases, you can avoid this by first applying a seal coat, which is a thin layer of epoxy brushed onto the substrate before pouring the full coating. However, when a project requires a deep or thick epoxy coating, a seal coat is often insufficient to prevent air bubbles in the final finish.
Epoxy can also trap air as it flows from the mixing container to the substrate and spreads out. Typically, these air bubbles are removed with a heat gun, but if the poured layer is too thick, the heat gun may not reach all the bubbles.
To prevent air bubbles in deep layers, it's best to use a deep pour epoxy. This variant is designed for thick coatings. For example, the thinner consistency of our Primaloc Deep Pour Epoxy allows air to escape more easily, resulting in fewer air bubbles that can be fully removed with a heat gun or torch.
Use Deep Pour Epoxy When You Need Extra Depth
The average epoxy project needs only a thin layer of table top epoxy for the finish.
If a thicker layer is needed, however, you should always opt for deep pour epoxy. This will avoid the problems generated by pouring table top epoxy in overly thick layers.
While table top epoxy can be poured in multiple layers gradually, this process can be time consuming and increases the risk of mistakes or problems with each layer added on. Instead, we recommend using our Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy as a topcoating over your deep pour project; though not necessary, this provides the project with an extra durable exterior that can hold up to all sorts of high-traffic scenarios and rough usage.
At Primaloc, our Primaloc Deep Pour Epoxy is perfect for achieving a thick-layered epoxy finish with a pristine, crystal-clear appearance.
Mistake #2: Selecting a Low-Cost, Budget Brand Epoxy to Spend Less Initially
Another mistake epoxy users may unknowingly make is purchasing a low-grade epoxy resin. These resins often have a noticeably lower upfront cost compared to conventional brands and premium-grade resins. This can make them especially appealing to unknowing buyers.
Unfortunately, this price is often too good to be true. Many times, a low-cost epoxy resin is as cheap as it is because it's been produced with low-quality ingredients, resulting in inferior epoxy resin. When this subpar epoxy resin is used in a project, all sorts of problems can occur.
For instance, when mixing, it may be difficult to properly blend the epoxy even when mixed correctly. If it does blend together, there still may be imperfections that manifest while curing; these can be things like a murky finish, extra air bubbles, or softn spots within the finish.
An even bigger concern is that the resin may appear to be doing great up until it seems fully cured, only to eventually buckle, crack, or split, even within conditions that should be manageable for any decent epoxy resin.
How to Sidestep the Budget Brand Issue
The issue with budget brands can be avoided entirely by looking carefully at your options. Before you finally make a decision, try to get a sense of how reputable the dealer of the epoxy you're considering is.
While browsing for epoxy, look for the following:
- Signs of a dealer who has good customer support
- Reviews of the epoxy, good and bad, that seem to come from real humans—not generated by computers.
- Photos submitted by real users. These often accompany reviews of the product but not always.
Primaloc: Premium Epoxy for Clean, Reliable Results
At Primaloc, our epoxy resin products are produced to very high standards. You won't have the "budget brand" issue with us, as no corners are cut in the production process, leading to a pure, clean epoxy resin that cures clear and strong.
You can find our top-tier epoxy resins on the following pages:
Mistake #3: Ordering From a Shady or Unscrupulous Dealer
While shopping for epoxy, it's often hard to determine which providers can be trusted and which ones are looking to deceive buyers.
With the ability to generate false reviews and fake photos, it's simple for epoxy dealers to construct a falsely positive image of their brand. On top of that, some of the shadiest dealers are actually quite substantial in size, selling the same exact products under a variety of inscrutable brand names. It may even be just as easy to imitate legitimate brands while selling under 3rd party marketplaces such as Amazon.
Imported and Poorly Regulated
Most epoxy dealers who commit to shady practices also produce and import their resin products from abroad to evade U.S. regulations. These imported epoxies are often compromised well before they arrive, being made from inferior ingredients or containing unnecessary fillers to save on costs of production, a compromise that is passed onto consumer unknowingly.
That's why we recommend always choosing an epoxy resin made entirely in the United States.
Mistake #4: Purchasing Insufficient Epoxy for Your Project
Once you've started the epoxy application process, you definitely won't want to discover that you didn't get enough epoxy to finish the job. Although you can always order more epoxy and wait for it to arrive, this often results in additional work. For example, any cured epoxy resin present when you resume will require sanding before you can apply the remaining finish.
Always measure your project's surface area carefully. Once you know your dimensions and desired finish depth, you can contact your epoxy dealer for help in determining how much you'll need.
For assistance, consider using our Epoxy Calculators to get a rough estimate of the epoxy required for your project.
Choose based on which type(s) of epoxy you'll be using.
Mistake #5: Buying From a Supplier Who Doesn't Deliver Fast Enough
The final mistake is less obvious.
Epoxy projects are often time sensitive (though not always!). This usually means that there's a limited amount of time to gather the supplies, perform the project, and ensure that it cures fully.
In cases like that, it's essential to buy your epoxy from a dealer who will deliver in time. Some dealers are lax on fulfilment, waiting until the last minute to ship out your order. Even if their resin product is solid, it does you no good if it never arrives in time.
Always choose a reliable dealer with fast shipping and delivery.
At Primaloc, we ship out all orders placed by 4 PM Eastern Time on the same day they're placed, Monday to Friday. Orders placed after 4 PM will ship on the next business day.
Learn more about our shipping policy here!
Primaloc Epoxy: Premium Epoxy for Premium Results
With our premium Bar & Table Top Epoxy and our Deep Pour Epoxy, Primaloc gets the job done. Our epoxy resins are premium-grade, with high performance in every category, including:
- Unmatched Strength: A Primaloc finish won't buckle, even under high pressure.
- Long-Lasting Resilience: Primaloc epoxy lasts for many years with minimal care, and can endure high-traffic environments with ease.
- A Crystal-Clear Coating: With its pristine, transparent appearance, looking at a cured Primaloc coating is like peering through a window.
Epoxy resin can be beautiful, strong, and long-lasting—which is why you shouldn't compromise on quality. With Primaloc Epoxy Resin, you get the ultimate finish in durability and visual appeal.
Protect your surfaces by giving them a rock-solid epoxy finish. Choose strong. Choose reliable. Choose Primaloc.