Among resins and other types of sealants, table top epoxy is highly valued for its outstanding durability and crystal-clear finish, an ideal combination for long-lasting projects like bar tops, countertops, and various types of tables and trays. These days, there are many DIY enthusiasts and contractors who use epoxy resin to give their surfaces a strong, clean seal.
In recent years, as a result of its enduring appeal, epoxy has become widely available, with many different types of epoxy resin being provided by various dealers, both new and old. These resin types are each designed for different categories of projects, such as art, fixtures/furniture, and watercrafts (i.e., marine applications).
However, that doesn't mean a good resin won't work for non-specialized projects. For instance, our Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy is carefully formulated to be an optimal finishing option for bar tops, countertops, and table tops, but as a premium resin, its also great for almost any other type of epoxy project. Its unmatched durability and pristine clarity are exceptional for artistic projects such as resin art and jewelry, as well as for high-traffic centerpieces such as commercial bar tops.
Table Top Epoxy: Many Benefits—with Just One Drawback
When working with any epoxy, including our premium Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy, it's helpful to know what your epoxy's depth limit is for an individual layer; this limit is what determines how big your resin batch should be to preven the development of certain cosmetic issues such as air bubbles.
In this article, we'll explain what a safe layer depth for most epoxies—and particularly for table top epoxies—is by answering the question "How thick can you pour epoxy?"
How Thick Can You Pour Epoxy?
High-quality table top epoxy, like our Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy, is designed for applications up to 1/8 of an inch thick per layer. While each layer should not exceed this thickness, you can apply multiple layers to achieve greater overall depth.
The self-leveling property of table top epoxy ensures it spreads evenly across a flat surface until it reaches its intended thickness. For our epoxy, this is 1/8 of an inch, though this thickness can vary with different brands, some of which might level out at 1/16 of an inch. When applied correctly in layers, the epoxy creates a durable, level, and aesthetically pleasing finish.
Deep Pour Epoxy Allows for Thick Layers
To get around the depth limitations of table top epoxy, many users opt to use a deep pour such as our Primaloc Deep Pour Epoxy. This type of epoxy is intended to be used for thick layers, such as those needed to complete certain types of river tables.
Our Primaloc Deep Pour Epoxy can be poured in layers up to 2 inches thick. It also supports multiple layers, allowing for a total thickness of 6 inches (starting with an initial 2-inch layer, then adding subsequent 1-inch layers over it until satisfied).
Why Is There a Maximum Thickness for Epoxy Layers?
It all comes down to viscosity, which is how easily a liquid flows
If a liquid is viscous, it'll flow more slowly from a container onto a surface, gradually spreading out as it conforms to that surface—think of syrup, for example. On the other hand, a liquid with low viscosity will flow smoothly and readily—imagine the graceful movement of pure water.
The viscosity of epoxy is what determines the maximum thickness for a single layer. When epoxy is spread over a substrate or poured into a mold, it infiltrates any existing pores, trapping air. This trapped air attempts to rise to the surface and escape. However, due to the thick and less fluid nature of table top epoxy, air bubbles can become trapped within the layer if it's too deep. On the other hand, the low viscosity of deep pour epoxy may be less suited to some applications (such as a seal coat), but it allows for much greater depth in a single pour.
This viscosity hinders the air's escape, potentially trapping it within the epoxy as it cures, leading to the formation of air bubbles. So, to prevent these imperfections and ensure a clear, flawless finish, it's important to stay within the recommended layer thickness for whichever epoxy is being used at the time, thereby avoiding overly thick applications that can entrap air.
Is There a Way to Fully Prevent Air Bubbles?
While you can't fully prevent air bubbles from appearing during the pouring stage, there are ways to greatly reduce how many appear, upon which you can easily remove them during the air bubble removal step.
Epoxy Seal Coats
Air bubble mitigation is accomplished by applying a seal coat of epoxy before you perform your flood coat. A seal coat is a thin coat of epoxy that gets brushed onto the surface of your substrate. The epoxy applied this way seeps into the pores of the substrate (e.g., wood) to push out the air, releasing it from the material.
Once the seal coat has been applied, the substrate will be almost ready for a flood coat (a brief partial curing period is highly recommended).
Air Bubble Removal
Once you've poured your flood coat, it's time to perform the air bubble removal step. This quick and simple step requires a heat gun or some type of blowtorch. You can find an exceptional heat gun in our store.
Once you have your heating tool, do the following:
- Ready your heat gun or blowtorch. The goal is to maintain a distance of several inches throughout this phase. This will prevent heat damage to the epoxy resin.
- While the tool is active, move it smoothly across the entire epoxy layer. Maintain appropriate distance and never pause over any spot for more than a second. Once you've done a full pass, turn off the tool and move onto step 3.
- Examine your epoxy finish for remaining air bubbles. You can look at different angles for better views. If you see any, you can repeat the process. Otherwise, you're finished!
How Does This Work?
As heat is transferred into the air bubbles, the air starts to rise, attempting to surface (hotter air rises, cooler air falls). Once it surfaces, the bubbles burst, releasing the air into the environment and allowing the epoxy to settle.
It's this method that allows epoxy users to get a pristine, glasslike finish.
Achieve a Seamless Epoxy Finish with Multiple Layers
One thing to note about epoxy resin is that, while you shouldn't exceed the maximum recommended depth per layer, you can certainly apply multiple layers successively.
The process for this is very similar to a single-layer coating. Simply go through the initial seal coat and flood coat phases, then remove your air bubbles, and finally allow for a partial cure (4 hours, no more than 10).
Once that's done, you can mix up a new resin batch and apply it onto the now slightly cured previous one. After that, just remove air bubbles again.
You can repeat this until you're satisfied with the depth of your finish. Just be sure to allow for a partial cure before applying a new layer and always remove air bubbles after each application.
Primaloc Epoxy: Premium Epoxy for Premium Results
When it comes to epoxy resin, Primaloc Epoxy gets the job done. Our epoxy resin is 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.