When you're new to epoxy, deciding on which epoxy type to use for your project can be a bit confusing. There are many different kinds, each designed for particular purposes. Learning the differences between them, though, enables you to make the right call for your epoxy project.
In this article, we'll discuss our two of our most versatile epoxy resins for domestic and commercial use: Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy and Primaloc Deep Pour Epoxy.
What Are the Differences Between Table Top Epoxy and Deep Pour Epoxy?
Table Top Epoxy and Deep Pour Epoxy differ from each other in various ways, including:
- Maximum Pour Depth
- Viscosity
- Physical Strength
- Working Time
- Usage
Aspect #1: Maximum Pour Depth
The most prominent way in which table top epoxy and deep pour epoxy differ is how deep of a layer they can be poured in.
Our Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy is designed to exhibit extreme physical resilience. As a side effect of achieving this goal, it has a limited pour depth for individual layers. When properly measured, mixed, and poured, it will self-level to 1/8 of an inch. This is more than adequate for most epoxy projects, being enough to fully seal and safeguard the typical substrate, whether a bar top, countertop, or table top.
On the other hand, our Primaloc Deep Pour Epoxy is designed for very deep individual layers. When properly measured and mixed, it can be poured in extra thick layers of up to 2 inches deep. This makes it excellent for projects that call for thick epoxy layers, such as river tables or deep resin casting.
Aspect #2: Viscosity
Another way in which these two resins differ is in their viscosity levels. Essentially, viscosity is how much a substance "flows"—or rather, its resistance to it. A high rating means a substance flows very slowly (such as molasses), whereas a low rating means it moves easily (such as water).
Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy has a medium viscosity rating, it doesn't flow super slowly, but it's notably slower than water and most other variants of epoxy resin. This means when pouring it onto a substrate surface, it can be helpful if you guide the container over surface area that isn't yet covered, to ease the job of the self-leveling resin and ensure even coverage.
Deep Pour Epoxy, in turn, has a low viscosity rating. Its flow has been likened to water, and it doesn't tend to stay put if there's pull on it (e.g., from gravity).
Why Viscosity Matters
Viscosity affects two major aspects of epoxy resin. The first is how well the epoxy releases air bubbles. The second is how well it sticks to a substrate surface prior to forming a bond during curing.
Releasing Air Bubbles
Air bubble removal is one of the last steps in the epoxy process, occurring just after pouring a coating. During mixing and also when an epoxy is applied to a porous substrate surface, air can get pulled into the epoxy mixture, at which point it will rise and attempt to escape the epoxy.
Low-viscosity epoxies like our Primaloc Deep Pour Epoxy allow air to rise more easily, releasing it at the surface instead of trapping it within the finish. This results in far fewer air bubbles, making the removal process a breeze and avoiding visible imperfections in the epoxy finish.
Epoxies with medium to high viscosity, however, tend to retain air, keeping it suspended within the resin material. This can lead to a variety of imperfections or a weakened cure. That's why we recommend staying at the natural 1/8 inch thickness of our self-leveling Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy. The 1/8 inch depth is just right for removing air bubbles while also providing a powerful protective seal for the substrate material.
How Well It Sticks (Flow and Bonding)
The stickiness of epoxy resin determines what preparations (if any) you need to make to ensure your epoxy stays where it's supposed to be before it starts to cure.
Medium to High Viscosity Epoxies
An epoxy which is medium to high viscosity (such as our Bar & Table Top Epoxy) will flow slowly and tends to settle close to where it was placed if the angle of the material isn't steep.
This means two things. The first is that it can be used to apply epoxy seal coats, which are thin, manually brushed on coatings of epoxy that seal a substrate's pores while forcing the air out of them. The second is that it doesn't always need an edge guard or raised trim to stay on the substrate surface.
Instead, these viscous epoxies, due to their high cohesion, will stick to the surface of a substrate and even flow over the side and under it a bit as they self-level. Some dripping can still be expected depending on the volume, but most of it will stay close until it forms a bond through curing.
Low-Viscosity Epoxies
Low-viscosity epoxies such as our Primaloc Deep Pour have relatively low cohesion and surface tension, causing it to flow freely (like water) over a substrate surface until it finds a place to settle. This means that, unlike a viscous epoxy, deep pours will flow over edges and onto the floor if not contained prior to curing.
The overflow issue can be resolved by setting up a temporary dam, enclosure, or edge guard during the application process, any of which can be removed after curing.
These epoxies also are not suited to seal coating applications due to their low viscosity making them inadequate for manually brushed-on layers.
Aspect #3: Physical Strength
Epoxy strength varies by type and brand. For most brands, a table top epoxy will be much stronger than a corresponding deep pour epoxy.
Many users who perform a deep pour epoxy project elect to finish it with a topcoating of table top epoxy for the extra high durability.
Aspect #4: Working Time
The working time (sometimes called pot life) of an epoxy is how much time you have to apply it after mixing it thoroughly. Generally, viscous, more durable epoxies have a lower working time.
For instance, Primaloc Bar & Table Top Epoxy has an average working time of 5 minutes, while Primaloc Deep Pour Epoxy has a working time of 30 minutes.
This factor is slightly affected by the temperature of the room it was prepared in, so try to maintain optimal climate conditions for your chosen resin brand.
Aspect #5: Usage
For every project, there is an ideal epoxy type—and sometimes two!
For example, Deep Pour Epoxy is commonly employed for casting larger molds, creating river tables, embedding objects, filling voids in wood, and other projects that require thicker coatings or castings.
Table Top Epoxy, on the other hand, is more suited for coating surfaces like kitchen countertops, bar tops, and even resin artwork with thin, glossy layers.
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.