Coasters are a timeless form of arts-and-crafts that allow you to make something functional yet aesthetically pleasing—even as a beginner! And what better way to do that than to make an epoxy resin coaster, which offers amazing customization and results in a highly durable work of art that you can keep for yourself or gift to your friends and family to express appreciation for them.

In this article, we'll cover the process of making resin coasters of your own, including gathering the epoxy resin and other supplies you'll need, as well as customizing the appearance of it in different ways to suit your preferences.

How to Make Resin Coasters

The first thing to do is think about what kind of appearance you want your resin coaster to have. There are 3 typical colorants that most hobbyists use, plus a variety of additional materials used to provide an accent to the final result.

The three colorant types are:

• Mica Powder Pigment - Provides an opaque, multi-toned shimmer.
• Liquid Pigment - Keeps the epoxy translucent, with a singular tone.
• Alcohol Inks - Seeps into the resin, spreading out in unusual ways without blending.

These three different colorants will be the base for your coaster personalization, and each has a distinctly different aesthetic.

However, you can also keep your epoxy clear, to make a transparent coaster or to decorate your coaster in other ways without using colorants, such as by including embedments.

What You'll Need: Tools and Supplies

Before you can begin your project, you'll need some fundamental supplies. Here's a list of what to acquire:

• Epoxy Resin: Our Primaloc Epoxy Resin is excellent for this type of project. If you want to make just a few coasters, try starting with a quart.
• Coaster Molds: You can acquire these from numerous places online, as well as many hobby stores or arts-and-crafts outlets.
• Disposable Plastic Containers (or Cups): You'll mix your epoxy in these. Get enough for each batch, as you should never reuse one.
• Small Stir Sticks: These are great for mixing small quantities of epoxy resin.
• An N95 or KN95 Mask and Nitrile Gloves: These mask will protect you from any epoxy fumes and the nitrile gloves will keep your hands clean.
• A Heat Gun: You'll use this to remove air bubbles and keep your coaster pristine. You can get an excellent heat gun from our store.
• Colorants (optional): These are used to impart colors into your resin. See the previous section for more information.
• Painters Plastic Sheeting: You can cover your workspace with this to prevent accidental spills from getting onto valued surfaces. This is optional, though.

Once you've gathered what you need, you should prepare your work area by cleaning the surface, place the painters plastic (if you're using any), and then setting up the materials in a convenient location.

Ensure your silicone molds are clean (you can use rubbing alcohol with a lint-free rag to clean them), and you'll be ready to begin!

Step #1: Mix Up a Batch of Epoxy Resin

• First, mix your epoxy resin batch together. Be sure to measure in proper proportions (your chosen resin brand should indicate what those are).
• Second, use your stir sticks to mix both components together, again following the instructions for the epoxy you're using. This typically only takes a few minutes at most.
• Finally, when the mixing is almost complete, you can add any mica powder or dye you want to use. Start with a small amount, and blend it in well. Add more as desired to achieve your preferred tone.

Step #2: Pour the Resin Into the Mold

Next, you'll add the resin to your mold. Pour it carefully until it's full. Once done with that, you'll use your heat gun to remove any air bubbles that form.

If you want to add embedments, it's a little more complicated:

1. Make a smaller batch of epoxy, enough to fill it high enough for your embedments to be places.
2. Pour the small batch into your mold.
3. Use your heat gun to remove air bubbles.
4. Add your embedments carefully (you can use tweezers to make positioning easier).
5. Let it partially cure for a few hours.
6. Make another batch to fill the rest of the mold.
7. Pour it in, then remove the air bubbles with the heat gun.

Step #3: Let the Epoxy Cure

Once you're done with the heat gun, take a closer look at the epoxy surface to see if you've missed any air bubbles. If you don't see any, it's time to let the epoxy cure.

You can check your instructions for the appropriate curing time, but typically it's at least 24 hours, potentially up to 72 hours for a usable epoxy surface.

Once the epoxy has cured, your project is done! Your coaster will be complete and can be removed from the coaster mold.

Note: If you want, you can add some rubber spaces to the bottom of it. These will provide friction and prevent it from sliding around on certain surface types. Other than that, you're good to go.

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, pours easily and smoothly, and cures clear and strong—with high performance in every category, perfect for creating resin arts and crafts.

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.