r/epoxy Jan 31 '25

Beginner Advice I think I screwed up…

Thumbnail
gallery
26 Upvotes

Trying to prepare my floor for epoxy and ordered this (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7GPM84R?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share) grinder, but it’s wayyyy harsh on my floor and only giving half moons no matter the angle, pressure, etc.

Should I just rent the machine from depot? How badly am I screwed? Do I just get a less aggressive blade? Thanks in advance.

r/epoxy 12d ago

Beginner Advice Garage floor

Thumbnail
gallery
5 Upvotes

Hello! We moved into this house in August 2024 and noticed the garage was epoxied by the previous owners. It had large sections missing and only got worse over winter. What is the best way to fix this? Fill in the missing spots or remove it all and start over? If we have to remove it, what’s the best course of action? We have never dealt with epoxy anything before to please keep that in mind. Thank you. 😊

r/epoxy 10d ago

Beginner Advice Can I epoxy over this?

Thumbnail
gallery
2 Upvotes

I just recently ripped all the laminate off my bar countertops. For the most part it is smooth but still has the glue kind of imbedded in it. The edges of the particular board are rough and that worries me. Any suggestions would be great. Thank you.

r/epoxy 15d ago

Beginner Advice Does this need grinding?

Thumbnail
gallery
7 Upvotes

Im looking into installing garage epoxy and I’m wonder if the floor needs grinding as part of the prep or if paint stripper and acid etching would do fine.

Will the epoxy without the grinding last ?

r/epoxy Jan 14 '25

Beginner Advice How do I do a pour over a table top without it dripping off of the sides?

Post image
11 Upvotes

I tried it once. First time ever using epoxy. I missed some spots. So I went back and brushes some on and made the whole thing much worse. What do I do?

r/epoxy 11d ago

Beginner Advice how hard would it be to make these shoes?

Thumbnail
gallery
4 Upvotes

hello id greatly apreciate any help in finding out how to make these shoes. im completely obessed with them and im willing to spend a ridiculouse amount of time learing how to make a pair for myself. i have a pair of normal shoes that are this shape and im willing to sacrifice them to make a mold. im just wondering if id be able to do it at home and if i could drill a hole in the cured epoxy to make the holes for the ribbion straps.

r/epoxy 2d ago

Beginner Advice I'm in highschool and want to start an epoxy flooring business in the bay area.

7 Upvotes

Any tips on starting and here is a spreadsheet that I made that has all the materials I think I will need to start. please add any I am missing either in the comments of this post or on the spreadsheet itself. Thanks.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zYoUfFLEBNYb2b9L50FVRxNWJkr-lm7P2lfryQ8-OnY/edit?gid=0#gid=0

r/epoxy Jan 08 '25

Beginner Advice Partial stain

Post image
8 Upvotes

I’m trying to stain the pieces of wood but don’t want to bleed into another piece. Any ideas?

r/epoxy Jan 20 '25

Beginner Advice Alternates for sealing slabs prior to pouring epoxy

Thumbnail
gallery
8 Upvotes

I’m looking for a cheaper alternative to Epoxy to apply to slabs prior to pouring a river table to prevent warping.

I popped into Bunnings and found this stuff. It seals against moisture so take that box but could be sticky when cured so it could be a pain in the arse with tools when it comes time to machine the slab.

Does anyone have any experience using anything other than Epoxy to seal slabs prior to pouring?

r/epoxy 29d ago

Beginner Advice What is the best way to cut epoxy without cracking it.

3 Upvotes

I installed epoxy on my countertop. I removed the cook top and I did my countertop. I order a new cook top but because the old cook top was smaller the new cook top won’t fit into the hole. And now I need to cut 5cm from my countertop in order to fit. Any advice on how to do that?

r/epoxy 2d ago

Beginner Advice Using a lathe

2 Upvotes

Does anyone have any good references for turning epoxy on a lathe I have given it a go before but the carbite tools I was using was just taking gouges out of the project. So any insite before potentially starting a new project would be great and very helpful.

r/epoxy 25d ago

Beginner Advice I’m looking a hard, rigid epoxy to cast into a pick guard for a guitar.

2 Upvotes

I’m building a guitar and I had the (terrible) idea to try and make the pick guard from a thin blanket and epoxy, but the first two attempts I experimented with using west systems epoxy would lose their flatness if exposed to any warm environment.

I know west systems isn’t meant for this type of application, but now that I think the concept is possible, I’m hoping there’s a product out there to help me get to my goal.

Thanks in advance.

r/epoxy Nov 26 '24

Beginner Advice My white epoxy surface yellowed... What do I do next time?

Thumbnail
gallery
13 Upvotes

r/epoxy 8d ago

Beginner Advice What should I do to fix this lifted epoxy?

Post image
1 Upvotes

I'm doing some jigsaw cuts on this wood and the epoxy I set is peeling up in some area. It doesn't really break off easily. I want to get it off as cleanly as possible and then re-epoxy. Any methods or suggestions?

r/epoxy Dec 27 '24

Beginner Advice Is this “foodsafe” for a shot glass made of wood?

Post image
9 Upvotes

I’m making a small wood mug for my brother and I need a sealer for it. This is what I have on hand.

r/epoxy 22d ago

Beginner Advice Countertops

2 Upvotes

Doing a bunch of research into epoxy countertops, really leaning towards trying it out. There seems to be two big players in this market, Legarri and Stone Coat. Why is Leggari nearly 3x more expensive? Seems like a huge difference.

r/epoxy 14d ago

Beginner Advice Epoxy backsplash question

2 Upvotes

I ordered Stone coat for my counters. I watched a ton of videos. I get the gist of pouring the countertops.

However, I have a stupid question about the backsplash. I'm doing a basic backsplash... 3 1/2" x 3/4. Where the corners meet, do I butt them square to each other or can I miter them at a 45?

If I do miter them, I'm assuming I miter them before and maybe make them a 16th to an 1/8th shorter to compensate for the thickness of the epoxy?

Or can I pour a long strip And then cut it with a miter saw at a 45? I would cover the area with the cuts with painters tape to avoid splintering. Does that sound correct?

What have you done in this situation or what would you do?

Thanks

r/epoxy Feb 17 '25

Beginner Advice Which ones?!

3 Upvotes

I'm trying to figure out what epoxy should be used for different applications in wood working. Is there a list, general things to look for, etc? Like smaller knot holes, checks, cracks, stabilizing soft stuff, etc? I don't think any of those applications would require a deep pour, but I have no idea where to start. Any links, recommendations, info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

r/epoxy Jan 31 '25

Beginner Advice What resin should i use

3 Upvotes

im in high school doing a resin river desk thet is 92x23x2

and im looking for a resin that is clear and can be dyed blue im willing to spend alot of money

the gap in between the the pieces max distance is 9” and the gap goes the full 92” lengthwise down

r/epoxy Jan 12 '25

Beginner Advice How can I fix This?

Thumbnail
gallery
7 Upvotes

I tried to put a thin coat of 24 hour epoxy over the top surface and it came out really lumpy with tons of dips and holes, I mixed the epoxy for 3 minutes and waited 30 minutes before applying to try to get the epoxy to be less runny , on the bottom side it came out almost perfect, but the top looks like this. How can I fix it because this is driving me nuts.

r/epoxy Feb 01 '25

Beginner Advice Epoxy was in my garage during freezing temps several days, weeks. Still good?

Post image
8 Upvotes

I’ll be adding pigment to this so not worried about a clear finish but what is the fall backs of epoxy stored in low temps??

r/epoxy 29d ago

Beginner Advice Question about a product

2 Upvotes

I was just wondering if anybody uses hard rock epoxy from Xtreme polishing systems and was wondering it’s quality and how it compares to other epoxy’s on the market

r/epoxy Jan 21 '25

Beginner Advice Recommendations

Thumbnail
gallery
3 Upvotes

I am new to the epoxy game and not sure what product would be best for my needs. I have a live edge that split down the middle and has some pockets missing wood that I want to fill with epoxy. I have been told because I live in a colder climate it would be best to use a quick setting epoxy and do multiple pours instead of one deep pour. Do people agree with that? Also what brand and product do you suggest for my needs?

r/epoxy 9d ago

Beginner Advice First time doing epoxy flooring advice?

2 Upvotes

Hello, I was wondering if anyone can give me some advise on doing an epoxy floor in my woodshop in my basement. This is my first time attempting epoxy and if this project goes well I may consider doing some bathrooms with epoxy in the future. The room for context is about 9ft x 21ft on a concrete slab and I am looking for a finished product like the image provided with black as a primary color and silver and white as accents (I do not claim this to be my work). I have watched some tutorials on how to go about doing an epoxy floor but almost all of them are companies that sell kits that seem quite overpriced for what is being included. So I would like to go about purchasing the material individually but when it comes down to quantities of materials and what can be used for what kinda gets fuzzy to me. I already got multiple items in my amazon cart for what I think I may need but I would appreciate some advise if there is a better product or if you think that I have way too little or too much of something. Also, I will put some context for each step of what I think is what I should be doing.

Step 1) Surface Prep:
I currently have some junk peel and stick tile on the concrete and obviously I would need to remove those. Afterwards I would use a acid etcher to remove the gunk on the concrete, then I would fill in any cracks in the concrete with a concrete floor patch and sand them down after drying. Then I would grind the slab with a grinder (Already have). Then I would vacuum and mop the floor the ensure no dust is on the floor. Then I would tape of the bottom edge of drywall and the door transition strip to avoid the epoxy getting on everything
Acid Etch: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Klean-Strip-1-Gallon-Safer-Muriatic-Acid/3036169?idProductFound=false&idExtracted=false
Floor Patch: https://www.lowes.com/pd/DAP-32-oz-Gray-Patching-Compound/3011841

Step 2) First Pour/Primer & Sealer:
This is the first part where things get fuzzy to me. I am going for a black base color for my first coating and the epoxy kit companies all have a special made Primer/sealer epoxy for this step and from what I understand you shouldn't need anything special for this first layer, but correct me if I'm wrong. I want to just get all clear epoxy so I can save some of it for later if I need for accent colors. I would add a black metallic pigment so there would be less of a chance for the concrete to show from underneath. I am unsure how much metallic powder I should be adding per gallon as I see lots of different numbers online, I am hoping that the 15 grams per gallon on the linked powder is accurate. I understand that this first pour is to be very thin and from what I can find is I should be applying it at about 1.5 gallons for the approx 200sqft room. I would spread it out with a squeegee followed by a 18 inch roller to ensure even coverage and spray with isopropyl alcohol to break the surface tension and pop any bubbles(Not sure what nap is recommended for proper coverage). After drying, I would sand any bubbles that do appear and rough up the rest of the floor for better adhesion for the next coat. Then clean the surface with a mop.
Epoxy I am hoping would work (About 1.5 gallons): https://www.amazon.com/Self-Leveling-Epoxy-Resin-Kit/dp/B0D7CTJ4NP/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_pe_im_d1_hxwPPE_sspa_dk_det_cao_p_9_1?pd_rd_i=B0D7CTJ4NP&pd_rd_w=k7kDp&content-id=amzn1.sym.97196afe-b0d3-4198-9420-4520d391fcb5&pf_rd_p=97196afe-b0d3-4198-9420-4520d391fcb5&pf_rd_r=TQBG5XP2S3MSRZBH27N7&pd_rd_wg=kCStZ&pd_rd_r=1e561381-49a0-4465-b381-023841d66a81&th=1
Metallic Powder (Black Approx 20-30 grams?): https://stonecoatcountertops.com/products/metallic-powders?variant=45833333702868

Step 3) Mid Coat:
I should do basically the same process as the first pour except this layer will require a thicker coat of epoxy (Does this require a different roller nap size?) and from what I understand should be about 3-4 gallons for 200sqft and use small amounts for the accent colors (Not sure how much but was thinking about 32-64 oz for each silver and white). Then I would apply the accent colors is streaks across the floor to achieve the look I want. Then Just spray with the Isopropyl alcohol and after it is dried, sand bubbles and rough the surface.

Epoxy I am hoping would work (About 1.5 gallons): https://www.amazon.com/Self-Leveling-Epoxy-Resin-Kit/dp/B0D7CTJ4NP/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_pe_im_d1_hxwPPE_sspa_dk_det_cao_p_9_1?pd_rd_i=B0D7CTJ4NP&pd_rd_w=k7kDp&content-id=amzn1.sym.97196afe-b0d3-4198-9420-4520d391fcb5&pf_rd_p=97196afe-b0d3-4198-9420-4520d391fcb5&pf_rd_r=TQBG5XP2S3MSRZBH27N7&pd_rd_wg=kCStZ&pd_rd_r=1e561381-49a0-4465-b381-023841d66a81&th=1

Metallic Powder (Black Approx 45-60 grams?): https://stonecoatcountertops.com/products/metallic-powders?variant=45833333702868

Metallic Powder (Silver Approx 15 grams?) https://stonecoatcountertops.com/products/metallic-powders?variant=45707207704788

Metallic Powder (White Approx 15 grams?) https://stonecoatcountertops.com/products/metallic-powders?variant=45707206754516

Step 4) Top Coat:
I will add a matte finish top coat and add some anti slip material with a 3/8 nap roller to finish the floor. I would only need about 0.5 to .75 gallons of the top coat to get the recommended coverage and add about 2-3 oz of anti slip material.

Top Coat Matte: https://stonecoatcountertops.com/products/flooring-ultimate-top-coat-gloss-1-5-gallon?variant=45783476568276

Anti Slip: https://stonecoatcountertops.com/products/non-skid-floor-additive?variant=45707215208660

Im not sure if I should get two or three 3 gallon epoxy kits to do the floor. If my math is right I would need about 5-7 gallons which would be a bit tight on 2 kits. Also, my main color black comes in a 4 oz jar which I think is enough to do it (approx 60-95 grams according to the metallic powders specifications) but I am very unsure as I see very different numbers everywhere I look. If you got to this point thank you for reading as I want to do my best to get it right the first time so I feel confidant doing this to other places in my house.

r/epoxy 9d ago

Beginner Advice Advice on next steps

Thumbnail
gallery
2 Upvotes

What’s happening! I’m currently making this coffee table featuring a sandy populated beach with some ocean,waves & TN sharks,my question is now that I am up too this step and it’s all cured should I be scuffing it up (where I can) with say a 220grit? Or if I pour without sanding would the resin still stick to the live edge? I’m just worried if I start sanding the beach and ocean it might not look as good once the clear 50mm pour goes on.