All You Need for Your First Epoxy Project

I always feel like a broken record when I say this, but I can't repeat it enough...

When you're beginning to work with epoxy, start small!

Don't take on a 8' river table for your first project, because I can almost guarantee you that mistakes will be made that will end up costing you a pretty penny.

And I don't mean that in a rude way - it happens to everyone! Heck, it happened to Kyle over and over again when he began working with epoxy. It takes a little practice to get a feel for working with and understanding the product.

I've compiled this checklist that has everything you need for your first epoxy project, and the best part? You'll be under $100! Score!

All of the products I've listed here are linked to our online store, or you can find them all in our showroom in Listowel!

1. Slab - first and foremost, you're going to need a piece of wood to work on. More times than not, you can find a suitable piece in our $5 bin for a small project. If we don't have anything available there, one of our smaller charcuterie stock pieces is a great alternative, ranging from $20-40 depending on the size.

2. Epoxy - we suggest to start with the 750mL kit of the R-Epoxy, retailing for $39.95. This is the epoxy used for filling small holes, cracks and voids. All of the epoxies we sell are the same mixing ratio and very similar mixing times, so once you figure out the mixing process for one, you'll be set to use any of them. This specific epoxy has a maximum pour depth of 1/4", and we have other product lines with pour depths up to 2".

3. Pigment - we sell 5 gram bags of powdered pigments for $5 in a range of beautiful colors! The individual bags are sold in store only, but online you can grab a multipack of 15 colors for $60, or 60 gram jars for $18.

4. Mixing bucket - we have three different sizes available with mixing measurements right on them, but since you won't be using a huge amount of epoxy for this project, the 12oz mixing bucket will be more than sufficient - selling for a whopping $2! We also sell mixers that attach to a drill, however that's not necessary for this project - use a popsicle stick instead to mix the epoxy.

5. Caulking and Tuck Tape - depending on the size of hole/void you're filling, you will either need some caulking or tape. For smaller cracks, taping off the bottom with tuck tape will be enough but for anything too big, you will need to caulk a form to the bottom (visit our blog on building forms and molds to read more on this!) - we suggest the Akfix Sealmax, selling for $4.99, or grab a roll of tuck tape for $10.99.

6. Abrasives - if you don't have any mechanical sanders, you will need some sanding supplies to finish this project. I would suggest to grab a coarse pad for sanding prior to epoxy ($3.95 each) and some 120/180 sanding blocks ($2 each) for finishing.

7. Finish - finally, once you have tackled the epoxy portion, you will need to finish your masterpiece. We have multiple different finish options available, but for this I would suggest the wallet-friendly Finishing Oil from Grand Finishes, retailing for just $15 for an 8oz jar! Its a high quality finish that's incredibly easy to use and made locally in the beautiful city of Guelph, Ontario.

After all of your epoxy and finishing materials, you're coming in just under $80, leaving $20 for the wood piece of your choice. Talk about a win!

If you're still have some uncertainties about starting this project, come chat with us in our showroom! We will happily set you up with everything you need and give you some helpful tips along the way.

I hope this helps your inner DIY'er! Thanks for reading friends :)

-Ali