DIY epoxy resin and unique crafts made from it. Wooden table with epoxy resin Decor made of epoxy resin and wood

Agree, the table is made using epoxy resin looks quite unique, original, and sometimes extravagant? By combining this material with wood, you can easily bring to life a unique and inimitable piece of furniture that can decorate absolutely any room.

Time does not stand still, just like fashion.

Interior design requires us to develop new solutions and non-standard use of familiar materials. One of them is the widely known epoxy resin.

The rich properties of this material give us great opportunities in its application.

Once upon a time, epoxy resin was used only as a two-component adhesive for gluing various objects, but now it is widely used in the execution of original projects, dioramas, as well as the manufacture of designer furniture.

Properties

Epoxy resin is quite easy to use, but will allow you to create new table with your own hands, and update the old one, transform it beyond recognition. The strength and resistance of the hardened resin to chips, humidity, and temperature changes makes products made from it wear-resistant and durable.

This table will not change color, will not become deformed, and will not be covered with scratches or damage.

Design possibilities

By dyeing the resin, you can get hundreds color nuances from transparent to deep and rich tone, according to your desire, as well as achieve the effect of various landscapes, from mountain to sea, which is very popular now.

Under the filling you can place any components of your choice: pebbles, shells, interesting twigs and leaves, different kinds sand, marble chips, dried flowers, as well as memorable little things and souvenirs.

The special beauty of the furniture is given by dilapidated pieces of wood, withered, eaten away by bark beetles, larvae and voids formed over time. By filling such natural flaws with epoxy, you can achieve unrealistic special effects.

And by adding additional decor in the form of coarse sand into the gaps, alternating layers of resin with chips and sawdust, we will create the impression of frozen time.

It is also easy to create modern motifs with the help of polymer resin, investing them in the tabletop metal objects, semi-precious stones, glitter, foil. In addition, when painting exposed parts of wood with metallic paints, we will get fantastic effects and shimmers.

To work we will need wood, resin, any decor we like and limitless imagination.

Features of density

First of all, it is important to know that depending on the chosen decor, different viscosity of the fill is prepared. The working mixture consists directly of epoxy resin and hardener.

For the finest and most precise pouring, a more liquid mixture is suitable. This way she can fill all the cracks of the wood and completely fill the objects chosen for inlay.

The thick mixture, the so-called “liquid honey”, would be better suited when creating unique volumetric shapes, beautiful drips, lenses.

Methods of using epoxy resin

There are several effective options for using epoxy resin in furniture decoration.

Updating a shabby table

Have to take old table and carefully sand it, removing the worn layer of varnish or paint.

You need to make a side on the tabletop itself. To do this you can take wooden slats and cutting the corners at 45 degrees, stuff them onto the edges. You can also take metal corners and create a frame around the canvas of the future tabletop.

For inlay we choose according to our taste: old coins, small tiles for the kitchen “apron”, or wood chips and pieces of different shades and species. We dilute the resin and let it brew. At the same time, we lay out our decor on the table surface, after which we carefully pour in the prepared glue.

If the filling height is no more than 5 mm, then the process is performed in one go.

For a higher profile, filling will have to be done in several stages, each of which is repeated after 48 hours. After pouring, you need to remove bubbles using hot air. It is enough to heat the poured layer and the bubbles will come out on their own.

Complete process polymerization of epoxy is 7 days.

After the resin has completely cured, the sides must be removed and the entire surface treated grinder, removing the layer of resin. When the entire surface has been carefully processed, it must be varnished, and after it has completely polymerized, it must also be sanded and polished.

The choice of varnish must be approached no less responsibly. The varnish itself should be high-gloss and preferably with increased strength.

The beauty of the finished product directly depends on the properties of the chosen varnish.

Second way. DIY table

First you need to make a table frame from wood or metal and a tabletop base. This can be a solid canvas for pouring, or individual parts that will be embedded in the frame of the future table; only openings and corners will be filled. The result depends on what blanks do you use for the base?. This way you can get an imitation of a stream, river, flooded ravine or fantasy terrain.

If you take separate boards or pieces of wood for the base, then they need to be fixed mounting tape, for structural stability. It should also be remembered that with reverse side of the future table top, all holes are carefully sealed with masking tape or puttied to prevent epoxy resin from leaking out.

IN this option Only imperfections of the wood or gaps between the details of the canvas are filled in. Epoxy for this fill can be either colorless or tinted.

Such tabletops are processed as described above, after the resin has completely hardened.

Besides, this material gives us the opportunity to cut openings, grooves or decorative holes in the finished product, which will add uniqueness to your piece of furniture.

For an overview of epoxy resin table models, see below.

Furniture developers delight us with more and more interesting new products and original ideas in the field of interior design. Recently, furniture made of epoxy resin has gained popularity, which, thanks to the unique appearance of the material, transforms the home environment.

An epoxy work surface has many advantages, positive points are as follows:

• excellent performance properties. The material is highly durable and does not undergo deformation, its surface is not afraid of mechanical damage, and during operation no cracks or chips form on it;
• affordable cost - due to the fact that the price of primary raw materials is significantly lower than that of other analogues, it becomes possible to reduce the cost of the final product;
• moisture resistance is one of the main advantages over wooden surface, which is especially important in the kitchen, where there is a humid environment;
• easy care - furniture is not affected negative influence most cleaning products, caring for it is convenient and does not require additional costs;
• wear resistance - epoxy furniture with such a surface is not destroyed due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation, it retains its impeccable appearance for a long time appearance;
• manifold design solutions. Masters create real masterpieces using this material. In combination with wood, unique landscape compositions, imitation of water spaces and others interesting designs. The molten material is very malleable, so it can be shaped into any shape. Well, the hardened resin is easily processed by grinding or polishing machine, if necessary, grooves can be easily machined or holes drilled;
• visual expansion of space. The glossy finish gives the impression that the space is expanding. Optical illusions, incredible play of light, a sense of volume - this is what epoxy resin products guarantee.

Despite the availability of raw materials, one must take into account the fact that the cost of design objects is considerable. Therefore, when purchasing furniture from a master, you need to be prepared to pay a considerable amount for it.

The disadvantages of this material for furniture include the following:

• defects - incorrect manufacturing technology and non-compliance with proportions can lead to the formation of a white precipitate inside the furniture fill. This nuance should be taken into account by those craftsmen who want to make their own tabletop or other furniture;
• the possibility of damaging the furniture material when processed with abrasive compounds or powders;
• release of toxins - they usually evaporate under the influence of high temperatures.

Placing hot objects on this furniture is strictly prohibited. However, in normal conditions No harmful substances are released and there is no risk to human health.

Varieties

As already mentioned, making furniture from epoxy resin is, first of all, making countertops. They come in several types:

• made of epoxy resin - they usually do not have a supporting surface, they are a transparent or multi-colored cube or other geometric shape. A beautiful ornament made of dried flowers or other materials is laid out inside. Such furniture accessories are usually used as coffee, coffee table or other item that is not intended to be subjected to excessive stress;
• wood or chipboard coated with a layer of resin - in this case, epoxy resin performs a protective function, as it protects the base material from damage. For the main material, designers prefer to choose paneled surfaces, solid wood, multiplexes and even old countertops;
• combined - these are fragments of wood alternating with elements made of resin. The basis is materials of any shape: round, rectangular, with sharp corners - they are arranged in a certain or chaotic order. The natural structure of solid wood looks excellent, although many craftsmen use wood carving, milling, and marquetry for decoration. To create a tabletop, a container with sides of the required height is used, blanks are laid out in it, then it is completely filled with a resin composition. After hardening it turns out smooth surface with straight sides.

Interesting design solutions

To make furniture, skilled craftsmen use matte and transparent varieties of glue, and each of them can be given different color shades. Transparent mixtures work well with wood or other incorporated objects. They emphasize all the details of the decor: solid fibers, inscriptions or icons on metal elements. Even the smallest elements will be clearly visible even through a thick layer of fill. Colored dyes slightly reduce transparency, but the fill acquires a rich color. Both types of resin mixtures are used for the manufacture of exclusive tabletops and other furniture. WITH interesting ideas can be found below:

• coating made from a composition with luminescent dye - furniture made using epoxy glue and luminescent dye looks impressive. Experienced craftsmen fill all the formed cavities, voids on the edges of the knots with this epoxy grout, after which they fill in the main mixture. When illuminated, such a masterpiece will glow. Well, in modern interiors such furniture will emphasize the style and impeccable taste of the owners;
• wooden scraps or a shield framed with a layer of filling - this idea is successfully used by many craftsmen who create designer furniture. As base element wood is used. It is covered on all sides with a small layer of the prepared composition;
• inclusions of water - an interesting effect is obtained when combined adhesive composition with drops of water. In a colored mixture, such stains resemble cosmic nebulae or milky stains. Often craftsmen create a multi-color coating by filling it with portions of the composition painted in various colors. It should be noted that the mixtures are perfectly painted with gouache, ink, oil paints, that is, these components do not harm human health. Thin plastic barriers are used for partitions. Usually the top of the entire composition is filled with a thin transparent layer;
• marble imitation - unusual solution, which allows you to get a coating reminiscent of marble. For this, laminated chipboard is used, which is covered with colorful patterns, as well as other compositions, however last layer must be epoxy. This technique opens up new horizons for furniture designers, allowing them to experiment and create new interesting surfaces;
• a table with a surface in the form of a painting - such furniture looks great in living room interiors. Drinking tea at such a table will undoubtedly be pleasant. It is important that this furniture attribute fits into general interior rooms and was in harmony with other objects. The pattern usually stretches along the entire length of the tabletop - the manufacturer offers a great variety of still lifes or other images that are pleasing to the eye. The legs are made of wood and should be of a laconic shape - rectangular or square;
• stump with moss - fill a pre-prepared stump with moss with epoxy compound, you can get an absolutely unique chair. Numerous cracks and other “defects” will only add sophistication to the accessory. Such furniture is absolutely safe, so it will look organic in an eco-friendly interior, and the product can be made by hand;
• Gradient-colored travertine and resin worktops - the compositions used, painted using a gradient technique from light blue to rich dark blue colors, combined with a lime-resistant material, are used by some designers to create unique designs. Layers of epoxy resin are applied alternately in in a certain order. The composition imitates a lagoon with its light coastal areas and dark water areas.

Decoration

The unique characteristics and impeccable appearance of the material inspire craftsmen to create exclusive furniture. There are grades of material that have a reddish, brown, yellowish or whitish color, and the color is maintained throughout the depth of the consistency. There are also absolutely transparent compositions that are also used for decorating furniture. By adding various components to the composition, experts strive to improve the properties of the material and maintain an absolutely flat surface, which is why the resin is very popular in the creation of furniture decorative elements.

The shape of furniture attributes with epoxy resin can be very different. Resin filling follows the curves of objects, covering them with a thin transparent layer without bulges or other flaws. This allows you to create unique furniture of any configuration.

A layer of filling can be used to cover surfaces on which interesting designs and ornaments are applied. The coating perfectly fixes other decorative elements: shells, pebbles, pine cones, dried flowers, coins and even buttons. At the same time, the surface looks three-dimensional.

Lovers of all things beautiful will definitely appreciate furniture made using dilapidated, bark beetle-eaten pieces of wood or branches with natural flaws. Unreal special effects are obtained if coarse sand mixed with sawdust is placed inside the composition. Original furniture created using a variety of investments: cutting boards, round cuts various diameters, split logs, old wood or beautiful wood chips. Immersed in the pouring, they put on an incredibly beautiful “robe”, which, moreover, can glow. Marble chips, foil, glitter, beads, and semi-precious stones are used as attachments. By creating such a masterpiece with your own hands, you can even use memorable souvenirs as decoration.

No interior designer loses sight of such a decorative and functional element of furniture as legs. They are of no small importance in the design of furniture items. Their shape, type and material determine whether they belong to a particular style and the compatibility of furniture with other interior items. So, the legs can be wooden, stone or carved stone. They are decorated with carvings or forged elements, their number also varies: there are interesting specimens with one, two, three, four legs.

Furniture decorated with epoxy resin will fit perfectly into the interior of residential premises and offices. It will complement the loft style, which is characterized by a predominance of rough textures, metal, glass and wood. Such products look great in the decoration of restaurants, hotels and hotels.

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Any space can be made truly attractive with the help of original interior items. This is exactly what a table decorated with epoxy resin is. It will cost you much less than a ready-made store product, but its appearance will be much more impressive. Next, you know how to make a table with your own hands from wood and epoxy resin to decorate your interior.

Tabletop made of solid wood and epoxy resin.

Features of the material

Epoxy resin is synthetic material based on oligomeric compounds. Due to its versatility and unique properties, epoxy is used in many areas of industry and is widely used in everyday life, however, to exhibit its characteristics, it must be mixed with hardeners. These are special phenol-based substances that trigger the irreversible process of polymerization, i.e. hardening.

Advantages of epoxy:

1. Very slight shrinkage.
2. Resistant to chemicals, in particular acids and alkalis.
3. Huge design possibilities (including the use of a wide variety of materials for decoration, color palette, shape and type).
4. Resistance to mechanical stress and deformation.
5. Resistant to high humidity due to high water resistance.
6. Working with the material is relatively simple - you just need to strictly follow the instructions.

The cost of finished pieces of furniture decorated with epoxy starts from 10 thousand rubles, and some designer models can cost six-figure sums. Therefore, it is much cheaper to make an exclusive interior item yourself.

Base and hardener.

Types of tables

There are many options for tables decorated with epoxy. They differ in both design and design features. Let's get acquainted with the main varieties:

For tables with a base, another classification can be made:

Materials and tools

To make a countertop, you need to choose the right epoxy resin. Let us denote that the hardening of the mixture occurs within a very wide temperature range (-10...+200 C), therefore the mixtures are divided into cold and hot hardening. Typically, cold-curing mixtures are used in domestic conditions.

In our work we will use following materials and tool:

• plywood sheets 15 mm and 6 mm (for the pouring table and lid);
• slab of the desired size (you can use any type of wood);
• epoxy resin and hardener (the amount depends on the desired size of the product);
• spacious container (2 pcs.) for mixing resin;
• drill, saw, grinder, cutter;
• building level, spatula.

Various arrays.

Important! Before purchasing a resin and hardener, you should definitely ask your consultant about the purpose of the composition - whether it can be mixed in large quantities.

The fact is that the technology for preparing several kilograms of mixture and small quantity have differences. When the two components are mixed, a large amount of heat is generated, and unless the formulations are designed for large volumes, in the worst case, this can lead to the production of toxic smoke and even spontaneous combustion. Therefore, the compositions must necessarily be intended for mixing in large quantities.

Before purchasing a large volume of resin, purchase small containers and make test samples - you will understand how to work with the composition (and how not to), its properties, and the final shade.

Preparatory work

Before you start making an original tabletop, you should prepare your work clothes:

• painting paper suit;
• protective gloves;
• protective headgear;
• safety glasses during the grinding stage.

Important! These precautions are necessary to prevent hair, debris and dust from getting into the resin, since it will be almost impossible to remove them from the composition.

Means of protection.

Also, before starting work, you need to familiarize yourself with and strictly follow the safety precautions:

1. To mix ingredients, use only containers that you do not use for food.
2. If the solution gets on the skin, it must be removed with water and soap, and the area should be wiped with alcohol.
3. The room in which you work must be thoroughly ventilated or have forced ventilation.

Remember that uncured epoxy resin is unsafe for health, in particular the respiratory system and skin(may cause burns and irritation).

Regardless of the base material, its preparation comes down to two main points that ensure good adhesion (adhesion of the composition to the surface):

1. Degreasing. You can use detergents for this.
2. Removing gloss. This can be done with a sander or just sandpaper if the surface of the product is small. After this, be sure to thoroughly remove dust and debris with a vacuum cleaner!

Video: painting epoxy resin.

Step-by-step production

1. We prepare the pouring table (in other words, formwork). Its parameters must be equal to the final product. To do this, you need to make a simple structure from plywood (15 mm). To prevent the epoxy from sticking to it, the walls can be lubricated with technical Vaseline or any other technical fat.



Making a pouring table.

2. The slab (or other wood used) needs to be leveled and sanded. Wood can be coated with stain and varnish.
3. Very important point is to level the tabletop - if this is not done, the final product will turn out uneven, asymmetrical, with resin deposits.



Leveling using a level.

4. Position the wood on the pouring table according to the intended look. If you are using any decor in addition to wood, you must first glue it, otherwise it will float up when pouring.
5. Prepare the pouring solution. Use a scale to measure quantities accurately. Measure the resin into one container and the hardener into the second. Then slowly and carefully pour the hardener into the resin (not vice versa!), constantly mixing the composition with a drill mixer (at low speed). To ensure complete mixing, it is advisable to pour the composition from one container to another several times, removing the remainder with a construction spatula. The minimum mixing time is 10 minutes. If desired, pigment is also added at this stage.

   Important! Strictly follow the proportions of resin and hardener indicated on the packaging! These ratios differ for different manufacturers. Do not add more hardener than recommended - this will not increase the curing speed, but it may cause the mixture to boil and make it unusable!



Preparation of the mixture.

6. Filling the first layer. The resin must be poured evenly over the entire area, carefully in a zigzag motion - the composition itself should easily spread over the entire area. But you can also distribute it rubber spatula. Control the thickness of the layer (the recommended value is indicated on the resin packaging) - if you make the layer larger, the resin may boil or become deformed at the edges.



Pouring process.

7. When mixing the resin and hardener, bubbles form (the thicker the composition, the more bubbles there are). When thoroughly mixed, they come to the surface. If bubbles formed in the thickness of the mixture during pouring, and you need to remove them with improvised materials: a needle, fork, etc.

   Tip: to speed up the release of bubbles, the poured layer can be heated for 2-3 minutes construction hairdryer at medium temperature.



Control of layer thickness.

8. Remove all dust and lint and cover the product with a curing lid. The plywood sheet used as a cover can be additionally varnished with inside to protect the tabletop from dust.
9. To pour the next layer, you do not need to wait for complete hardening - it is enough for the layer to stop sticking. All subsequent layers are filled in the same way as the first. Once the voids in the slab are filled flush with the wood, the wood can be coated with a thin layer of epoxy using a brush. Next, the tabletop is covered with a lid until curing.



Filling the last layer.

Post-processing

After the last layer has hardened, the stage of final processing of the product begins. It is advisable to start this stage no earlier than 7 days from the moment of pouring.

1. Remove the product from the pouring table.
2. Saw off excess pieces of slab to give the tabletop the correct geometric shape. The epoxy layer can also be sawed, but be careful - rough processing may cause chips and cracks. Use a circular saw for sawing.
3. The product must be sanded using a grinder, cutter, etc.
4. Finally, the product can be coated with a clear varnish with UV protection to prevent yellowing of the epoxy.

Now all that remains is to attach the tabletop to the metal or wood base.

Table with metal base.

Product care

In conclusion, we will give some tips on caring for the original tabletop so that it retains its attractive appearance for a long time:

• place the table in a shaded area;
• use for care soft cloth(flannel);
• do not use products containing acetone and alcohol to remove stains;
• Place hot pots and cups on stands;
• Do not allow heavy objects to fall.

So, now you know how to make an original piece of furniture with your own hands - a table made of wood and epoxy resin. Such a thing will surely become the highlight of your interior and the object of rave reviews from all guests of the house!

The furnishings in the house ensure that it is cozy and matches your tastes. However, furniture stores are not always able to offer something that suits your vision of the interior. Yes and standard solutions- is not at all what suits people who strive for individual design. It’s easier, of course, to order an exclusive and pay money for it. But it’s much more interesting to implement the idea yourself. For example, for a tabletop it makes it possible to create any creative surface, unique and inimitable. Of course, you will have to work hard. But epoxy is a fairly simple material to work with, and mastering the basics of handling it is not difficult.

Advantages of the material

What is especially good about epoxy resin for pouring countertops is that when it dries, it retains its original volume. Varnish, for example, dries due to the evaporation of the liquid entering it. As a result, its layer shrinks, which often creates problems. Resin hardening is caused by chemical reaction. And if you require a lens by design, you will get it. Moreover, it will not be subject to chips, removal, or deformation. And just a flat surface will remain flat, without sagging as it dries.

Another advantage that epoxy resin has is price. The material is cheaper than others designed to create durable surfaces. The cost on average ranges between 200 and 280 rubles per kilogram. And if you need epoxy resin in bulk, the price will drop to 180-190, depending on the size of the batch.

Guarantee of success: preparation

To mix the material you will need a bowl (the volume depends on how much epoxy you need), a mixing stick and two measuring containers. Before mixing, you need to carefully study the instructions: the proportions of the components are different and depend on the manufacturer. They must be strictly observed, otherwise the material will not harden well.

First, the epoxy is measured, and then the resin hardener. You need to pour it into the base, and not vice versa. The combined materials are kneaded as thoroughly as possible; the quality of hardening also depends on this. Once homogeneity is achieved, you need to wait until the resin reaches the desired consistency, after which you can use it for its intended purpose.

Which stage to use for what?

Epoxy resin for countertops comes in several thicknesses, and each is suitable for different purposes.

1. Liquid stage: the composition flows freely from the stick. Ideal condition for filling molds - at this stage all corners and depressions will be filled.
2. Thickness like “liquid honey”. It flows from the sampler more viscously, lingering at the tip. Exactly what you need to create drops and lenses. Also suitable for filling soft shapes, for example, for a round tabletop.
3. “Thick honey” stage. It is practically not suitable for pouring, but it is impeccable as an adhesive - previous consistencies will run off.
4. The next stage, in which the resin is separated from the total mass with difficulty, is of little use for any purpose. Either they don’t bring it to this point, or they wait for it to thicken even more.
5. The rubber phase allows you to create fancy shapes, like modeling from plasticine. True, in order for the epoxy resin for the countertop to retain its shape, it will have to be fixed in the desired position, otherwise it will straighten out.

The last stage is solid. When the epoxy reaches it, your countertop is ready.

Subtleties of the process

Before you make a countertop from epoxy resin, take care not to add any further work to yourself. In particular, cover the table you are working on or the floor under the workbench with polyethylene - leaked resin can be removed with great effort.

Until the surface dries, it will collect all the dust. Consider your coverage option in advance. For example, low racks on which the film “roof” will be stretched.

No water should get into either the resin or the hardener. Including from the air, so when high humidity It's not worth working. It also requires a certain temperature regime: if the room temperature is less than 22 Celsius, you risk getting a poorly hardened countertop. You can speed up hardening by increasing the temperature, for example, by placing the product on a radiator. You should not heat it with a hairdryer: the resin will boil and give a huge number of bubbles.

If a bubble appears near the surface when the epoxy resin for the countertop is first poured, you can blow on it through a cocktail straw, a thin syringe, or even the body of a ballpoint pen. The ball will burst without spoiling the craft.

Nuances of use

A tabletop made of epoxy resin, made by hand, has its own characteristics in operation. Firstly, the material tends to turn yellow from sunlight, and sometimes from heat. If you plan to place the table in a southern room or kitchen, or in a poorly protected garden gazebo- buy a foundation with a UV filter.

Secondly, the cold sometimes causes flakes or grains to form on the countertop. You can return it to its original appearance by heating it to 40-60 degrees.

Third, epoxy resin for countertop used in kitchen conditions, and is not at all very suitable, since heating can emit toxins. If you want to place such a table in the kitchen, cover the surface with a protective transparent varnish. Best of all - designed for yachts.

Table top mold

You will need it if you want to make it completely out of epoxy, without using anything as a supporting surface. You can use glass for the mold. required sizes. It is thoroughly washed, wiped dry and degreased with acetone. Then the surface is rubbed with wax mastic, which after a third of an hour is polished with a dry rag. The edges can be made from If you want perfectly smooth edges of the tabletop, buy polished ones. Inner surface processed with a mixture of turpentine and paraffin. They are attached to the glass with window putty.

All of these procedures are required to ensure that the epoxy resin for the countertop does not stick to the mold, and the finished product is easily removed from it. However, if you intend to insert the surface into a “frame”, you do not need to worry about the smoothness of the cuts. in this case, the sides can be assembled from any available material and sandwiched with polyethylene or rubber - epoxy will not stick to them.

Otherwise, everything is simple: prepare the solution, bring it to the desired consistency and pour it. To obtain a varied structure, you can tint the resin with water-insoluble dyes or add inclusions to it - small pebbles, fragments of colored glass, etc.

Coin idea

It is not at all necessary to make a countertop only from this material. Epoxy resin for countertops makes it possible to use a variety of additional elements. For example, if you have an old but strong tabletop, you can actually make a new one out of it, and a very unusual one at that. The surface is cleaned; you can paint it in suitable color. Old coins are cleaned with a special solution. The tabletop is laid evenly, with low borders along the edges. Coins are laid out inside the “box”. There is no need to fasten them in any way. All that remains is to fill the mold with epoxy and wait for it to set. This idea is especially good for a bar counter.

Wood plus resin

A very elegant solution would be to combine epoxy with natural wood. Either a regular tabletop is knocked together from boards with cavities, or they are artistically cut out on the finished one. The surface is sanded until smooth; Fluorescent dyes are added to the diluted resin. All cleaned cavities are filled with the composition. After drying, the tabletop is coated in several layers with intermediate sanding. An unusual and colorful table is ready!

Today I will show you one of the most common uses of epoxy resin - filling cracks in workpieces.

Indeed, in most cases, due to cracks, we immediately reject such material. We do not use it for further work. Using the example of such a cracked piece of pine timber, the DIYer will demonstrate how this problem can be corrected.

Moreover, it is not easy to correct, but even to give the future product more interesting view and uniqueness.

Let's get started.

For work we will need:
1. Pine timber with a crack;
2. Grinder (it is better to use a chain saw);
3. Disc for grinder;
4. Epoxy resin;
5. Kohler;
6. Wood glue;
7. Scotch tape;
8. Tung oil;
9. Lathe;
10. Primer oil;
11. Sandpaper;
12. Ruler and pencil.

First you need to decide on the sizes of future products.

The master measures the required size, marks and cuts a piece of timber. We will continue to work with this part of the pine.
To achieve a more interesting effect, the cracks on this block need to be slightly expanded in a chaotic manner. Then remove the darkened layer of wood, which usually doesn’t look very good under the resin. The author firmly fixes wooden blank in a vice and begins to slowly add additional “flaws” to it.

Accordingly, we perform this operation on both sides of the beam.

To saw through new cracks and expand existing ones on the timber, the master uses a grinder. In general, for such treatment of cracks, it would probably be much better suited chain Saw. In principle, she can work with wood like a sculptor with plaster. But if you don’t have such a tool (like the author), then you have to be content with a three-pronged disc for an angle grinder. In general, it turned out not bad.

Preparing to pour resin.
When sealing the workpiece, which the master usually does using thin MDF, it is better to initially glue the tape so that the glue from the MDF does not get into the filling cavity. The author glues a piece of MDF on both sides of the block. Then he pulls the whole thing together for a stronger bond.

This is what happened after the glue dried.

Epoxy resin is extremely fluid, so the sealing process must be taken seriously.
There are very few subtleties in the filling itself. Since the volume of resin is quite small, there is no need to worry too much about the conditions. However, if the casting does not need air microbubbles, which in any case will release the pores of the wood, you can thoroughly prime the whole thing with a thin layer of the same resin, and set this layer aside for several hours.

The mixing and tinting process for artline crystal resin is generally the same as for most epoxy resins. You just have to remember the proportions and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. The proportions are as follows: 2 parts resin to one part hardener (2:1). The author uses scales for more precise definition required quantity each component of the epoxy adhesive.

Next, add color and mix the resin thoroughly.

Filling.
This workpiece will have to be poured in two passes, since only after the first casting has hardened will it be possible to turn the workpiece over and pour epoxy from the back side.

Of course, you can use various options tinting with different sides product, or abandon it altogether, because the resin is very transparent after hardening and this can also be a unique feature of the product. But still, with the addition bright colors, a rather banal wood, nevertheless becomes much more lively and interesting. So the field for experimentation here is completely endless.

It is very profitable to use pine, rich in structure, for turning such products, because you can find monolithic blanks that are quite large in size, which is very valuable for turning. At almost any sawmill you can order timber of any cross-section, cut it into blanks and leave them to crack until an acceptable moisture content is achieved. After that, fill the whole thing and put it to work. This way you can save a lot on raw materials. Of course, it is advisable to find good tree without fungus or other defects. Then it will become an excellent material for work and creativity. Unfortunately, in middle lane Russia has quite serious problems with this. All scaffolding very poor quality, but still, some elements can always be played up, and vice versa, flaws in wood can be passed off as advantages, as some kind of zest in the products. Again, you can remove all these flaws in the same way and also fill them with resin, for example.

Now let's treat the workpiece with tung oil.

As a result, we get this:

Now let's make another such plate.

Resin in a lathe is like putty in carpentry, only it is also a decoration. The only thing, of course, products using epoxy resin are already becoming purely decorative. That is, it is no longer worth eating from the same cups, plates, dishes and other things using resin. Although, to be honest, I can’t imagine how it could be used for its intended purpose. It’s clear to me that this is purely decorative. But nevertheless, sometimes people ask about this and you have to explain it to everyone.

I would also like to remind you that when working with resin, during turning or grinding these products, a lot of dust is released, which is quite light. It can stand in the air for quite a long time, so using respiratory protection is simply necessary. Although it is necessary, in principle, to protect your breath when working with wood, it is also advisable to clean up all this sawdust and dust, of course, every time after work.

The author did not bore the first workpiece deeply from the inside, because, out of habit, he made a small ledge for the chuck, which, for soft wood, could lead to the loss of the workpiece during turning. Therefore, at the time of sprouting the second blank, the master already used the lunette. And not so much for centering the workpiece, but for pressing it against the chuck.

The shape of the product turned out to be just advantageous here, and rubber wheels the steady rest did not allow the workpiece to fly off the chuck, because it is necessary to fix the pine workpiece very gently, due to the same softness of this type of wood.

Again, you can work much faster with a steady rest, removing more material in one pass. Of course, after dismantling the steady, the outer surface of the workpiece will need to be sanded a little, because, whatever one may say, the wheels leave a certain mark. But this is not the worst thing compared to being without it. You can simply lose the workpiece, or the same ledge will crack.

During the internal boring of the second workpiece, as planned, we managed to get to the bottom resin casting, which of course already gave the product a more logically finished look.

Also, continuing the experiments, the author has already decided to cover the second blank with tinted oil, which also makes the pine structure even more expressive. The only thing, as usual, is that the tinted oil immediately showed all the small imperfections in the polishing of the product. So with such coatings, you can always check your grinding quality.