How to Clear Coat an Epoxy Resin Project | Alumilite

So you've sanded down your epoxy project and are ready to finish it off with a top coat of epoxy.
In this video, Jordan explains the difference between a seal coat and a flood coat, and walks you through the steps to achieve a beautiful finish on your project.
View Part 1 of this process, how to seal wood for resin, here: • Preparing Wood for Epo...
View Part 2 of this process, how to pour a two-colored epoxy table, here: • How To Pour a Two-Colo...
View Part 3 of this process, how to level, here: • Best Way to Fix Uneven...
Products Used:
Amazing Clear Cast epoxy: www.alumilite.com/resins/amaz...
120 Grit Sand Paper: www.lowes.com/pd/3M-SandBlast...
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You can also call our customer service for any technical help: 800-447-9344
Check out our website: www.alumilite.com/?...
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[@C1schecter101]

You're a wonderful artist my bro !!!

[@toyatsymonds9324]

Excellent demonstration 👏

[@manxology]

Great video series in every way.

[@rlcohen2228]

Broo love your videos

[@brandifisher4339]

Your videos are very clear and I love the step by step! I am still confused about the bottom side of the table/cutting board . Is it just unprotected as we would have taken a layer off that side as well to make it level and straight and that’s fine?

[@RobSandstromDesigns]

Well done and informative video. Trying to find the one promised at the end of the video. How to repair scratches and knife cuts in a board with epoxy top coat.

[@sudoDavid]

wow. you're no-nonsense approach is super great! ◕‿◕

[@ryankatigbak4926]

Good day Sir, The epoxy topcoat clear can use in silicon mold?

[@debbieodendaal4616]

morning love you well explained video. how would you do the reverse side as in both sides being finished please. Debbie O South Africa

[@nicoscheper812]

You think you can use these finishing technic on old Brittle plastic taillights? i mean would it work to give it back shine?

[@theduftmeister]

liked and subbed. lots of great videos :) thank you. (Although to best of knowledge FDA approved resin is only for serving / charcuterie boards, due to splintering. I wouldn't want epoxy shaving in my supper. FDA approved or otherwise ;)

[@kandiecandelaria3134]

Is the seal coat and the top coat the same resin? Is it self leveling?

[@sagarlakhwani8356]

Hey ,i personally like to protect the wood with epoxy coat itself rather than PU ... But the thing is because epoxy gets scratches on high gloss finish , what i can do with the epoxy coat to make it satin or say scratch resistant ?

[@graffist1]

The next day after sealing top do you flip and seal bottom too????

[@walterfaets1490]

is there any scratch resistant top coat type product that can be applied to a river table that has a full coat of resin and already clean and shiny. Am looking for something that is scratch resistant and glossy. I have used rubio but its a flat finish. Thank you

[@donfrazelle7752]

Am a new subscriber and new to the craft of epoxy resin. Great video ! Well edited and very clear instructions. Quick question... How many times/how long do you use the torch to remove air bubbles before the resin sets and traps them in ?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Until all the bubbles are popped, you will have to keep an eye on it for a little while. Just make sure not to over torch by holding it in one spot for too long. Hope that helps!

[@adiringer1959]

I love your videos, you explain the process very well. I am left wondering how you finish the bottom side? If you sand it and pour a top coat, won't you end up with drips on the nice top side? Thanks!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

That's a great question! It's tedious but you can go around the bottom edge with a squeegee while the epoxy is curing, to get rid of any drips. Otherwise you'll want to sand the drips off the other side and do another thin topcoat (while watching out for drips)!

[@asiarobbins8040]

I've been struggling with that too! Seems like noone addreses that

[@6j6666]

I just poly the underside beforehand

[@DKZ888]

What I usually do when finishing the underside of a piece is to tape around the edges so only the underside is visible. Just make sure the tape extends beyond the top of the piece (now facing downward).

[@johnsewell4745]

@@DKZ888 great comment. Thanks.

[@worshipwatcher55]

Very nice video. You explanations were very clear and you cleared up a couple of questions that have been bugging me. One question remains. So, if I have poured my initial epoxy and it has dried and now looks transparent as glass, but before I add another coat of epoxy, I have to scruff up my shiny surface epoxy with sandpaper, won't I lose that transparency? Will the transparency come back after a fresh coat is applied? I hope that question makes sense. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Hi! The question does make sense and it's a good one. You don't *have* to scuff it up before adding a second coat, but it does help for better adhesion and long lasting abilities. You won't lose the glass transparency, because the epoxy will self-level into all of the scuffs that sandpaper creates and it will look just as glass-like!

[@worshipwatcher55]

@@AlumiliteCorporation Great! I was hoping you would say that. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question. Cheers, Gary

[@mandovelez5700]

Can I use for floor?

[@deeree2543]

What if you have water based stain wood?

[@kathyorban6800]

love the video did you seal the bottom?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

We sure did! We sanded down any remaining drips and coated the other side.

[@russiansarepidors]

Hi, one question, what about a bottom?

[@semmysvlogs5707]

How did you get the 2 colors

[@drewjohnson4673]

finished

[@ramamaniup9350]

How to remove resin tube cap. It had dried up and not able to remove to use the resin in it

[@homtherobot]

What would cause a flood coat to be lumpy and not level itself out? 😭 I had a small colored epoxy sign and tried to add a flood coat to give it a glossy finish after sanding. I attempted to spread it around evenly and then torched it. Somehow it ended up lumpy and didn't level itself overnight. I'm considering planing or sanding it down and trying again.

[@mikelovelace6219]

I noticed you didn't seal coat the bottom side. I'm assuming on a table you would have seal coated the bottom first. Let it cure and then seal coat the top side. Let it cure and then sand ??

[@jencstephens5452]

Question... I tried this method, and came out the next morning to find bubbles on the wood side.... big bubbles even, not micro bubbles. What did I do wrong??

[@carlosrestrepo3138]

nice video!, can I ask your opinion on something?? im doing a resin project and the problem im having is that hand sanitiser or alcohol is affecting the finish on the resin finish making it dull and cloudy, have you got any idea how to solve this issue?, perhaps a product that doesn't react to alcohol as a top coat? Many thanks

[@Kaymon]

Try using water rather than hand sanitizer, I always wipe my projects with a wet cloth and it does just as well

[@aaronfidelisrecine]

I'm currently converting a van and plan on making a desk using your clear coat epoxy. The engine in the van is painted detroit diesel / alpine green via duplicolor engine enamel paint and I want my table to match it. My question is once the Duplicolor paint has been applied to my wooden desk and given ample time to cure and off gas do I need to apply a thin sealing coat again or will the paint cover be enough to ensure I don't get bubbles in the final product? I plan on having a metal trim around the entire table that protrudes 3/8" above the top of the table that the resin will be filled up to as this is the maximum pour thickness clear coat is rated for. I just used your resin for the first time last week and DAMN does it cure hard as nails.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

This sounds like an awesome project! If you're worried about air bubbles then we would highly recommend doing a thin seal coat again (our Amazing Quick Coat works great for this) - it's better to be safer than sorry.

[@diedonthetoilet7983]

What can you do about imperfections in your final coat? My resin went over the sides as intended, but the flow of it did not set smoothly. It looks a little off. Can I send this and polish it back to a good smooth finish? Or is that not able to be done?

[@purplepacion]

Yes. I have done that for my TV trays. When I apply also run my fingers along the edges to move resin around so it will have something more to attach to.

[@chasekey4947]

Nice video! What type of alcohol do you wipe down with before final coat?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You can use isopropyl rubbing alcohol !

[@Djk-cc2sr]

Does the seal coat self level? Great videos btw 🇨🇦

[@Djk-cc2sr]

And can you use a deep pour epoxy for the flood coat ? Thanks

[@cadencary2820]

Do you have any recommendations for clear coating a snowboard? I customized the entire topside of my board and need to protect it from all the snow and water. I was thinking about doing a resin coat but it’s an uneven surface and I’m scared to mess up and leave it with bubbles.

[@ConfiscatedZyra]

should be fine doing a top coat of epoxy. its been a couple years but iirc most companies do an epoxy coat on top of the board. just make sure it's only the top of the board. wear some gloves and apply a thin layer like in this video and torch it. should self level just fine. and worst case scenario you can just sand it and try again with a thinner coat

[@makinnewcounts6676]

Keep spraying it with water based polyurethane, many coats and it will be flawless. Epoxy is a very bad idea it will be like broken glass on the mountain when it separates from your board and ruins your art, plus it's heavy and overly rigid / brittle seriously don't do it bro

[@plthwaites]

How did you support the board after having coated the two sides without leaving marks on the bottom?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

We did one side at a time and allowed them to cure before flipping!

[@phillipholderman4378]

What size is this board?

[@mendandglow]

Really enjoy viewing your epoxy content. Where are you located? Would love to do a meet and greet, maybe a video collaboration..?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

We're located in Michigan! Though, since we're a resin company we only do collaborations with our affiliate makers. Keep up the great work!

[@DDRwoodwork]

do different types of epoxy self level like some paint does? when I do this, if i don't have a celetape border, it's nearly impossible to get the finish uniform and smooth. especially the edges which drip off and dry with some bits being thin and some less so.

[@Acanders1980]

Sounds like you’re not using enough epoxy for your flood coat. If there’s bald spots then you didn’t use enough. All epoxy is self leveling.

[@dtork47]

Appreciate the relevant tips! To bad I already tried to seal with multiple coats of shellac based sealer! Got so many air bubbles I had to top coat twice with clear cast! Now I see you tell us to use 2 oz./ sq. ft for sealing! I couldn’t find that info anywhere else on your site or various other of your videos! My Clear cast instruction sheet said to seal with hoge poge? Long story short I have tomorder more product! Grrrr......

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Sorry the information got to you a little late! If you ever have a question about a project and can't find any resources online, feel free to reach out to us on our social accounts or contact our customer service team! Their email is [e-mail]!

[@wally1957]

I think you should state that seal coat and top coat are both epoxy coatings, well that's what you used. What is the difference in urethane top coat?

[@kandiecandelaria3134]

Is a seal coat and a top coat the same epoxy that you used to create the River? Or 3 different epoxy’s?

[@CaileyOverby]

The river is normally deep pour epoxy, which you pour at 2” at a time. The seal coat is tabletop epoxy, which looks to be the same as top coat epoxy. The way the epoxy is applied is different, as seal coating normally uses a small amount spread around very thinly with a brush or a gloved hand. The flood/top coat is a bigger batch which is poured directly on the table. This is self leveling and the goal is 1/8”.

[@jasonpatrick4444]

I am looking to take a 30" X 40" table, and apply a photo down covering the whole surface. What would I need to epoxy the photo so its smooth and wont look terrible?

[@jasonpatrick4444]

@vikisekhavel95 Really appreciate the help, one problem. Im bald, so no hair dryer! haha

[@bradleysiegel8615]

How do you clean up and finish the drips on the bottom?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You can sand the drips off or use tape. This way when the drips dry on the tape you can use a heat gun to heat it up a little for an easy removal.

[@erikwilson9498]

epoxy on a cutting board? pretty yes but epoxy scratches easily and yellows over time right?

[@Da78Gemini]

Can I stain my wood before seal coat?

[@damienbevan9732]

My epoxy projects work well on Flat areas but on slightly slanted area it wrinkles and gets waves and the flake does not look as good as the flat area what am I doing wrong

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Most epoxies are self-leveling - this means making sure your surface and project items are level.

[@bomad6459]

Tables, bench or furniture epoxy, but only use food safe oils for chopping boards

[@abubakarahmed8813]

I made board of epoxy resin 1 cm thick but this time the borad is sticky with light finger pressure even after 5 day can plz guide me where is mistake

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

What's the temperature of the room you're pouring in? Are you mixing ratios correctly?

[@bogdangonczy9107]

What alcohol do you use to clean after sanding?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

70%-99% Isopropyl

[@terrytenley9327]

So how top coat a resin and wood bowl?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@paulaklowe2990]

I wanted to share a picture of my project and see if you could tell me how to fix it

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

We recommend checking out our Facebook group for things like this! The makers there are super helpful and will be able to offer you some suggestions! Our FB page is linked on our profile.

[@trentnewville2420]

Are you using amazing clear cast for the top coat?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Yes!

[@suezee7090]

Why aren’t you wearing a respirator while mixing and working with your epoxy?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Great question, Sue Zee - we answer that question in our Alumilite Explains: Epoxy Safety video! You should check it out!

[@tefi100]

I ve question How do we put a glossy shine on a new marble tile. Size 2 x 4 ft. How much epoxy do we need. I have project for 110 such tiles. Need to do Costing. Plz help

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

We have a surface coating calculator that you can use! You can find it about half-way down this page: www.alumilite.com/applications/surface-coating/

[@drax9000]

So you don't seal coat the other side of the table? 😅😅

[@drewjohnson4673]

are you calling the bottom finishes? Sanded drips are n

[@eddjordan2399]

Do you not worry about eating that epoxy?

[@fjelstednord3159]

Not a bad video other than telling people they can use an epoxy coated board to cut and chop on. Not only does that ruin the look but, you also risk getting small pieces of cured epoxy (plastic) in your food. In my 12+yrs of building various resin pieces, I'd never tell someone they can cut/chop on a resin coated workpiece.

[@f.i.l.d.e.p.s]

is this a prank by the jamie kennedy experiment

[@roxoriginal732]

You don’t use epoxy in your food mate ,you shouldn’t use epoxy on chopping boards .

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for the feedback - our epoxy is FDA compliant when mixed correctly and fully cured for 7 days. It can be used with cutting board projects.

[@roxoriginal732]

@@AlumiliteCorporation Yeah but it doesn’t change the fact that when it cures you still gonna get chips when cutting on epoxy and that will go in your food .I’m not being picky or dissing you mate it’s just normally mineral oils on chopping boards .ones with the little river on the side ,no one cuts on the river do they ?it’s always on the wood.take it easy and be safe ,keep up your vids Well done no matter what I say 😉

[@neilrobinson7702]

@@roxoriginal732 Does that not happen with plastic cutting boards as well?

[@nananakeson]

@@roxoriginal732 it's FDA approved

[@matticeverhoeven6539]

Do you add timber to your food? What about cast iron? You might end up eating some.

[@montyopsal594]

don't cut food on epoxy like that! who wants plastic mixed in their food!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

This is typical concern with epoxy products, Monty, so thanks for bringing it up! All epoxy used in this video is FDA compliant when mixed correctly and fully cured for 7 days - we should have a video on this exact topic coming out in the next few weeks!

[@montyopsal594]

@@AlumiliteCorporation I have made cutting boards professionally for years, sell well over 1000 a year and made several for professional cooks and chiefs I still wouldn’t use it on a cutting board to cut on! Serving tray or charcuterie board sure! Watch the cooking shows, join a cutting board forum and do some research epoxy isn’t used Say hello to carol my salesperson! Great lady

[@byrontyler6991]

Plastic is delicious!