Watch how I created this beautiful vanity top using alcohol dyes & Stone Coat epoxy - KCDC Designs

🔴Need custom epoxy countertops:
www.kcdcdesigs.com
/ kcdcdesigns
👉Chapter Breakdown:
0:00 - Intro to Watch how I made this beautiful vanity top using alcohol dyes & Stone Coat epoxy
0:21 - Adding alcohol dyes to the countertop
0:54 - Using blow dryer to move colors
1:08 - Going back to round 1 and round 2
1:30 - Wiping the slate clean
4:02 - Wiping the slate clean again
4:54 - Going back to what worked
7:34 - Explaining the colors used and mixing formula pdf
10:56 - The best part about this technique!
15:58 - Sealing the colors before the clear coat
20:29 - Applying the clear coat
22:00 - Important info about torching bubbles!
24:02 - Flyover
Using alcohol dyes can create some amazing designs!
Colors used:
Gray
Brown Mid
Blue Light
Mermaid/Turquoise (Resin Art mica powders)
Blue Pearl (PolyColor mica)
Double-0-7 Silver
Colors and mixing formula can be found at www.Claralawrenceart.com
Stone Coat products can be purchased at:
https//www.rk3designs.com/shop
Best epoxy and business classes at
www.rk3designs.com
Applicator bottles: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
I'm Keith McGinnis with KCDC Designs out of SE Nebraska. I build and install epoxy kitchen countertops, epoxy resin coated bathroom vanities, epoxy wall art and more, since I formed my company in 2019. Working with epoxy resin as a decorative finish is one of my passions, as well as sharing how-to tutorials to help other business owners and do it yourselfer's gain confidence working with epoxy, and different epoxy resin design and fabrication techniques.

[@katherineharbigerwalker464]

Nice work with the alcohol dyes. Thanks again for sharing your work!

[@kcdcdesigns]

Thank you! I have another video with alcohol dyes posting in the morning

[@adriancapilna3899]

Wonderful!

[@kcdcdesigns]

Thank you!

[@michaeloliver6745]

Looks awesome!! I really love this technique!! Bravo!!

[@kcdcdesigns]

Thank you so much, Michael and I love this technique as well!

[@dkquick72]

Gorgeous!!!

[@kcdcdesigns]

Thank you!

[@belindagalle97]

Man, oh man! That is SO BEAUTIFUL! ❤ Thank you. 😊

[@kcdcdesigns]

Thank you, Belinda and you're very welcome!

[@angicatron8512]

That looks amazing!! Great job!

[@kcdcdesigns]

Thank you so much!

[@marysorrells]

This is epic!!!!!

[@kcdcdesigns]

Thank you, Mary!!!

[@jessiepapabear4272]

Again just wow! I so enjoy all your techniques. I'm hoping to see you do a white base with loud bright color design or veins epoxy examples. I figure some customer will in the future. Im a patient man. 😊

[@kcdcdesigns]

Thank you so much for watching our videos, Jessie as well as your kind words! So, how bright of colors and/or what type of design would you like to see? I thrive on challenges, lol

[@jessiepapabear4272]

@kcdcdesigns thank you for such a fast response. I have fallen in love with Stone Coat, and after doing Galaxy design on my mother's 40 sq ft kitchen counters I'm craving to do more. I was thinking white with a few (teenage style) colors, either neon or primary basic. I have nieces begging me to do dressers and desktops and I can't imagine how. One loves pink colors (bright to light) and the other neon green and black (skater girl) and they both love silver. Their mother insisted whatever I came up with that white be the main background color because the girls share a room. I was hoping to steal an idea from you once you do a bright color job. I'm not sure if a peacock design with silver instead of black over it or a beautiful vain style. I'm lost on what to do.

[@kcdcdesigns]

A melded marble would look great, IMO for your teens' dressers and desktops. I did a hair salon workstation with bright, bold colors as she was asking for the same as what you describe. If you want to send me an email, I'll reply with a pic of it. [e-mail]

[@jessiepapabear4272]

@@kcdcdesigns thank you I did. I look forward to seeing it.

[@andriaanderson1027]

Beautiful piece!! Was wondering what you use to cut out for bathroom sink??

[@kcdcdesigns]

Thank you! And hopefully there's a template with each sink, and I use a jigsaw to cut the hole.

[@floratemporali4346]

Hi Keith, another beautiful piece of art you have created! Just one question, why is the hole for the sink and tap not cut out first? My cabinet maker will be cutting the sink and tap hole out before I start my creation on my island bench as I want the sink hole sides and tap hole sealed and the colours to flow down the sink hole sides as its an undermount square sink. Is this correct what we want to do? I feel cutting the sink hole later leaves an unpainted raw edge. Also, because my new island bench is 3m x 1.2m big, does the base white epoxy coat need to be done in 2 stages otherwise will it dry too quick before I bag it? I'll be using SCC Art Coat as it has 45 min working time. But that coat needs to be bagged after an hour and a half and then fully dry before I start using the alcohol colours on it?? Thx for all your help Keith

[@kcdcdesigns]

Hi Flora and thank you! For a drop-in sink, I will cut the hole prior to pouring, whenever possible so that the cut edge is protected with epoxy. In this case, the customer lived out of town and had not purchased the sink yet, so I wasn't able to cut the hole first. For an undermount sink, I will not start fabrication of the countertop until I have the actual sink for templating and proper fit. As a side note, if I have to cut the hole after pouring epoxy, I use 100% silicone on the fresh cut edge to waterproof it. As for prepping the piece prior to using this technique, you are correct that the epoxy needs to be fully dry (minimum 24 hours) because you need a smooth, slick surface to work the alcohol dyes. "Bagging" this one was an experiment that turned out really cool! I waited until the epoxy was "sticky" before bagging it because my objective was to wake up the metallics, and I waited until it was sticky so the metallics wouldn't settle back down. A couple notes; 1. bagging will create some air bubbles but you want to be careful not to overheat, which makes the epoxy fluid again which may cause the metallics to settle. 2. You will be left with a surface that is not perfectly smooth (kind of a bumpy appearance), which is okay because the eventual flood coat will self-level and leave that smooth surface. Thank you for your great questions, and for supporting my channel! Keep me posted on your project, and feel free to reach out if I can help!

[@floratemporali4346]

Thanks again for you reply Keith@@kcdcdesigns . Yes I do have my sink already so the cabinet maker will cut the hole for me. So after bagging I can just use a blow torch but hold it high just enough to pop bubbles and quickly move it over the surface? Thanks 🙂

[@kcdcdesigns]

You can be close with your torch, just sweep across it to pop the bubbles.

[@floratemporali4346]

Thank you@@kcdcdesigns

[@floratemporali4346]

Hi, I'm finding it hard to find 91% Iso Alcohol@@kcdcdesigns. What % can I use in place of the 91 to mix with the inks or can the 100% be watered down? Also Krylon's UV Resistant Clear Matte is sold out everywhere with no ETA date given. I did find another one online if you wouldn't mind letting me know what you think of this one - Aleene's Spray Finish 6oz Acrylic Sealer, Clear, Matte, thanks

[@DanceCat7]

Love!! Where did you get the squeazy bottles?

[@kcdcdesigns]

Sorry I forgot to list that in the description, but it's there now. I got them on Amazon www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0897N7BM7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@DanceCat7]

@@kcdcdesigns Thank you!

[@chapman304]

Beautiful work. Will this yellow? I’m afraid to do light colors due to the yellowing over time.

[@kcdcdesigns]

Thank you! This will not yellow but it will amber over the years although, it's so gradual that it's rarely noticed. The key to preventing yellowing, is proper prep (being sure your undercoat paint off-gasses) and using only epoxy dyes for tinting.

[@MarktrustingJesus]

@@kcdcdesignsI have the same question. I'm new to this, so I just wanted to get a feel for how the ambering works. Does it continue to darken/amber over the years until its brown, or just slightly over the years, but then stabalize in color to just that slight amber? I've been trying to use polyaspartic but can't get it to work without a million microbubbles or leveling out so much that any brushwork pattern in the resin turns into softness.

[@kcdcdesigns]

Mark, the way UV inhibitors work is they're an additive that absorb UV light. Once they are completely saturated they are no longer effective and the resin will begin to amber. This is why one area may amber quicker if it's exposed to direct sunlight. Out of the white countertops I have in customer homes, and sample boards in my studio over 3 years old, none have turned brown or yellow. They tend to lose their brightness of bright white. This is why I will not offer bright white countertops to customers, but I will add undertones to mask the natural ambering. Undertones such as pearl, very light grays, etc. Keep in mind, quartz is manufactured using epoxy resin, so white quartz will do the same over time. And Mark, being new to this, also keep in mind there are other variables that can cause epoxy to "yellow", including but not limited to; quality of resin, compatibility with resin of colorants used (never use white spray paint to tint epoxy), excessive heat from torch or heat gun, etc. Polyaspartic is typically used on floors although, some have tried applying it to countertops with not a lot of success, as it seems you've discovered. Stone Coat had a "Platinum" they came out with several years ago that was a polyaspartic but they couldn't resolve the adhesion issues it had. Maybe some day!

[@MarktrustingJesus]

@@kcdcdesignsthank you for the detailed reply. I love your videos. Appreciate the advice!

[@kcdcdesigns]

You're very welcome, Mark and thank you so much for watching and supporting my channel! Comments like yours are what keep me motivated to create the tutorials!!!

[@kiank8867]

Are alcohol dyes color fast?

[@kcdcdesigns]

Hi, and thanks for your question! Yes, they are! Alcohol "inks" are not, and can fade very quickly which is why the "alcohol dye" technique was developed. It's the same dyes (Alumilite Dye) and mica powders that we use in creating epoxy countertops.

[@terrijuanette486]

Clara Lawrence's website is no longer up and she hasn't been on her Facebook page in almost a year. From the note on her website page, she's batting cancer. I'm sure they could use the money right now with all the medical bills, etc, and I would gladly buy the guide - if possible - but I don't know what to do. Your help in getting a guide would be greatly appreciated! If I could buy it from you and send her the $$, I would do that in a heartbeat.

[@kcdcdesigns]

Clara is working with RK3 Designs to have RK3 make the guide available on their website, and I will continue to do what I can to expedite that as I get asked this a lot! Your comment, and others like it help make that happen, so thank you for asking!

[@terrijuanette486]

@signs You rock! Thank you so much for replying! P.S. Before I read your comment here, I put a comment about maybe setting up something through Amazon or Etsy or any place they might think of on the RK3 video with Rhonda and Clara so that those of us wanting the information (and wanting to help Clara) can buy the guide to support Clara. (I didn't want to 'volunteer' the RK3's website for Clara's book since it's a business's own portal. That just seemed awfully presumptuous and even a bit rude.) Again, thank you for your response. I greatly appreciate it! It was very kind of you.