What's epoxy?

Epoxy is a two-component, thermosetting plastic. The two components consist of component A, the base resin, and component B, the hardener. After mixing both components, a chemical process occurs. This process ensures the hardening of the epoxy resin.

When you use epoxy resin in combination with glass fibre or other fibres, this is called a composite. Laminated or cast pieces of epoxy resin and composites are much lighter in weight than traditional materials such as metal, wood or aluminium.

There are different types of epoxies.

Casting resins
The first type of epoxy we will discuss is the casting resin. This can be used for both crystal clear and coloured castings. You can also add dry fillers to epoxy casting resin to obtain a polymer concrete. Polymer concrete resembles concrete after curing, but is up to four times stronger than classic concrete. Within the range of casting resins, there are very clear resins with different hardeners. By using a fast working hardener, it is possible to make small castings. With the slowly hardening hardener you can also pour large volumes in one go. Important to know is that, during the chemical process of hardening, heat is generated. So if you would cast larger volumes with a fast hardener, the whole thing would burst due to the heat.

Lamination resins
A second type of epoxy is laminating resin. This type of epoxy resin has to be used in combination with fibres. This is the case with glass fibre, aramid (also known as kevlar) or the very strong and stiff carbon (carbon fibre). By using these reinforcing fibres to place multiple layers on top of each other, you get a laminate. This laminate creates an extremely light, yet strong whole. In addition to the standard laminating epoxy, there are also Bio Epoxy laminating resins available today. These are made from natural raw materials, such as the shells of the cashew nut. The properties of these biobased epoxies are in some cases even better than the standard variants. Bio Epoxy is best used in combination with natural fibres such as flax fibre or basalt fibre.

Adhesives
There are also adhesives based on epoxy. These 2-component adhesives are used in various sectors, including construction, model building and the production of parts for cars and boats. Thanks to the rapid curing and very good water resistance, epoxy adhesives are excellent for structural connections. An additional advantage is the chemical resistance and mechanical properties.

Furthermore, epoxies are also used as primer (adhesive layer) or as coating. The unique properties of epoxy resin offer an excellent adhesion to various substrates such as wood, concrete, plastics and metal or aluminium. These primers offer an excellent undercoat for different types of paints or lacquer systems. The use of coatings is mainly found in the offshore sector and boat building. Here, the resistance to wear and several chemical products are the strongest assets.

Buying epoxy resin

Epoxy resins come in different qualities and types. Be well informed about the different types of resin and hardener that are suitable for your project. There are hardener systems based on dangerous and even carcinogenic raw materials. These are much cheaper, so you may be misled by the price. The current and new generations of epoxy systems are biobased, which means that the origin of the raw materials is natural. In most cases, epoxy resins are not even that much more expensive.

When purchasing your epoxy resin, pay close attention to the type of packaging. Some hardeners are sensitive to moisture and this causes the resin to flower in the container once it is opened. Epoxy resin can therefore only be stored for a limited period of time, once opened. The shelf life of epoxy resins is quite long, sometimes longer than one year. However, we advise you to limit the quantities to those you actually need for your project. Your packaging also has a big influence on the price. So if you need to pour a large quantity, it is advisable to order one large pack rather than several smaller ones. For extra large quantities, it is best to request a price offer.

Epoxy adhesive

Today, it's almost impossible to think of an applications that doesn't involve the use of adhesives. Epoxy adhesives also completes this list. Epoxy adhesives are subdivided into 2-component adhesives and UV-curing adhesives. The UV-curing varieties are especially suitable for colourless gluing of glass. Thanks to UV curing, these adhesives react within seconds. This makes large and fast production volumes possible.

For the handyman, there are quick-drying, liquid epoxy adhesives available for all kinds of applications. These range from bonding wood, metal, plastics and glass to more technical connections of composite materials or 3D printed objects. A disadvantage of most epoxy adhesives is their rather limited UV resistance. This means they will discolour when exposed to light.

Epoxy primer

By applying an epoxy primer you can apply epoxy resin on almost any surface. In addition to the adhesion on steel or metal, these primers form an excellent protection against rust. Thanks to the vapour-proof property of a High Solid Epoxy Primer, no water or water vapour can penetrate.

Most epoxy primers are a Direct To Surface (DTS) solution. This means that, if properly prepared, you can work directly on the surface. There are even epoxy primers that can be applied to a moist surface. Ideal as a pre-treatment on a damp wall or floor in the basement or garage. Most epoxy primers have limited UV resistance. It is therefore best to apply a top coat.

Epoxy primers are 2 components, of which you have to stir the resin (A component) and hardener (B component) together in the right ratio. The chemical process then starts and the created quantity must be used within the indicated processing time. In addition to application by brush or roller, an epoxy primer can also be sprayed. For this application it is best to add a thinner. This is no tinner, but an appropriate thinner that does not affect the quality of the epoxy primer.

Table or table top with epoxy resin

Casting a table, tabletop or worktop with epoxy resin has become extremely popular in recent years. On Youtube, Instagram and other social media channels, you can find numerous videos in which epoxy resin is poured between two wooden planks. This casting resin is based on crystal clear casting epoxy. To create special effects, such as marble effects, water- or ocean effects, colour pigments are used. Often several different colours and even glow in the dark effects are used.

As epoxy resin has a perfect adhesion to wood, it can be used to make fantastic combinations. Woodturners pour in objects such as pine cones or wood and then mill or turn them. The result is unique objects. Casting wooden boards to make tables and tabletops is a popular method in restaurants and interior design shops.

Thanks to the enormous strength of epoxy casting resins, there are virtually no limits to the dimensions that can be cast with them. The only disadvantage may be the cost. Clear casting resins are among the most expensive of their kind. It is important to calculate the right volume and not to be satisfied with one centimetre less. But let your imagination run free and who knows, you may create an art object that is unique in its kind.

You can cast epoxy yourself

Epoxy casting is becoming increasingly popular. Often the American term 'resin art' is used. More and more people are starting to cast small objects with epoxy resin themselves. This can range from casting small objects, such as flowers, to casting table tops and creating river tables.

Nothing is impossible when casting with epoxy resin yourself. You receive 2 liquid products, a resin (A component) and the hardener (B component). After you have mixed both in the right ratio, you start the casting process. You can consult the potlife (processing time) on the labels or the technical data sheet of your resin. After mixing, the chemical process is started and irreversible.

In most cases you simply pour out your mixed amount of epoxy and you're done. In the latest generation of epoxy casting resins, de-aeration additives are added. This eliminates the need to vent the poured epoxy with a gas burner. As these epoxy resins are water-thin and liquid, they flow smoothly and quickly into all corners and crevices. You don't actually have to do anything. Just pour and wait until the layer has hardened.

What if you do not succeed with your mixture?
Don't worry, you just prepare a new mixture and then pour it onto or over your first pour. Everything cures completely at once and as one. These 2-component epoxies do not require air or oxygen to cure. So processing under vacuum or simply under a plastic sheet is not a problem for the curing of your epoxy resin.

As far as colouring your transparent epoxy resin is concerned, there are various colouring pigments. These pigments can provide an opaque colour or translucent.. You can also experiment with glow in the dark or fluorescent pigments. Let your imagination run wild and discover for yourself the many possibilities of epoxy resin. You can cast epoxy all by yourself and you don't need any experience. If you still have questions, you can always attend a workshop. There you will always get tips and tricks to help you with your project.