Epoxy Doming - 6 Practical Tips

Do you want to finish your epoxy art professionally with a glossy beautiful finish? Here are some practical tips from our experts.

A common technique when working with epoxy is ' doming '. Here you apply a thin layer of epoxy on top of your epoxy resin art. This gives a nice glossy finish with a small bulge. Now it really feels like your creation is completely finished!

See example below. The dotted line on top of the epoxy artwork shows where a thin layer of epoxy will be applied.

1. Use the correct epoxy

Choose a quality epoxy that is suitable for doming. Make sure this epoxy is transparent and UV resistant for a smooth end result.

The most commonly used epoxy resin for this for doming is UV Resin . This is also a thicker epoxy. UV resin is ready-made and can be poured directly from the bottle into the mold.

You can also use a small amount of transparent two-component epoxy with high viscosity. We recommend the UV Epoxy resin 1:1 for this. This epoxy is easy to use and thicker (high viscosity) than other epoxy resins. You can pour transparent or pre-mix epoxy with pigment and apply it with a wooden spatula . Add a small amount of epoxy at a time. Be careful that the epoxy does not flow over the edges.

For this, use a high viscosity epoxy or let the epoxy mixture sit for 10-15 minutes so that the epoxy thickens a bit. Ideally, the epoxy is viscous when you pour.

2. Use the right tools

For small creations use a skewer or pipette and for larger creations a wooden spatula . The finer the tool you work with, the more precise you can work.

3. Work carefully

First of all, always work on a flat surface and make sure your table is level so your epoxy doesn't flow over the edges. Be aware that doming only works on flat pieces of epoxy.

Make sure the surface of your creation is clean and dry before you start. Remove dust, dirt and any grease residue to ensure good adhesion of the epoxy.

Always start in the middle and then spread the epoxy to the edges. Make sure you don't apply too much epoxy, add drop by drop if necessary. There is a tension on the epoxy, if you work too fast it can burst and the epoxy will flow along the edges.

4. Protect your creation

Once you have applied your doming layer, place a container over your creation. This way, no dust or hair will end up on your creation and you will have a really shiny, beautiful finish. Continue to step 4 and do not let your epoxy harden yet.

5. Let the epoxy rest for a while

A common mistake with epoxy doming is not letting the epoxy rest properly after pouring. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, so that epoxy air bubbles can come to the surface. Then remove the air bubbles and (see: removing air bubbles from epoxy ) let it cure according to the instructions of the epoxy. If you do not do this, you will get a surface with small craters/holes or stripes from the mixing spatula.

6. Cleaning

Afterwards, wash your creation with soap and water to remove any stickiness.