Give your interior a personal touch and make coasters completely to your taste with name or photo. You can have coasters made or buy them in the store, but a homemade one is of course much more fun. I will explain step by step how you can get started with this DIY. My name is Petra Laan. I have written several blogs for itsOkay. I have been making art with epoxy resin for years and was curious about how to best process texts and photos in epoxy casting resin . In this DIY I will show you how to process a photo or text in epoxy casting resin.
To make beautiful coasters I always recommend using the epoxy casting resin 1:1 from itsOkay. This resin is easy to mix, because the ratio of component A is the same as that of component B. So you pour this resin 1:1.
For the coasters I am going to make I need about 50 grams of epoxy resin (1:1 epoxy resin). In this blog I make five different coasters so that you can choose which one works best for you. We make the coasters in layers. We are going to pour the first layer first, after hardening we place the photo or text on it. After this we fill the silicone mold.
Step 1: Pouring the first layer of epoxy
I am going to pour the photos and texts in two layers of epoxy. If you were to pour the silicone mold full in one go, the text or photo would sink to the bottom and you don't want that. For the first layer, we fill the silicone coaster mold halfway.
The product page of itsOkay indicates how much epoxy goes into the mold in question. The round coaster mold contains a total of 50 grams of epoxy resin . For the first layer I prepare half, 25 grams of epoxy resin . For five coasters I prepare 125 grams of epoxy resin for the first layer. After pouring, spray the epoxy resin with the Bubble Blaster to pop any bubbles. Then let the resin harden according to the instructions on the bottle.
Step 2: Adding the photo or text to the epoxy
Is the epoxy resin well cured according to the instructions on the bottle? Then you can now add the texts or photos. I have chosen to add five different texts, pictures and photos. This is because I am curious what remains nice and clear between. For you as a reader also very educational.
Consider carefully how the epoxy coasters will come out of the silicone mold before pouring a text or object. I poured the following five objects on top of the first layer of epoxy resin of the coaster:
Laminated photo: I cut a photo of my daughter to size and laminated it. By laminating the photo you protect the photo from the chemical reaction of epoxy.
Hearts written with aPosca Paint Marker : the red hearts are written with a red Posca marker (paint marker).
Name written with a thinPosca Paint Marker : the name Emma is written with this. Please note that you have to write in mirror image.
Silver drawn mandala. Drawn with an edding glass marker.
Cut out vinyl text with a cutting plotter / epoxy sticker printer . You can also use stickers you bought yourself of course.
Step 3: Pouring the second layer of epoxy
In the first step I filled the silicone mold halfway and then added a photo and picture. I also wrote text on the epoxy. Now I'm going to fill the molds. The round epoxy coaster mold contains a total of 50 grams ofepoxy. So I prepare another 25 gramsof epoxy. For five coasters youneed125 grams of epoxy resin for the last layer . I always prepare a little more epoxy resin, just to be sure that I can fill the silicone mold to the edge later. In the last silicone mold (number 5) I poured a cut-out vinyl text with the text 'itsOkay'. I gave the last bit of epoxy a red color with the opaque pigments, which I added to this coaster.
Fill the silicone mold to the brim with epoxy resin. I often make sure that you can just see a small bulge (as if there is just too much resin in the mold). Epoxy shrinks about 1% during curing and this will give you the best result later. If you fill the mold too little, your coasters may have sharp or rough edges. After pouring, spray the epoxy resin with the Bubble Blasterto pop any bubbles. Then let the resin harden according to the instructions on the bottle.
Step 4: Remove the coasters from the mold
After 24 to 48 hours you can remove the coasters made with itsOkay Epoxy casting resin from the silicone molds.
Conclusion: making epoxy coasters with text or photo
I am very pleased with the end result of all five coasters. A ll coasters have hardened beautifully and remained beautifully clear. They also contain almost no air bubbles.
The text from the cutting plotter or epoxy sticker printer looks best in the epoxy resin coasters. Unfortunately, not everyone has a cutting plotter or epoxy sticker printer, but fortunately the other methods work too.
The Posca paint markers are by far the best markers for writing texts on epoxy resin. The texts remain very visible on the epoxy resin. These two coasters are now (2 months after making) still beautiful in color.
Only the coaster with the permanent marker did not work out well. This marker is not made for this and does not cover epoxy resin well. I therefore do not recommend using a normal marker.
The coaster with the photo has a lot of small air bubbles between the first layer and the photo, I should have paid more attention to this.
In conclusion I really enjoyed making them and they are pretty good luck. Have fun making beautiful coasters!
Frequently Asked Questions About Epoxy Coasters
Do you have any questions about making epoxy coasters after reading this fun DIY? Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
How long does it take for epoxy to fully cure?
The curing time of epoxy varies depending on the brand and type of resin, as well as the mixing ratio and ambient temperature. In general, epoxy coasters take between 12-24 hours to fully cure. Always refer to the instructions on the product label for exact curing times.
How do you prevent air bubbles in epoxy coasters?
Air bubbles can be a challenge when working with epoxy resin, but there are ways to prevent them. Always mix the epoxy resin carefully according to the manufacturer's instructions, stirring slowly in one direction to prevent air bubbles. Then use the Bubble Blaster to remove any small air bubbles.
What is the best way to clean my epoxy coasters?
Fortunately, epoxy coasters are easy to clean. Use a mild detergent and a soft cloth to remove stains or dirt. Never put epoxy coasters in the dishwasher and do not use boiling water. Avoid aggressive detergents, scouring pads or sharp objects, as these can damage the surface.
More information?
Do you have questions about making art, jewelry or casting/coating floors or other objects? At itsOkay, several epoxy experts work with each their own expertise. We are happy to help you. Please contact itsOkay customer service or take a look at the Epoxy knowledge center .
Comments
Beste Lisa,
Het beste is wel om een lamineerapparaat te gebruiken, misschien is het een optie om te kijken in een boekenwinkel zoals de Bruna of Paagman of het daar mogelijk is. Er is nog wel een optie die je kunt uitproberen: Je zou er transparant tape of plakband overheen kunnen doen. Zorgen dat het stukje papier/tekst volledig is ingetaped en er geen epoxy kan bijkomen. Ik raad je wel aan om dit eerst uit te proberen voor het mislukt. Mochten er nog vragen zijn, onze epoxy experts staan voor je klaar.
Hoi,
Ik heb geen lamineer apparaat, maar wil een uitgeknipt stukje tekst gebruiken. Kan ik dit dan op een andere manier voorbewerken door nagellak er over heen te doen of zo, of iets anders?
Groetjes,
Lisa
Hoi Christa,
Als ik het goed begrijp wil je afbeeldingen maken in de onderzetters? Ik raad je aan om foto’s of afbeeldingen te lamineren om de kwaliteit van kleur te behouden. Epoxy kan een reactie geven op uitgeprinte foto’s zonder dat ze zijn gelamineerd. Alle onderzetters hebben dezelfde afmetingen dus je moet er voor zorgen dat de foto erin past (niet groter dan 8 cm)
Groetjes Demi, team ItsOkay
Hey ik ben pas begonnen en wil deze heel graag proberen in verschillende afbeeldingen is er voor alle afbeeldingen verschillende afmetingen van de producten A en B
Mvg christa
Hoi Vera,
Het makkelijkst is eerst een dun laagje in de mal te doen, dan de letters erop in een heel dun laagje epoxyhars, zodat het vast gaat zitten. En daarna het laatste gedeelte vullen. Zo bouw je het dus uit 3 lagen op en kun je de letters mooi zien.
Gr. Patricia, team itsOkay.
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Comments
Beste Lisa, Het beste is wel om een lamineerapparaat te gebruiken, misschien is het een optie om te kijken in een boekenwinkel zoals de Bruna of Paagman of het daar mogelijk is. Er is nog wel een optie die je kunt uitproberen: Je zou er transparant tape of plakband overheen kunnen doen. Zorgen dat het stukje papier/tekst volledig is ingetaped en er geen epoxy kan bijkomen. Ik raad je wel aan om dit eerst uit te proberen voor het mislukt. Mochten er nog vragen zijn, onze epoxy experts staan voor je klaar.
Hoi, Ik heb geen lamineer apparaat, maar wil een uitgeknipt stukje tekst gebruiken. Kan ik dit dan op een andere manier voorbewerken door nagellak er over heen te doen of zo, of iets anders? Groetjes, Lisa
Hoi Christa, Als ik het goed begrijp wil je afbeeldingen maken in de onderzetters? Ik raad je aan om foto’s of afbeeldingen te lamineren om de kwaliteit van kleur te behouden. Epoxy kan een reactie geven op uitgeprinte foto’s zonder dat ze zijn gelamineerd. Alle onderzetters hebben dezelfde afmetingen dus je moet er voor zorgen dat de foto erin past (niet groter dan 8 cm) Groetjes Demi, team ItsOkay
Hey ik ben pas begonnen en wil deze heel graag proberen in verschillende afbeeldingen is er voor alle afbeeldingen verschillende afmetingen van de producten A en B Mvg christa
Hoi Vera, Het makkelijkst is eerst een dun laagje in de mal te doen, dan de letters erop in een heel dun laagje epoxyhars, zodat het vast gaat zitten. En daarna het laatste gedeelte vullen. Zo bouw je het dus uit 3 lagen op en kun je de letters mooi zien. Gr. Patricia, team itsOkay.