Epoxy resin allows you to create some of the most beautiful crafts in the simplest of ways. The material is so elegant and just the right amount of dense to be handled by people of all ages. Whether you are a kid, a middle-aged man, or an old person, everyone can have fun with epoxy resin.
When it comes to wood, epoxy resin gives it a nice sparkly layer of beauty. The best epoxy resin for wood would be the one that doesn’t compromise the quality of wood.
This polymer made organic compound can sink into wood as wood is porous. So, it’s very important that you seal the surface first before pouring any kind of layers. Curing is another option for protecting the layers of wood you are working on.
Epoxy resin might not be as easy to use as paint, but the results are astounding. If you are looking for some of the bests, we have just the list for you below. We have also attached a buying guide along with the reviews to help you out.
Table of Contents
Top Best Epoxy Resin for Wood
Below we have listed 7 of the best epoxy resins you will find in the market. All the products mentioned here are from different price ranges and offer different features. Go through the reviews to find the resin that matches your work.
1. Crystal Clear Bar Table Top Epoxy Resin Coating For Wood Tabletop – 1 Gallon Kit
| Weight | 8.84 Pounds |
| Dimensions | 10 x 10 x 5 inches |
| Color | Clear |
| Material | 100% solid |
| Size | 1 Gallon |
Whether you want to paint the backyard table or your surfing board, this kit is the perfect epoxy resin for you. Suitable for both professionals and amateur, the product is 100% solid and clear.
You can mix colors to this resin if you would like. The material can be used to create an ombre effect as well. Unlike most other resins, this one contains no trace of VOCs. This makes this product more user-friendly and doesn’t compromise the user’s health. The lack of VOCs also reduces the risk of respiratory diseases.
The products are blush resistant and can cover an area of 48 sq ft. It comes with UV protection, which makes the furniture long-lasting as well. The material used for making this epoxy resin is food safe, which makes it excellent for tabletops.
As we have mentioned before, you have a cure with this resin before you pour the whole thing as wood is porous. This one cures better than most other brands. You would need to maintain a temperature of 80 degrees for mixing this epoxy resin; this is suggested by the manufacturers.
As the kit is 1 gallon, you can definitely work on one or more projects with this product.
Highlighted Features:
- Food safe. Can be used on dining tables
- Contains no VCOs. Good for people suffering from respiratory diseases
- Cures faster
- Comes with UV-ray protection
- Water and blush resistant
2. EPOXY Resin Crystal Clear 1 Gallon Kit. for Super Gloss Coating and TABLETOPS
| Weight | 8.00 pounds |
| Dimensions | 10 x 10 x 5 |
| Color | Clear |
| Material | Epoxy resin |
| Size | 1 Gallon |
This crystal-clear resin from the East Coast Resin Company is one of the most durable materials out there. The coating is suitable for tabletops as it’s made of food-safe materials. You can work with it easily, and the product doesn’t really require much preparation to be used.
If you want really fast curing and want your work to be done quickly, this product is an ideal option for you. The resin cures faster than most other brands and dries excellently. You can even use them over expensive and really porous wood surfaces, and it won’t cause any damage to them.
One of the things this brand offers is the ‘super gloss coating’. You will notice this feature printed on the bottle. Super gloss coating means a nice, smooth, and glossy finish that shines like a highlighter in the sun. You can get Instagram worthy pictures of your recipes, putting them on these resins.
Some of us like the scent of epoxy resin, but most of us hate it. Fortunately, this one is an odorless epoxy, so you won’t have to deal with the pungent and strong smell.
The resin comes with UV protection and is water-resistant as well. You won’t need to do much for maintaining its condition.
Highlighted Features:
- Food safe; excellent for tabletops
- UV ray protection
- Super gloss coating
- Cures quickly compared to the other brands
- Odorless epoxy resin
3. Clear Epoxy Resin | Epox It 80 Epoxy Plastic Resin & Hardene
| Weight | 44 pounds |
| Dimensions | 9 x 9 x 11 |
| Color | Clear |
| Material | Wood |
| Size | 1 Gallons |
Manufactured by the Specialty Resin & Chemicals, this epoxy resin is one of the most popular in the market. The resin is so popular because it can be used to make anything. You can use this ultra-clear material on bar tops, wood tabletops, floors, countertops, and artwork. The resin is hard enough to be used for making jewelry as well.
This one complies with the rules and regulations of FDA, so you can completely rely on its safety principles. The resin is also UV protected and odorless.
You won’t have to work on the leveling of this resin as it comes with self-leveling properties. The resin, when poured, doesn’t leave any air bubbles inside of it, which allows users to save time and effort.
Amateurs and DIYers would love this product as it requires a minimum level of preparation. The curing time is 16 to 20 hours, but that’s a standard for almost all resins in the market. You can also get an additional work time of 10 minutes if you are following the solid early curing method for 40 minutes.
The product is highly affordable compared to others. It offers an excellent gloss as well. You can pour it over artwork to get the best results.
Highlighted Features:
- Excellent for amateurs; doesn’t require much preparation
- Food safe. Complies with the rules of FDA
- Highly affordable
- UV protected
- Odorless resin
4. Crystal Clear Epoxy Resin One Gallon Kit
| Weight | 9.85 Pounds |
| Dimensions | 9.75 x 8.63 x 5.5 |
| Color | Clear |
| Material | epoxy resin |
| Size | 1 Gallon |
Designed for the professional, this epoxy resin gallon kit manufactured by the MAS Epoxies is one of the best resins you can use on wood. We all know that quick work isn’t always the best work. With this one, you need to have some patience to get the best results.
The epoxy is strong, dependable, and very easy to use. You do need a little bit of time for this one to set, but as it’s ‘made by professionals for professionals’, relying on it shouldn’t be a problem.
It’s a versatile product; you can use this resin for coating artwork, floor, wood, and even to make small crafts or jewelry. The resin is crystal clear, and mixing color with it is a simple procedure.
Another excellent feature of this product is that it’s self-leveling. You won’t need to pay any extra care or do any extra work with the leveling of this resin; it’ll provide a smooth surface always.
Coverage of this product is excellent. It provides a clear coating but covers everything and doesn’t leave any air bubbles inside. The coverage makes it stronger and more durable as well.
UV-protection is the cherry on top of this cake. Along with all the exciting features, this resin is the best one for professionals so far.
Highlighted Features:
- Made by professionals for professionals
- Comes with a self-leveling feature
- Provides excellent coverage
- Highly durable and strong
- Comes with UV protection
5. ArtResin – Epoxy Resin – Clear – Non-Toxic – 1 gal
| Weight | 9.83 pounds |
| Dimensions | 5.5 x 10.5 x 10 |
| Color | Clear |
| Material | Epoxy Resin |
| Size | 1 Gallon |
Manufactured specially for the artists, this one is a non-toxic, crystal clear epoxy resin that’ll give your artwork the gloss it needs. To maintain the non-toxicity, you will need to follow the instruction strictly.
One of the main reasons epoxy resin is so popular among artists is that it can be used like metal but is more flexible than metal. Like metal, resin can be cast as well; but melting it is way easier and faster.
This one is manufactured by keeping artists in mind, but you can also use it for other purposes. The product is excellent for layering on artwork and casting. You can make outstanding 3D sculptures just by pouring it into a mold. The process requires some other crucial steps you need to follow; otherwise, your cast will have bubbles in it.
The resin is BPA free and contains no VCOs. You can completely rely on it to be safe. Some users have recommended using this product freely when it’s cured. You can even use it to coat tabletops as it contains no toxic materials.
If you are an artist, you must have dealt with yellowing of cast. This one comes equipped to prevent that. So, the product you make will retain its shape and color for a long time.
Highlighted Features:
- Specially designed to artists
- Resists yellowing
- Excellent for casts
- Free from BPA, VCOs, and other toxic ingredients
- Self-leveling epoxy resin
6. Crystal Clear Epoxy Resin | TotalBoat 1 Gallon Epoxy Resin & Hardener Kit for Bar
| Weight | 9.3 Pounds |
| Dimensions | 7 x 5 x 10 |
| Color | Clear |
| Material | Metal |
| Size | 1 Gallons |
Offering high gloss and crystal-clear finish, this one is manufactured by the TotalBoat Company and comes with all the features you look for in a standard epoxy resin.
The resin is said to be ideal for countertops, tabletops, bar tables, and bathroom basins. It’s a premium quality resin used by professionals for finishing their projects perfectly.
Many resins claim themselves to be water-resistant, but they are actually not. This one is specially designed to be used on surfaces that go underwater. You can even use this to give your surfing board a new look.
This product prevents blushes and bubbles in the most efficient of ways. We loved the coverage it provides. It’s highly resistant to heat as well and doesn’t let high temperatures damage the coating.
Although many users don’t recommend using this resin for outdoor furniture, you can use it to decorate the furniture in your backyard where there’s less sunlight. You won’t have to spend much time while you are working with this product as it cures fast.
The curing part is the most important step of the whole process, and it usually takes the most time as well. So, we recommend using resins that cure fast. The resin is self-leveling as well.
Highlighted Features:
- Excellently waterproof; specially designed for use on materials that are used underwater
- Provides a high gloss and crystal-clear finish
- Prevents blushes and bubbles
- Highly resistant to heat
- Self-leveling
7. SUPERCLEAR EPOXY Resin Crystal Clear 2 Gallon Resin Kit
| Weight | 17.7 Pounds |
| Dimensions | 12 x 6 x 12 |
| Color | Clear |
| Material | Epoxy Resin |
| Size | 2 Gallon |
Looking for something affordable yet good quality? This one is the perfect fit for you. Unlike the others, the resin kit comes in 2 gallons so that you get more resin at once. Buying in bulk saves time as well, and you won’t have to order twice or make trips to the market more.
The product comes with high protection from UV rays. This makes it ideal for outdoor use, but the packaging doesn’t really recommend it. You can do a test if you would like.
One of unique properties of this resin is that it’s scratch resistant. If you have kids at home, we definitely recommend this product to you. Its waterproof coating gives it a hard, smooth surface. You can create as many layers as you would like with this resin, and it will hold its shape firmly.
This product is also compatible with many types of colorants, which make it ideal for DIY works and crafts. The resin also prevents bubbling and gives a nice finish to every surface.
We loved how affordable it is regardless of the exciting features it offers. The resin doesn’t get yellow easily; it gives a nice gloss that stays for a long time if you maintain your furniture properly.
Highlighted Features:
- Affordable; great value for price
- Provides excellent depth and stability
- Compatible with many types of colorants
- Scratch resistant
- Comes with high protection from UV rays
Buying Guide to Epoxy Resin
Now that you have gone through our reviews, we would like to help you out in choosing the best product. There are some features you should look for in every epoxy resin. We have listed them down below:
Curing Time
If you are applying resin for commercial purposes, chances are you are working on a clock. The lesser time you need for finishing work, the better customer service you are providing. Curing time can be three different types, and all of them should be a reasonable length of time.
Always look for epoxy resins that can cure fast. Lesser curing time doesn’t always mean that you are compromising the quality of the product.
Coverage
This feature actually highly influences the price of an epoxy resin. The higher the price of a product, the better it should be its coverage. We don’t recommend purchasing an expensive resin and expecting it to provide high coverage.
Look for the ones that are providing excellent coverage, and don’t be surprised if the price is a little high. 25 sq. ft is the standard for coverage; if the resin you chose surpasses it, you can consider it to be a good quality product.
Check the formula as well because sometimes products that provide great coverage can have flawed formulas.
Self-Leveling Feature
This feature was mentioned many times throughout our reviews. Self-leveling is an important characteristic in epoxy resins because it eliminates any chances of streaking or any other imperfections. Epoxy resin with self-leveling feature will give you the nicest and smoothest finish.
Whenever you are working on wood, this feature becomes more important as wood has so many bumps and cracks. Epoxy resin should be able to fill that consistently and not dip into the wood to create another crack.
We recommend purchasing resin with slower curing formula as they offer better self-leveling. If you can take a little bit more time, this is definitely worth it.
User-friendly Application Process
If you are an amateur, pick the easiest one to apply for your work. Application of epoxy resin might look very simple, but it’s actually not. This step also influences how good your work will be, so do it carefully.
Look for bubble and blush preventing epoxy resins as they are more user-friendly compared to others. Blush and bubbles are two of the most common problems of applying epoxy resin on wood. If those two are taken care of, you are good to go.
Waterproof
People use epoxy resin on many different things. This particular material is highly versatile as it’s compatible to be used on almost anything. That is why; you need an epoxy resin that’s waterproof.
Tabletops are one of the most common surfaces where a resin is used. You don’t have to spill water on it; if you only leave a glass without a coaster, it’s going to leave a mark on the surface. Preventing that is very simple; get a waterproof epoxy resin.
Some resins are 100% waterproof, and they are specially manufactured to be used on boats or surfing boards. These resins make the wood last longer.
UV- ray Protection
This is a standard feature for epoxy resin; it should come with UV protection. All the products we have listed here are equipped to save themselves from UV rays and can be used outdoors.
UV-rays are harmful to humans, and they turn resin yellow. So, if you would like to retain the new condition of your product and use it outside at the same time, you should get a resin with UV protection feature.
UV protection is not necessary if you are going to use the furniture or artwork indoors and always keep it away from the sun.
Scratch Resistance
If you have kids, you know the horror of having your furniture scratched all over. You can’t tell your kids not to do that or cover everything up. What you can do is use an epoxy resin that’s scratch resistant.
These resins are so hard and give such a strong finish that they can’t be scratched. The resins are also longer lasting as they have a stronger finish.
Epoxy resins are basically hardened strong glue. Resistance to scratches and scuffing should be something all products have.
FAQ
Q: Are epoxy resins eco-friendly?
Ans: The answer is yes, and no. Dried and cured epoxy resins are considered to be eco-friendly. But the resins sold in the market don’t come dried or cured, which is why they aren’t readily environment friendly.
Q: Can I use epoxy resin to seal wood completely?
Ans: Yes. Epoxy resin is mainly used for sealing wood. You can cover a whole piece of wood with resin and cover any pores so that nothing gets out or comes in.
Q: Can epoxy resin and wood create a bond?
Ans: Yes. Epoxy resin bonds to wood very strongly, and it’s permanent as well. You cannot easily break this bond as there is proper adhesion. The wood needs to be clean and prepared for bonding.
Q: Can I use different epoxy resins on the same wood?
Ans: Although it’s recommended to use a homogenous mixture, you can use different resins. Two different kinds of resins are able to create a bond between them and the wood, but this isn’t as strong as the homogenous resin and wood bond.
Q: Can I use an epoxy resin coated tables in the sun?
Ans: You can, but it’s not a great idea. The UV-ray from sun because epoxy to turn yellow and pale.
Outro
Epoxy resin is one of the most fun materials you can work with. The material is so versatile and useful; it’s almost suitable for decorating everything. Does table look damaged? Pour some epoxy on it to redeem its beauty.
Our reviews of the best epoxy resin for wood have details about some of the best products you will ever come across. All the products listed here are long-lasting and efficient. Most of them don’t require much curing time either.
We hope that our buying guide and reviews have helped you find the perfect epoxy resin. Please keep your budget and needs in mind before you purchase the product.
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