11 Best Epoxy Resins for Wood

Epoxy resin for wook

While trying to turn a chunk of wood into a colorful and long-lasting piece of art, your best choice is epoxy resin. Take your quest to the web and check some of the may swoon-worthy pictures of river tables made using epoxy resin to get some inspiration. Apart from making great tabletops, epoxy resins are the best tool available to an artist working with wood.

However, the choice is not always an easy one. There are all kinds of epoxies on the market, and no two are exactly alike. Although you don’t always have to get the ideal product, it pays to understand what you are using.

For many, choosing the right epoxy resin can be difficult. This is due to the vast majority of epoxies available for sale in the market today. Most of these have different features and different outcomes. This is why it is important to understand the product you are using.

Today we will discover 11 best epoxy resins for wood.

1. Pro Marine Supplies Epoxy Resin  – Top Epoxy for Wood

Initially, Pro Marine Supplies was a boat repair business, but after seeing the unsatisfactory epoxy resins available on the market, they started to dabble in producing their own. Soon after, they branched off to a sister company that solely focused on the production of epoxy resins. The whole arrangement seems a bit off by the initial eye test, yet the quality of their product makes them a strong contender for the best epoxy resin for wood.

Also, since the company is in California, it conforms to the the state’s rigorous rules regarding environmental protection.  It allows users to get a product that does not contain any VOCs. This means that you are safe from respiratory and other health issues.

The coverage of this epoxy resin offered by Pro Marine Supplies is around 48 sq. ft. which is one of the best out there. Lastly, it also offers a blush-resistant finish to your beautiful tabletops.

Pros

  • Has a hard cure compared to most
  • Offers UV protection
  • No VOCs
  • Large 48 sq. ft. coverage
  • Blush resistant
  • Water resistant
  • FDA food safe

Cons

  • Has to be applied quickly

2. RTG Bar & Table Top Epoxy – Great For Anything Indoors

The RTG bar and tabletop epoxy resin is marketed for those who haven’t worked with such products before. The mix is very easy to create and can be used all around the house. Simply use a 1:1 ratio for a quick mix. This product can also be used with many materials such as concrete, ceramic, stone, wood, etc. The results are especially great with wood making ranking it second in our list of best epoxy resins for wood. 

The RTG epoxy is completely waterproof, which allows you to work with driftwood or other types of wood that have experienced partial rotting. The formula of this RTG will stop any further rotting of the wood, allowing you to preserve the wooden piece for a lot longer.

Other features of this epoxy include self-leveling and resistance to scratches and heat, which make it perfect for kitchens.

Pros

  • Self-leveling
  • Easy to mix
  • Works with a lot of materials
  • Waterproof
  • Strong surface

Cons

  • Not suitable for projects outdoor
  • Incredibly glossy

3. SRC Epoxy Resin – Top Budget Option

One of the more familiar companies on this list is SRC, but unlike some of the other brands on this list they do not exclusively make epoxy resins. Having said that, the first company product was the epoxy resin and still is a big priority.

The good thing about SRC epoxy resin is that the manufacturer can supply their product at a lower price tag than other companies. This makes them the best epoxy resin for wood when working with a modest budget.

While new users may appreciate working with SRC epoxy resin, the additional 10-minute wait could be annoying for professionals. Other cool features include self-leveling and lower odor, making it a good DIY option.

Pros

  • High gloss
  • Doesn’t have too much odor
  • Offers UV protection
  • Self-leveling
  • FDA food safe
  • Least costly epoxy on our list
  • Quick curing in comparison to other brands

Cons

  • Has to be applied quickly
  • Not a tough finish

4. East Coast Epoxy Resin – Fastest Curing Option

East Coast Resin started selling online recently. Before that, you had to source them through a distributor. Regardless, the company is in tune with its customers’ needs and has made an epoxy resin that cures faster than other resins on this list, making it great for users who want immediacy. Still, it requires some experience to be able to use the product.

The distinguishing quality of East Coast Resins is the extremely quick work time of 30-minutes which only some other companies rival. Also, the entire cure time of the epoxy is less than a day. You have a fully cured epoxy with 16 to 20 hours subject to the number of layers applied.

However, preparing the resin is a little hard for new users. If you do not do it properly, chances are the finished cure will have bubbles, among other issues.

Pros

  • High gloss
  • Offers UV protection
  • Does not have any odor
  • Self-leveling
  • Water-resistant
  • Quickest cure time on the list

Cons

  • Difficult application
  • Prone to bubbling

5. TotalBoat Epoxy – Great Indoor Epoxy

As the name implies, TotalBoat has a concentration on finishing products related to mariner crafts. Yet, they offer one best epoxy resins for wood for people working indoors. No other companies rival some of the protective features offered by TotalBoat epoxy on this list.

This epoxy resin is one of the worst performers when it comes to outdoor performance. It may seem counter-intuitive since most of the products sold by ToalBoat are for outdoor usage. Yet, the product works well if you plan on placing the finished wood product indoors away from any potential rain, snow, or other environmental damage. Generally, most epoxy resins are used on tabletops, which are secured inside a closed-off building. In these cases, you couldn’t go wrong buying from TotalBoat.

The resin boasts a great formula that hinders the development of bubbles and blushes on the furnace. Moreover, it is among very few epoxy resins that can withstand temperatures that sit above the boiling point without catching a mark of damage on the finish.

Pros

  • Features a clear coat
  • Self-leveling
  • Completely waterproof
  • High heat resistance
  • Quick cure
  • Bubble and blush resistance

Cons

  • Difficult application
  • Weak performance outdoors

6. MAS Epoxy Resin – Great All-Around Product

The company MAS might not be very popular among the resin community, yet their epoxy resin is best out there. One of the reasons they did not end up being the best product on this list is the limited application of the product in some situations.

The epoxy resin is prime for usage in almost all situations if you do not need to get the job done quickly. This is due to the longer time required to dry the cure. Having said that, good things take time, and MAS epoxies offer plenty of other great features to those willing to wait a little longer.

MAS epoxy resin has a great finish because the creators were professionals themselves who wanted a product that stood out. Still, they gave a little bit of attention to DIY-ers as well.

This brings us to the worst attribute about MAS epoxy resin, which is the time it takes to cure compared to other products reviewed on this list. This is the only option on this list that has a curing time of more than 24 hours at room temperature.

Pros

  • Has the largest coverage of all the products reviewed
  • Features a clear coat
  • Self-leveling
  • Significantly more durable
  • Offers UV protection
  • Easy application

Cons

  • Much slower curing time
  • Prone to bubbling

7. ArtResin – The Artists’ Choice

Art Resin is the epoxy of choice for those with an artistic taste and need. You must be aware of the countless uses of epoxy resins. You can use it for sculpting since it is much easier to melt and mold when compared to other elements such as metals which makes it a great option for those who work on 3D art. Despite having a heavy focus on artists, you can still use the product for more practical applications if you want to.

Generally, casting epoxy resin is not an easy thing to do. You will not have great results if you mix the contents and pour them into a mold. It is essential to ensure that everything is mixed correctly since inconsistencies in the mix can weaken the resin as the chemical bond is not strong enough. To be certain of a good mix that doesn’t bubble, warp, or have other issues, you need a pressure cooker to sustain its consistency.

Fortunately, Art Resin will provide an easier casting experience since it is designed for artists who are new to the process. This is a huge plus for those working with epoxy resins for the first time since casting with other epoxy resins present on this list may require a bit of experience.

Pros

  • Made for easy casting
  • Food-safe
  • Self-leveling
  • Doesn’t change colors

Cons

  • Quite expensive
  • More harmful than advertised

8. Countertop UV-Resistant Resin – The Eco-Friendly Option

If you are looking for the best epoxy resin for wood that is also eco-friendly, there is no going wrong with Countertop UV-resistant resin. As the name suggests, this epoxy resists UV rays much better than the rest of the products on this line-up. For this reason, it is a great choice for outdoor usage.

The finish provided Countertop’s resin is crystal clear, which presents a glass-like feeling once completely dried up. The time it takes to cure is a bit longer, coming in at 36 hours but other things such as the resistance to yellowing and staining make it an attractive option with a long-lasting coating.

There are no health risks when using this epoxy resin since it does not contain any VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), which damage your well-being. There are no toxins that can harm you, your family, and the pets in your home. It has a 100 percent food-safe rating issued by the FDA.

Despite the positives, there are still a few deficiencies with the product. Firstly, the surface isn’t as hard as other epoxies once it is completely dried up. This means that filling a big mold with epoxy resin can be problematic to the product’s fragility. Also, the surface will be prone to scratches and dings.

Once fully cured, you might also experience a few bubbles with Countertop’s epoxy resin. To get rid of them, you would need to have a hairdryer or, better yet, a heat gun which might take longer than most expect. If you invest in this product, expect additional time spent with the heat gun to get rid of inconsistencies.  

Pros

  • Best UV protection on this list
  • Does not have any VOCs
  • FDA food safe
  • No odor
  • Great coverage

Cons

  • Prone to scratching
  • Bubbles can be difficult to remove

9. Dr. Crafty Super-Gloss Epoxy Resin – The Middle Ground

Dr. Crafty’s epoxy resin has been vouched by many reviewers throughout the years. They say that they have used this product for a long time without encountering any problems. This is a bold claim which is why we need to test it.

A pressure cooker is generally needed when properly casting an epoxy resin. This is to avoid any potential bubbling since melting of plastic without consistent pressure can lead to air being absorbed into the mix from the surroundings. Fortunately, once you use a pressure cooker, Dr. Crafty’s super-gloss epoxy resin becomes pretty much immune to bubbling.  

Protection against UV damage comes in two levels: UV stabilizers and HALS additives. The first of these elements deters the peeling and yellowing of the surface triggered by the sun’s UV rays. The second level of UV protection: the HALS additives make sure you do not experience UV damage. It also protects the surface permanently, meaning that you will end up with a much more durable finish. However, most of the epoxy resins out in the market do not include these two components, making Dr. Crafty’s offering a great choice for the ultimate experience.

The benefits of this epoxy resin are plenty; nevertheless, some problems do pop up regularly in the form of user complaints. The most widely known problem is the consistency of the resin, which is hard to get right. Some people claim that it takes two to three times longer to mix Dr. Crafty’s resin compared to other options available on the market.

Moreover, other people have complained that the mix turns out to be very thin. An example is of a guy trying to use the epoxy with glasses. But he could not efficiently stick the epoxy to the glass without stationing the glass on a lathe-type device. This means that if the person working with the epoxy is not experienced, there is a high chance that they may mess up the process. Though, this issue can be taken care of with a little bit of care and caution.

Pros

  • Great value for money
  • Bubbling is not much of a problem
  • Non-toxic after being cured
  • Completely protected against UV damage
  • Two cups, spreaders, and sticks come with the product

Cons

  • Hard to get the right mix, especially in winters
  • May have a thin consistency.

10. Premium Quality Clear Epoxy Resin – The Budget Epoxy

Premium Quality Clear epoxy resin is quite inexpensive, although it does still provide great value for money. The mixing process for the resin is easier with it coming in two half-gallon jugs much like other options on the list. The 1:1 ratio makes mixing much easier for the users, especially if they are new.

A problem reported by several reviews for the product said that the mix takes much longer to dry up. Some people even went as far to say that it doesn’t harden up properly. However, the problem may be something else.

The instructions available with the product are somewhat unclear for users. It simply mentions a 1:1 ratio for the mix, though you don’t know if it is weight or volume? To make your life easier, I will let you know that is the volume. Despite all this, the resin requires more working time than other options on the list.

Lastly, this epoxy resin does not contain any toxic elements which may affect the health of you and your family. It is also environmentally friendly and food-safe due to the absence of VOCs formula.

Pros

  • Most affordable product on the list
  • Isn’t toxic once cured
  • Does not scrape or turn yellow
  • Gives more working time

Cons

  • Takes more than 24 hours to dry
  • Does not come with instructions

11. Superclear Epoxy Resin – Best Deal For The Money

The Superclear epoxy resin arrives with two-gallon kits instead of the normal two-quart kits, which offers more for the money you are spending. Since this is just a little bit product, the thing that makes this product stand out is the vast majority of positive reviews it receives compared to the complaints.

Let’s look at the benefits of using this product. First, it comes with great UV resistance, but the product is not advertised for usage outside the house. This means you must be careful when using it. The best way to go about is to perform a small test by coating a little wooden piece and letting it face the difficulties of outdoor weather for a few days. If it holds up, you are good to go when using the product outdoors.

Other benefits pointed out by several other reviewers for this epoxy resin include its waterproof nature and that it hardens into a scratch-resistant coat.. People have also given positive comments when crafting deep-layered finishes since the epoxy maintains its clarity. Artists can make use of this product, although it does not address them directly.

Superclear epoxy is available in several color variations giving flexibility and options for the users’ creativity. I personally find light colors with white oak to be a great colorway.

Now, let’s look at some of the problems we experienced with the Superclear epoxy, but keep in mind none of them are a deal breaker. First is the reports of using the epoxy harden, which makes the application difficult due to insufficient working time. This problem worsens in the summer, requiring you to keep the epoxy in your freezer to provide additional working time.

Pros

  • Clear finish
  • Amazing depth
  • Not prone to bubbling too much
  • Reasonable price

Cons

  • May get stiff to quickly
  • Is certified as food safe by FDA

Conclusion

The right epoxy resin depends upon the project you are undertaking. If you want the absolute best quality overall, we would recommend using the Pro Marine Supplies. But if you are just into epoxy resins try using something cheaper such as Premium Quality Clear epoxy resin.

The crux is of this discussion is that the resin you choose depends on what you want to use it for.  Whatever your goal, you can find a match in this list of best epoxy resins for wood. We hope that you were able to gain a little knowledge about epoxy resins from this article.

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