How to Prepare Your Edges for a Resin Top Coat
Alrighty! Let’s chat about how to prep those edges before you apply your resin! This isn’t super technical, but you really have to check-off every step in order to avoid a resin mishap headache later on.
Also, I think it’s important to note that not everyone wants clean edges. Some artists prefer to just let the resin drip over the edges, and that’s totally fine! Have you seen the artwork of @ben.willis.art? The most beautiful resin drips EVERRRR.
But if you’re wanting a clean edge, here’s how I go about it:
Take painter’s tape (using name brand tape does make a difference) and tape off the sides of your wooden panel. Make sure to just barely meet the top edge with the tape. You don’t want to surpass the edge of the wood with the tape because this will create a dam and you won’t get that nice roll of resin over the edge.
Go back over the tape with your hands and give it a good extra push to make sure it’s stuck down.
Take a cloth with alcohol and wipe down your piece. Oils from your hands can occasionally get on the artwork, and this can repel the resin. Basically, it can lead to a dented, blotchy top coat of resin meaning you have to go through this entire process AGAIN. Trust me, it’s a pain and you want no part of it.
Mix up your resin!
Pour your resin onto the artwork. Start with less than you think you’ll need.
Use a spoon or spatula to move the resin around until you’ve covered the piece. Add resin where needed.
Using your fingers, rub down the edges. This makes sure that the resin depth is consistent on all edges. And make sure you’ve got gloves on!
Use a nail or safety pin to remove any dust, cat hair, or fairy feathers that may have landed in your wet resin.
Take a heat gun or butane torch and slowly go over the piece in a back and forth motion. This will pop any bubbles that have formed. Don’t get too close to the resin and don’t remain in one spot. You don’t want to burn the resin or artwork!
I normally cover my artwork at this point. I then wait for 20-25 minutes, remove the cover, and repeat step 9 again to ensure I’ve eliminated all bubbles! Recover artwork.
After 24 hours, you can remove your cover. You don’t want to wait any longer because the more cured the resin is, the more difficult the tape will be to remove. (In the warmer months, this can sometimes be done after 12-16 hours.)
Slowly peel back your tape. If any small pieces get stuck on the edge of the panel, I recommend using a box cutter or X-Acto knife to delicately remove it.
After the tape is removed, I normally recover the artwork for at least another 24 hours, but preferably 48 hours, to let the resin cure 100%.
Voila!
And there you have it! If you try this technique out, let me know how it goes below!