Epoxy resin has become an incredibly popular material for DIY crafts, woodworking projects, and industrial applications. Unlike regular glue, epoxy forms a thick, glossy, and highly durable plastic-like coating when cured. One of the biggest advantages of epoxy is that it comes in a wide variety of colors, allowing endless creative possibilities for your projects.
What Is Colored Epoxy?
Colored epoxy is simply normal two-part epoxy resin that has pigments added to it before curing. The pigments are mixed into the resin part of the epoxy formula. When the colored resin is combined with the hardener and allowed to cure, it creates a solid plastic material tinted with the color of the pigment. This gives much more vibrant and opaque color effects than merely painting over cured clear epoxy.
Colored epoxy allows you to achieve colorful, glossy coatings and castings for a huge range of arts and crafts projects. It’s commonly used for:
- Coloring jewlery
- Crafts with epoxy resin
- Woodworking accents and fillings
- Home decor pieces
- Custom colored tabletops and bar tops
- Artwork and 3D sculptures
- Laminated photos and decoupage
The only limit is your imagination! The vivid colors give a beautiful, attention-grabbing effect for any projects.
Where to Buy Colored Epoxy
You have several options for getting colored epoxy resin:
Pre-Colored Epoxy
Many epoxy brands sell pre-tinted resin in a variety of popular colors like red, blue, green, yellow, black, white, and clear. This provides an easy way to get epoxy in pretty much any shade you need without having to mix pigments yourself. Pre-colored epoxy resin works great for small arts and crafts projects.
Epoxy Pigment Dyes
Another option is to purchase clear resin and tint it yourself with epoxy pigment dyes. This allows custom mixing to achieve any specific color imaginable. Epoxy dyes come in every color of the rainbow, generally in small bottles that you mix dropwise into the resin until the desired hue is reached. Tinting your own epoxy allows for unlimited custom colors.
Powdered Pigments
Finally, you can color clear epoxy with powdered pigments. These dry powdered paints mix into the resin before curing. Powder pigments are preferable for very opaque, intense colors. They allow deeper color effects than liquid dyes.
Companies like Art ‘N Glow offer big sets of epoxy pigments in a wide range of bold colors. You can also find powdered pigments at many art supply stores.
For large-scale projects like coloring tabletops, powdered pigments are generally the most cost effective coloring option.
How to Color Epoxy
Coloring epoxy resin is a simple process. Here are some tips:
1. Use Protective Equipment
Always wear gloves and a dust mask when working with powdered pigments. The fine dust can irritate your lungs and skin. Work in a well-ventilated area.
2. Carefully Measure the Epoxy
Before adding any color, start by precisely measuring out the correct ratios of resin and hardener. Most epoxies are mixed at a 1:1 ratio. Ensure you have the exact right amounts – incorrect ratios will prevent proper curing.
3. Choose Your Color Method
Select pre-colored epoxy, liquid dyes, or powdered pigments based on the amount of resin you need to color and the specific hue desired.
4. Add the Color
Start by adding just a small amount of dye or pigment. Mix thoroughly. Check the color and add more in small increments until the desired color intensity is reached. Go slowly – you can always add more pigment, but you can’t take it away!
5. Mix Thoroughly
Once the color is perfect, mix the colored epoxy very thoroughly for 3-5 minutes. This ensures the pigment is evenly dispersed before pouring.
6. Check Color Before Pouring
It’s a good idea to do a small test pour or apply a drop of the mixed epoxy to a wood stir stick. Check the color before committing to pouring the resin into your project. Tweak the hue if needed.
7. Pour and Enjoy!
Finally, slowly pour the colored resin. Tap and swirl the mold gently while pouring to release any air bubbles. Allow the epoxy to fully cure before demolding. Then be amazed by your vibrant colored epoxy creation!
Tips for Coloring Epoxy
Follow these tips when working with colored epoxy resin to get the best results:
- Stir pigments very slowly to avoid creating bubbles in the resin.
- Use an opaque mixing container like plastic or silicone – pigments can stain.
- Start with less pigment – you can always add more.
- Metallic and pearl pigments work best in thin pours or coatings.
- White pigments will help lighten and opaque any color.
- Charcoal powder makes an inexpensive black pigment.
- Certain natural colorants like turmeric can also tint epoxy.
Can You Mix Epoxy Colors?
Yes! An exciting aspect of working with colored epoxy is that you can blend different pigmented resins together to create custom colors. For example, mixing blue and yellow epoxy will form green. This is a great way to stretch your color palette.
You can also layer different colored epoxies for striking effects. Try pouring a base layer of blue epoxy, then let it partially cure before drizzling a thin top layer of white to create a “marbling” look.
Just be careful not to over-mix different pigmented epoxies together or you may end up with an unappealing brownish muddled hue. Always mix colors slowly and deliberately.
Colored Epoxy Techniques and Projects
Colored epoxy can be used in endless ways to create beautiful results. Some popular techniques include:
Ocean Table Epoxy Pour
Create flowing organic patterns by carefully pouring various shades of blue and green epoxy in layers. This mimics the look of waves in the ocean. Allow each layer to partially cure before adding the next color.
Geode Epoxy
For a geode effect, pour a base layer of black epoxy. Once partially cured, add accents of colored epoxy mixed with glass glitter to resemble crystals growing in a rock. Vivid colors like purple and teal work best.
Wood Filler
Colored epoxy makes for an eye-catching alternative to typical wood filler for cracks and holes. Simply pour colored epoxy into the damaged wood area, allow to cure fully, then sand smooth.
Bar Top Finish
Applying colored epoxy as a top coat to bar tops, tables, and counters creates a smooth, durable, and stain-resistant finish. Intense colors like blood red or midnight black look striking.
Jewelry Making
Personalize jewelry by coating pendants, beads, and charms with colored epoxy. Allow to fully cure before wearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does epoxy go bad?
Unopened epoxy resin has a shelf life of about 2 years when stored properly. Once opened, it has a shorter working time of about 6 months. Epoxy can go bad before these times if stored in very hot or cold conditions. Discard epoxy that has hardened, crystallized, or separated.
Can you reheat cured epoxy?
Unfortunately no – once epoxy has fully hardened it cannot be melted down and reformed. The chemical reaction that cures epoxy is irreversible.
Is colored epoxy food safe?
It depends. Some colored epoxies are FDA approved for direct food contact when fully cured. However, most standard craft epoxy resins even when colored are not considered food safe. Only use food safe epoxy for items involving food or drink.
Does epoxy work on plastic?
Yes, epoxy bonds well to many plastics including PVC, ABS, acrylic, polycarbonate, polystyrene and more. For best adhesion, roughen the plastic surface before applying epoxy.
Can you paint over cured epoxy?
Yes, applying acrylic or spray paints over fully cured epoxy resin gives a nice even coat and is often used to achieve metallic finishes. Ensure the epoxy has dried for 24-48 hours before painting.
Conclusion
Colored epoxy opens up amazing new creative possibilities for DIY projects, artistic endeavors, and industrial applications. Pre-colored epoxies provide convenience while epoxy pigments and dyes allow for unlimited custom color mixing options. With proper preparation and safety precautions, it’s easy to achieve gorgeous colored epoxy results. Let colored epoxy resin take your project to the next level!
Epoxy Color Mixing Ratios
Here is a handy reference table for mixing custom epoxy resin colors:
| Color | Mixing Ratio |
|---|---|
| Red | 10 parts red pigment to 100 parts clear epoxy resin |
| Blue | 8 parts blue pigment to 100 parts clear epoxy resin |
| Green | 6 parts blue pigment + 4 parts yellow pigment to 100 parts clear epoxy resin |
| Orange | 5 parts red pigment + 5 parts yellow pigment to 100 parts clear epoxy resin |
| Black | 10 parts black pigment to 100 parts clear epoxy resin |
| White | 10 parts white pigment to 100 parts clear epoxy resin |