How can I cast wood in epoxy resin?
A customer project: Pouring multiplex into Epox R1/H1
The task was to make three benches out of multiplex and synthetic resin. I had no previous experience with resin and was therefore more than excited.
After talking to a technician from PHD-24, I was well advised and decided on Epox R1 + Hardener H1 casting resin, Epoxy Resin 4305 + Hardener 313 as a primer, Acrylic Clear Coat HS Ultra-Plus for the finish, and Formula Five release wax as a release agent for the mold.
I built the mold from melamine-coated plywood sheets.
The dimensions of the benches are 190 cm x 36 cm x 6 cm, 135 cm x 36 cm x 6 cm, and 80 cm x 36 cm x 6 cm.
I proceeded as follows when pouring:
- First, I poured about 5 mm of the mixture into the entire bottom of the mold, then immediately pressed the wooden structure down with clamps (the wood was primed with the resin described above).
- Every 7-9 hours, I poured another layer, using a total of 3-4 liters of mixture, which resulted in a layer height of about 1 cm (air bubbles were removed with hot air).
- The last pour covered all the wood.
After 48 hours of curing, I removed it from the mold, which was surprisingly easy thanks to the release wax.
Since the surface was slightly uneven and there were 2-3 air bubbles visible, I planed it with a router and then sanded it with grit 80 to 2000.
As I discovered with the second bench, it is much easier and less labor-intensive to sand to grit 320/400 and then apply clear varnish. The sanding marks are no longer visible at all, and you save hours of work and abrasives.
I am very happy with the end result. After processing, the resin is really crystal clear.
We would like to thank our customer very much for the description and the great pictures.
If you have any questions about our products or our service in general, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are available by phone, email, or via our convenient online form.
Instructions in PDF format for downloading or printing can be found here: Pouring wood into epoxy resin
The information contained in this manual is based on careful research. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not release the user from the responsibility of conducting their own tests for the intended purposes and checking for any infringement of third-party property rights. The information is non-binding and does not constitute a guarantee of properties within the meaning of any laws. No liability is accepted for the accuracy and completeness of the information.
