Furniture 101: Resin

Resin: a viscous compound that can be hardened with treatment. It is naturally produced by plants, but synthetic resin is more common in the furniture industry than natural resin.

With furniture, resin can be used in many different ways, and will look different depending on the way it’s used. Resin can be used as a sealant to protect table tops and surfaces, or used outside to protect furniture you want to use outdoors, or I’ve even seen it used as art with people molding resin into shapes. One of the first things that came to mind when I was preparing this post was a vintage 50′s diner where the table tops are covered with resin.

Top right DIY from Nubcakes, bottom left DIY from Scott D Burnett, bottom right DIY from Tatertots and Jello

I found a couple of different uses for it in the DIY world. One of my favorite things about resin is how you can personalize any piece of furniture with it. The main types of resins used in crafting, furniture make-overs and the like are polyester resins and epoxy resins.

How to use it:

If you’re planning on embedding objects within the resin I would suggest using Clear Polyester Casting Resin.

A small amount of a ‘catalyst’ is mixed in with the polyester resin to start off the hardening reaction before the resin is poured into the mold. Make sure you follow the resin instructions and add exactly the right amount of catalyst, as the wrong amount can cause problems later. Prepare the resin in containers you don’t mind disposing of when you’re done.  Once you’ve poured the resin you’ll want to use big flat popsicle sticks to spread it out.

Whilst you’re waiting for resin to harden, cover the open mold with plastic wrap if you like, to stop dust and debris getting inside. Try and keep your workspace clean, to make sure your resin is untainted. However  be careful not to let it stick to the resin itself.

This makes me want to start experimenting with resin! Have any of you worked with it before? What would you like to cast in resin? Comment on this post for a chance to win an original decal from Compartment Life like the one in the picture below! I also have decals that say “Designista, Dumpster Diver, Garage Sale Hound, Neat Freak and Pinterest Addict.”