Resin can make many crafts without any colourant. Epoxy resin is slightly yellow, which is not enough for many people. Of course, the clear resin is also very beautiful. However, for many beautiful ideas, coloured casting resin is necessary, and this material also proves its incredible flexibility. We are confident you will find the coloured casting resin you love through us.
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Which colouring dyes and pigments are suitable for resins?
There are many different colourants on the market today. However, not all are suitable (if the ink composition contains water, the mixing ratio will change, and the resin mixture may not harden completely. Colour pigments are usually supplied in powder form. (Since these usually do not dissolve completely in the resin, they can produce an exciting, slightly grainy effect.)
We recommend colouring dyes:
- Liquid Epoxy Dyes (This is a coloured medium developed for epoxy resins. It is available in two forms, a liquid and a paste form. (Due to the similarity of the composition, it can be mixed well with the resin.)
- Epoxy resin colour pigments (Epoxy resin colour pigments are also a safe way to produce a beautiful optical effect as the powder from colouring dyes does not completely dissolve with the epoxy resin.)
- Liquid Color Intense Dyes (it mixes and dissolves well with epoxy resin, or you can mix them to form your colour)
- Alcohol inks (the disadvantage is that they are not light-resistant)
- Special colourants (kitchen spices, eye shadow powder)
- Glitter (it can not be directly coloured but has a strange experience)
- Luminous pigments (too can make your work glow in the dark)
- Gun paint (with a very thin viscosity)
đŸ’¡Coloring Epoxy: Tips and Tricks
When adding colourants, unforeseen things may occur due to handling problems.
- The selected colourant should be concentrated or highly tinted to change the mixing ratio as little as possible.
- To test whether you are satisfied with the colourant mixed with epoxy resin, you should mix the two ingredients in small amounts and then check the results.
- Please note that the colourant you use should not contain water and be sufficiently light resistant.
- Please pay attention to the time when using epoxy resin because the resin cures very fast.
- Protect your workplace (if used)
- For your health, please bring gloves and a face mask
- To avoid affecting the mix, please pay attention to the proportion of colourant is not higher than 5%.
How to colour the resin
- Before adding the colourant, you need to mix the resin with the hardener (please follow the ratio on the container)
- Before adding the colourant, make it 2%-6% of the weight of the mixture.
- Avoid exceeding 6% by weight because the chemical reaction is very delicate.
- It is not harmful to add so little colourant that it is less than 2% of the weight of the mixture.
- If you are not sure how much you need to add, fold it in slowly
- Stir until you are sure there are no air bubbles in the mixture
- Adjust the amount of colourant you use to achieve the look you want.
- If you use a colourant that does not produce satisfactory results, consider using a different type of liquid colourant or a non-liquid colourant around the house.
- If you get the results you want in a small mixing container, you can now repeat the process to colour the rest of the resin safely. (Be sure to determine the ratio you just used)
Resin colours that are not suitable for epoxy resins
- Acrylic paints (its high water content and other additives can negatively affect the results of your work, such as streaky or matte surfaces.)
- Watercolour (it has very low pigmentation and is therefore in great demand and is very difficult to mix)
- Paints (because they contain oils that do not bind to the resin)
- Nail polish, latex paints
The most frequently asked questions about epoxy colouring
Painting epoxy resin in colour – is this possible?
Epoxy can also be painted with colour. However, it would be best if you used automotive paint or other high-quality two-component paint for this purpose.
What is the heat resistance of the coloured epoxy?
Usually, commercially available casting resins usually have a heat resistance of 70°C to 100°C. If the resin is coloured, the heat resistance may be reduced. Therefore, it is common practice to apply a coat of clear epoxy resin afterwards, especially for epoxy countertops.
How to colour the resin?
The process is the same for all types of resins: first, mix the two components, then add the epoxy dye or coloured medium. Stir slowly and carefully until everything is well mixed and there are not too many bubbles in the mixture.
How do you colour a clear epoxy to produce a clear colour?
If the epoxy is coloured before casting, it will remain a little clear. You can also use a small amount of the appropriate colour paste, gun ink or printer ink to achieve a clear effect.
Can I colour the epoxy adhesive?
Yes, but it will take longer for the adhesive to dry and cure fully.
Can I use edible coatings to color epoxy resin?
No, edible pigments are not suitable for coloring epoxy resins.
Conclusion
We have introduced many types of dyes for staining resin, and picking the one that best suits your staining method can help stain the epoxy resin. We hope our guide will help you understand how easy it is to stain the epoxy resin.