How to Build a Resin Table Top

Resin table tops are durable and can be highly decorative and useful. Restaurants use resin table tops for easy cleaning, and some restaurants embed menus into the table top. Some people embed a favorite game board inside the resin for a table in a game room. Putting resin on top of a beautiful wooden table preserves the beauty while making the top a hard durable working surface. Making a resin top requires two chemicals. One of the chemicals is epoxy resin and the other chemical is the hardener. When the chemicals mix together they form a hard clear surface.

Instructions

1

Put on gloves and safety glasses. Cut a flat piece of wood or other material into your preferred shape for the table top (square, round, oblong, rectangle, etc.). The cut shape is the finished shape for your table.

2

Sand all of the edges, top and bottom of the table top base. Stain or paint the surface of the table, and let it dry thoroughly.

3

Cut the plastic stripping long enough so it reaches around the edge of the table top base. Paint a coat of vinyl adhesive glue on the edge of the table base. Place the plastic stripping so that 1 inch of the strip is above the table top base. Press the plastic stripping into the glue. It will form a 1-inch rim around the table top base. Check carefully for any gaps in the seal. Let the glue dry completely overnight.

4

Arrange various flat items 3/4 inch or lower in height on top of the table top base if desired. Then glue these items down with craft glue. Let the glue dry completely. Go to next step if you want the table top plain.

5

Mix enough epoxy resin with the hardener to cover the top of the table base to the depth of the rim. Look on the package for the correct amount needed for covering the table. It is better to have too much than not enough. Pour the resin mixture over the entire table top base. Use a putty knife to level out the resin. Remember, epoxy sets up in minutes, so work quickly. Shaking the table base helps level out the resin. Let the resin harden completely over night. Once the epoxy resin starts setting, leave it alone, or you will damage the top.