Furniture made of epoxy resin is very popular today, and it may seem that it will not be difficult to make such a thing. But in reality, this composition requires specific knowledge and careful preparation. I suggest you make a stylish table made of epoxy — and in the process I will tell you about the nuances of working with it.
The production of this table is a slow process and quite labor-intensive. But there are always two ways. The first is to repeat and get a stylish designer table. The second is to come up with something of your own based on this experience.
I decided to make a triangular coffee table with light ash legs. The countertop should be made of epoxy resin in contrasting colors.
Table Frame
As the materials for the frame, I chose ash. I straightened out the end sections. Now the board is suitable for further work — it’s time to make the blanks. We will need six bars.
To begin with, cut the board along the length according to the required dimensions (the height of the legs and the width of the frame). Now each segment is dissolved into three parts along. We get neat blanks.
Features of Joiner’s Joints
The crucial moment is to choose the grooves for connecting the parts. But before you do this, you need to apply an accurate markup. According to my idea, the frame will be a triangle. Each of the three elements of the base rests on the neighboring one. This way, we will get a light and stylish base. The connection of the parts accounts for about the first third of the length of the segment.
I must say that this design made me think about how to implement this connection, so that everything looks neat on the outside, and the quality does not suffer. The problem is that not all types of connections can provide both the first and the second, especially when the dimensions are 2.5 × 4 cm (1 x 1.6 inch) (width and height, respectively). Not every joint will be able to be tightened with clamps, and this is necessary when using glue. After much discussion and reflection, the solution was found. But the situation was complicated by the fact that the groove for the connection should be at an angle. In order not to spoil the good wood, I even had to practice on a pine tree.
So, for the connection, you need to choose the grooves in the half — tree at an angle of 60 degrees: one-at about 1/3 of the length, the second-at the edge. It is also necessary to cut the end of each blank at the same angle. I used a table saw for this, and then finished the cut with a chisel.
Assembly table base
The legs of the table, according to the idea, are slightly narrowed to the bottom. We saw off the excess, give the desired shape.
The legs are attached at an angle. Make markings on the parts and cut off the excess in the place of attachment, as well as in the lower part of the leg — so that our table is stable.
All parts must be sanded. The oscillating spindle-belt grinding machine simplifies and accelerates the process. You also need to round the edges of the legs.
Connect the legs with dowels. Next, we drill the appropriate holes in each part. Hammer this into the dowels. And also strengthen the attachment with glue.
Using glue, the base is assembled. You will need to lubricate each groove, connect the parts, and fix them with clips.
The base for our table is ready. It remains to smear it with oil. I used wood oil with wax. After drying, the frame is ready for use. In the meantime, we need to make a countertop as well.
Plywood base for the Countertop made of epoxy
To begin with, we will make an insert of 1.5 cm (0.6 inch) plywood. Cut out the triangle. But since our table will have rounded corners, we will also give the insert a similar shape, that is, we will cut off each corner and polish the edges. Cover it with acrylic paint on all sides. I have a white one. When the composition dries, remove the chamfers.
We will immediately prepare the loading platform. It is necessary in order to prevent the insert from floating in the thickness of the epoxy resin. To do this, we use a piece of plywood and special pyramids. The bottom line is that the area of contact of such a load with the surface will be minimal, and it can be easily removed, even if the resin gets on the surface.
For filling, we will need a formwork. We’ll make it out of chipboard. To do this, we will mark our future countertop on a sheet of chipboard. We will cover the surface with wax, so that after drying, the epoxy resin can be easily separated from the formwork. Now we will make the sides along the marking line. I fixed the walls of the formwork with an oblique screw.
Put the plywood insert inside the formwork. Align it with respect to the walls of the formwork. On it, install a load, on which we lay something heavy. For example – blocks. All joints, including the perimeter of the insert, must be covered with a sealant. If this is not done, the epoxy will spread, and all the work will be ruined, as well as everything around that this resin will be spilled on. All surfaces are coated with wax.
How to work with Epoxy Resin
Now we knead the epoxy composition. Please note: it consists of two components. To get a good result, you need to mix the components for a long time and thoroughly. Moreover, after mixing in one container, you should pour it into another-and mix it again. Since I want to get a certain pattern, I will use special pigments. They also need to be thoroughly mixed into the composition for a long time to make the color uniform.
The main color in my case is white. Mix the components and color, fill the first layer. It should be approximately 1.5 cm (0.6 inch), that is, it should be flush with the plywood insert. After 3-4 hours, we will remove the load and prepare a mixture of three contrasting colors. Fill in the white color again. The layer thickness is 0.5 cm (0.2 inch). Using contrasting colors, we form a drawing. Slightly blur the borders of the color lines with a hair dryer. This is not a construction product, but a very ordinary hair dryer. After 18 hours, the formwork can be removed.
Modifying the Countertop
A template for the future countertop is made of paper. According to it, cut a template out of plywood with a thickness of 6 mm (0.2 inches). Next, we get rid of unnecessary microparticles and polish the edges. This is our reference point. Now we apply it to the epoxy canvas, outline it, remove the excess with a jigsaw.
By using double-sided tape, the plywood is fixed to the countertop and the epoxy cloth is adjusted to the size exactly according to the template. When the shapes are completely aligned, the plywood can be removed. The table top is sanded, chamfered, polished and covered with acrylic varnish in 3 layers. The varnish on the top is also sanded and polished using a polishing paste.
Important! During sanding, pour water on the surface and move along the canvas without stopping, so as not to melt the solidified epoxy resin.
The final step is to attach the base to the countertop.
Working with epoxy resin requires some knowledge.