Making resin crafts has become quite a popular hobby and a lot of people continue to discover it. If you’ve been buying pieces from a resin craft manufacturer, but you also want to make your own, this guide is for you!

What Do You Need to Get Started with Resin Crafts?

Before we discuss the step-by-step process of making resin crafts, you need to gather your materials. Including:

● Resin and hardener

● Gloves

● Measuring cups

● Mixing cups

● Stirring sticks

● Resin molds

● Toothpicks

● Lighter or heat gun

You’ll also need something to protect your work surface, such as a silicone mat. It’s also recommended to use a respirator mask when working with resin.

Some optional materials for your resin crafts include things like resin colorants, dried flowers, glitter, gold flakes, and other decorative items.

Resin Crafts Beginner’s Guide

As you may already know, resin can be used to make a wide variety of crafts. Beginners usually start with jewelry like earrings or rings, keyrings, bookmarks, and more. It’s completely up to you and there’s an entire world of resin molds available.

Once you have the molds you want to use, it’s important to plan your crafts. When you’re working with resin, you only get one shot. Why? Because after you mix the resin, you have a limited amount of time to get your craft done.

So, having a plan will allow you to avoid stress and have a good time while following these steps:

Step 1: Read and Prepare

Before diving in, familiarize yourself with the specific instructions for your brand of epoxy resin. Also, you need to prepare your workspace. So, find a spot where the temperature is consistent and there’s little humidity.

Set up your working surface by getting everything clean and covering it with a protective material. Also, get all your supplies ready and organize them in the order you’ll need them.

Step 2: Measure Your Materials Carefully

Wear gloves and measure the resin components carefully. Follow the instructions for each part, replacing the bottle caps correctly to prevent them from sticking due to resin mixing and curing.

Make sure the measurements are accurate and consider working in small batches even if you’re making multiple items. Remember, once you mix the resin, you’ll have limited time. So, keep things manageable.

Step 3: Mix the Resin

Mix the resin and hardener thoroughly in a silicone cup for around 3 minutes or for however long the instructions say. Do this slowly to prevent bubbles from forming. Also, make sure to scrape the sides of the cup and the bottom for an even texture.

This is the stage where you also need to add the colorant or glitter if you plan on using them. Mix well and once you’re done, let it sit for a couple of minutes. This will allow the bubbles to rise and pop. 

Step 4: Fill the Resin Molds

Now that your resin is ready to go, you can start filling your molds. Make sure not to overflow the molds, especially not if you plan on adding decorations like dried flowers, beads, and more.

At this stage, using stirring sticks will make the process easier and help you use every bit of resin. Plus, you can use the stirring sticks to scrape off any excess resin from the top of the molds.

Step 5: Remove Bubbles

Even if you mix the resin carefully, there might be bubbles after you fill your molds. In that case, you can use toothpicks to pop them. If the bubbles are deeper, you can use a lighter or heat gun to remove them. Just use short bursts of heat.

Step 6: Cure Your Resin Crafts

Once you get rid of the bubbles, you have to leave your resin creations in a well-ventilated room. The curing process may take 12 hours to 3 days, depending on factors like the resin brand, the size of the mold, the room temperature, and more.

Step 7: Demold the Piece

After your resin is cured, you can de-mold the piece. Do this very carefully to avoid distortion or damage. This step requires a bit of patience, especially if the mold has a lot of crevices and details.

Step 8: Make the Finishing Touches

Lastly, you can use wet and dry sandpaper to sand the rough edges. At this stage, you should use a mask to avoid inhaling any particles. To finish things up, you can add a layer of resin if you want the pieces to have a glossy finish.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can make beautiful resin crafts whenever you want. If you want to celebrate resin art in more ways than one, check out Ennas Gifts! This high-quality resin craft manufacturer offers a great variety of pieces for any taste.