Best Epoxy Resin For A River Table
When it comes to making your own tables, you want to use the best quality materials possible. This is especially true when you are casting an epoxy resin river in your table!
You want glossy, ultra clear resin to showcase your centerpiece. Especially with the amount of work that goes into crafting river tables. It is extremely important that your epoxy doesn't let you down.
We are here to help you choose the best epoxy resin for your river table.
To start, let's discuss if you should use an epoxy resin or a polyester resin for your river tables.
Here is the difference: polyester resin will not harden as well as an epoxy resin for a river table and the finish won't cure quite as nice.
The price difference may be appealing, but this is a project you are investing your time and effort into, and you want the best results.
We highly recommend an epoxy resin for a river table, and below we will list our top epoxy resin brands for perfect river table results.
When considering which brand of epoxy resin you will use for your river table, the last thing you want is an epoxy resin that yellows quickly or an epoxy resin that doesn't cure properly.
Epoxy resins all are formulated differently and that is why you will notice the pricing differences.
The more specific formulations and materials added, typically, the better the product. But it takes research to know what each epoxy resin offers in terms of hardness, UV resistance, whether or not it is a VOC-free formula (VOC meaning volatile organic compounds) and more.
And please remember, even if your epoxy resin of choice is VOC-free, odor free and says it is non toxic, please always wear a proper respirator for epoxy resin.
The resin brand may be saying their product is non toxic, referring to the epoxy and hardener in separate states, but there is a chemical reaction which occurs once they are mixed that you should absolutely be wearing the proper respirator for.
This is the respirator we use with all epoxy resin.
Another factor to consider when you are looking for the best epoxy resin for a river table, is that you will want a deeper casting epoxy resin. Anytime you are doing an epoxy resin pour of more than a half inch deep, you should typically use a casting epoxy resin.
Casting types of epoxy resins pour much thinner than say a tabletop or floor epoxy, and they have a much slower reaction, which means (typically) less bubbles and cloudiness in a deep pour. You will want this for a river table.
You will also want to find a woodworking epoxy resin or one that works well with wood, since this is usually the material of choice when it comes to river tables.
Resin Properties For River Tables
Here are the factors to consider when choosing the best epoxy resin for river tables:
- Is the epoxy resin UV resistant?
- Is the epoxy resin food safe once cured?
- Is the epoxy resin easy to work with?
- Does the epoxy resin yellow over time?
- Is the epoxy resin heat resistant?
- Is the epoxy resin scratch resistant?
- How much odor does the epoxy resin have?
- Will this epoxy resin produce a lot of air bubbles?
- Will this epoxy resin mix well with colorants (such as mica powder, liquid pigments, resin tints or alcohol ink)?
- Is the epoxy resin VOC-free (free from volatile organic compounds)?
- What is the mixing epoxy resin ratio? (typically it is a 2:1 formulation)
We are here to share the best epoxy resins for river tables and we have it narrowed down to seven epoxy resin brands.
Let's get right into it.
Best Epoxy Resin For A River Table
We will talk about each epoxy resin we chose and why we chose it as a top resin for making epoxy river tables with, to help you narrow your choice of epoxy brand down.
There is also the consideration of the mold for your resin table, the legs for your table, what your inclusions are going to be (if any), the sanding and polishing once you are finished to get that crystal clear top, and more. But, let's get started in choosing which resin is best for you.
*These epoxy resins are listed in no particular order.
1. FCGI LIQUID GLASS EPOXY RESIN
Here is one of the best epoxy resins for a river table. It is a high gloss, deep pour epoxy resin kit (deep pour meaning you can pour 2" - a maximum pour depth of 4" at a time) that has amazing reviews and is well known in the resin community.
The specific uses of this epoxy resin includes using it for making a river table. This epoxy resin has HALS stabilizers, meaning that they prevent the polymer from being degraded by ultraviolet light. It is a highly effective form of UV-resistance so your epoxy resin will not turn yellow quickly or easily.
Something interesting to know, is that the makers of this specific epoxy resin have been doing this for over 60 years, and it is also made in the USA; specifically, in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Pretty amazing.
Here is what the company has to say about this specific resin:
Not only can you pour Liquid Glass Deep Pour Epoxy thicker at 2-4 inches and higher, but it is harder, to protect it from damage, more heat resistant to prevent warping, and more stable, to provide a strong structure with no flexing.
These attributes are what differentiates Liquid Glass from the competition! You’ll find nothing more clear, harder or more workable!
Here is a video from the product listing you can watch to see more about this epoxy resin:
This clear epoxy resin is also odor free and is VOC-free as well, and mixes beautifully with mica powder and mica pigment powders. It also has an easy application process and cures to a high gloss finish.
2. STONECOAT COUNTERTOP SUPERCAST EPOXY RESIN
Compare with their price on Etsy here
Stonecoat Countertop makes a specific brand of epoxy resin that river table artists are loving, and that is their Supercast Epoxy kit. This product was literally made for epoxy river tables.
It is designed to be poured over 3/4" thick per pour and was created to fill very large voids in raw wood slabs, although it can be poured up to 2" thick depending on the size of your project. It is also designed to be slow curing so heat will not be generated resulting in a look you are not going for.
We still recommend pouring this resin in stages depending on the size of your project (as with pretty much any deep pour of a resin for a project you want crystal clear results for).
3. MAGIC RESIN
Magic Resin is a popular brand for resin table artists and their formulation is an advanced polymer designed for casting objects. This high gloss resin is safe to pour up to 4" layers at a time.
This is a clear, shiny, high gloss epoxy resin that is VOC-free and is made in the USA and in Canada. This is also a food safe resin once it is fully cured!
Here is a quick summary of the properties of this epoxy resin:
- UV Resistant (formulated with UV inhibitors)
- Scratch resistant
- Impact resistant
- Water resistant
- Heat resistant
- Low viscosity (for a bubble free finish and for easy gap-filling)
- Made in USA and Canada
- VOC free
- Food safe once cured
Here is what the makers behind this epoxy resin have to say:
Being one of the first companies to offer epoxy resin used for artistic applications we had many years of expertise to develop the strongest products for our fellow artists. After receiving many feedback, we took action to develop an extremely resistant epoxy resin which is scratch-resistant, impact-resistant, water-resistant and heat-resistant.
Our Deep Pour & Casting resin is the perfect product for your river table project. Mix our epoxy resin with any color to create your dream table!
This is a great resin to try for your river tables!
4. DIY EPOXY | RIVER TABLE EPOXY RESIN
Specifically formulated for deep pours and fiver tables, this clear epoxy resin is perfect for epoxy river tables and resin table projects. It has a specialized UV resistant formula to help prevent yellowing over time. It is also important to know that this product:
- is non toxic once it has fully cured
- has no VOC's
- is BPA-free
- does not give off fumes
- is UV resistant
- is self-levelling
- is self de-gassing
- is certified food safe
The pouring depth for this resin is between 0.5" to 2" deep at a time. Here are some tips from this company to ensure a perfect finish:
Ensuring that the room temperature is around 75-77 °F/24-25 °C, let it cure for 72 hours. Once the curing is done, you can finish your epoxy river tables with a clear coat with our countertop epoxy resin, or you can sand and seal with any oil or wood finish.
5. ECOPOXY EPOXY RESIN
EcoPoxy flowcast is an epoxy resin with an easy application process and has been long trusted in the woodworking community for epoxy resin river tables, epoxy resin counters and resin table tops.
This resin comes in many different sizes from 750ml to 60L. Depending on the size of the river table you are making, you will have to figure out exactly how much epoxy you need so you don't have to buy a size that is too small for the project. (Trust me, it is better to have too much rather than too little for a table!)
Here is a quick chart from EcoPoxy to determine exactly how much resin you need for your river table epoxy project:
This epoxy resin is a self levelling formula and it will dry crystal-clear with water-like transparency that looks like liquid glass. That is why it is such a great choice for river tables, especially if you want to feature an interesting element in the river like rocks, pebbles, shells or pennies.
It is a great epoxy resin for wood and it is an eco-friendly option with a high bio content and low odor.
6. PRO MARINE PRO POUR EPOXY RESIN
ProMarine offers a specific type of epoxy resin that is easy to use, is UV resistant, self-levelling and has a 72 hour curing process. This is a clear epoxy resin that offers a water resistant coating as a table top epoxy resin or for the river in your river table.
This product has a pouring depth of 2" at a time, making it a good choice of epoxy resin choice for resin river tables or in table molds.
This epoxy resin is good to use for river tables, but can also be used on the following surfaces as a clear epoxy resin:
- wood
- laminate
- formica
- cork
- butcher block
- bamboo
- reclaimed wood
- plywood
- and more
Here is what Pro Marine has to say about this specific epoxy resin:
Working with the Pro Marine clear casting resin is so convenient and easy. The deep pour epoxy resin is self-leveling and has an excellent air bubble release. You just need to prepare the formula, add color if desired, and complete your artwork.
7. LET'S RESIN EPOXY RESIN KIT
Compare price of this resin on Etsy here
This clear epoxy resin is a self levelling, BPA-free and VOC-free epoxy resin that is popular for use on tabletops and river tables, especially for its crystal clear coating properties.
This resin has a fast curing process time of only 8 hours and is another great UV resistant formula. It has a Vickers pyramid (HV) number of 90, and this scale is made to measure the hardness of the material.
Read more about the Vickers hardness test here and check out their hardness calculator.
Here is what the folks at Let's Resin have to say about this epoxy:
This resin epoxy cures to a crystal clear finish, yellowing resistant, superior high gloss compared to other epoxy resin kit and hard as a rock.
Our resin kit formulation contains anti foaming agents, which are used to prevent air bubbles or destruct the bubbles that have already formed. The bubbles will automatically disappear within an hour, creating finished products as clear as glass. It’s perfect for flower preservation.
Resin For River Tables - In sum...
When looking at the best epoxy resin for river tables or really for any epoxy projects, there are many choices.
We have narrowed it down to seven for you to choose from, and your choice is personal based on what you are looking for. If you are just completely unsure about which is the best epoxy resin for a river table, try the number 1 choice we listed by FCGI, and keep notes.
After you tried the epoxy resin products, what did you think? How was the odor? How easy was it to work with? Were your results optimal? Did you find it behaved as listed (example, low odor, UV resistant...etc).
Go ahead and bookmark this page to come back if you use it and want to try our next recommendation!
You can also read our article, Best Epoxy Resin For Wood and see what you like there, just be sure to purchase a casting resin that is made for deep pours.
This way, it won't heat up too much as a non-casting resin and will probably be formulated to get those air bubbles out from your desired depth; for your project, you will need a resin with a low exothermic heat buildup.
And remember, epoxy resin products are all made differently with different formulations.
So if you find one you love, there will likely be no other like it. Stick with it! And be sure to let us know how you found it, we value your feedback and we grow by community, so come back and leave us a comment. We would love that.
You may also want to know about river table molds. When making your own epoxy table or river table, it is important to get high quality deep resin molds that are easy to work with, are easy to release your cured epoxy resin from and will hold up to multiple uses over time. We have done the research for you:
Read our article: Best Resin Table Molds
and if you are ever considering updating your countertops, be sure to bookmark our article Best Resin For A Countertop
Here are some other epoxy resin resources for you:
Related to River Tables
Resin How To's
Resin Supplies & Purchasing Advice
Best Resin For Your Project
USE RESIN SAFELY
No matter what type of resin you decide to use, always use personal protective equipment (PPE). Take time to carefully go over safety data sheets before making anything with resin, and make sure you have the proper gloves on (not latex) and the right respirator for resin protection.
Here are the exact gloves we always use
This is the respirator we use and recommend for resin work
Read more about resin safety here
And please remember, even if your epoxy resin of choice is "VOC-free, odor free" and/or "non toxic", please always wear the proper respirator for epoxy resin.
Here is the BEST respirator mask for epoxy resin: this Full Face Organic Vapor Respirator checks off all of the boxes for resin safety, and comes with
- free 30 day returns
- a 1 year factory warranty
- free US shipping and free shipping on international orders
Here it is:
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