How to Make Resin Coasters: 7 Step DIY Tutorial With Wood Inlays

1. 1

   Step 1: Choose and Cut Wood Pieces

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   Pick wood scraps less than half an inch thick - the silicone coaster molds are about half-inch deep, so the wood needs to leave room for epoxy on top. Live-edge pieces facing each other create a 'mini river table' look in the finished coaster.

   Curly hardwoods like bubinga, walnut, or maple show off best under clear epoxy because the figure pops. Cut pieces small enough to fit inside the mold cavity with about an eighth-inch gap around the edges for the resin to flow.

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   Used in this stepSilicone Coaster Molds (Round and Square)Hardwood Scraps Pack

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2. 2

   Step 2: Seal the Wood With Penetrating Epoxy

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   Coat every face of each wood piece with penetrating epoxy sealer. The sealer soaks into the wood pores and prevents trapped air from bubbling out into the main epoxy pour.

   Set the sealed pieces aside on a non-stick surface and let them cure for 24 hours. Skipping this step almost always results in cloudy, bubble-filled coasters. The pre-seal is what separates clear-as-glass from foggy.

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   Used in this stepMAS Penetrating Epoxy Sealer

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3. 3

   Step 3: Mix Epoxy in a 1:1 Ratio

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   Use a shallow-pour epoxy specifically (deep-pour formulas are too thin and will leak under the wood). Most coaster epoxies mix 1:1 - 3.5 oz of Part A and 3.5 oz of Part B for each 7 oz batch (about 4 coasters' worth with a bit extra).

   Pour each part into a graduated mixing cup. Add a drop or two of mica powder or alcohol ink if you want tinted resin (a little goes a very long way - add slowly).

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   Used in this stepAmazing Clear Cast 2-Part Epoxy ResinGraduated Plastic Mixing Cups

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4. 4

   Step 4: Stir Thoroughly

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   Stir slowly for 2-3 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the cup as you go. Under-mixed epoxy leaves sticky uncured spots; over-fast stirring whips in extra air bubbles.

   The mix should look completely uniform - no streaks of clear resin in the tinted color, no swirls of part-A meeting part-B. Stir, scrape, stir, scrape until it's all one color.

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5. 5

   Step 5: Pour a Base Layer and Torch Bubbles

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   Spray a light coat of mold release on the silicone (optional but eases removal). Pour about 1/8 inch of epoxy into the bottom of each mold - just enough to cover the floor and create a base under the wood.

   Wait a minute, then pass a butane torch quickly back and forth over the surface. The heat pops surface bubbles instantly. Keep moving - sitting on one spot too long will scorch the resin or warp the silicone.

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   Used in this stepButane Torch (for Resin)

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6. 6

   Step 6: Press Wood In and Add Weights

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   Press the sealed wood pieces into the base layer of epoxy. Pour the rest of the resin around the wood, stopping at the top of the wood (not over it).

   Wood floats. To hold it down, drive 4 pin nails through a scrap wood block to use as a weight - rest the weight across the mold so the nail tips just barely touch the wood. Spray release agent on the nails so they don't stick to cured resin.

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7. 7

   Step 7: Cure 24-30 Hours, Then Demold

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   Leave everything alone for at least 24-30 hours. The epoxy progressively hardens through tack-free, then full-cure. Test with a fingernail in an unobtrusive spot - if it feels like firm rubber instead of sticky, it's ready.

   Pull off the weights, peel the silicone mold back from the cured coaster (silicone flexes generously - work the edges loose first), and pop each coaster out. Lightly sand any sharp bottom edges with 400-grit, careful not to scuff the top face.

   Tip:

   If you nick the top face during demolding or sanding, you can polish it back to clear with progressive grits (400 → 800 → 1500 → 2500) followed by automotive polishing compound. Worth the effort to save a bad demold.

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   Used in this stepResin Sanding and Polishing Kit

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Keep going

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