Epoxy Resin is a fun product used for arts and crafts, and has been experiencing a lot of growth in popularity lately, but what exactly is it? It’s a fair question, and its only natural to wonder this regardless of whether you’re a greenhorn using it for the first time, or you already carry a solid line of experience under your belt and are simply curious if there are better resins out there that you don’t know about yet.
Our Top Picks
- Editor’s Choice: CRAFT RESIN
- Best Epoxy Resin for Jewelry: UNOKKI
- Casting and Coating Starter Kit: PUDUO
- Best Artist’s Resin for Coating: NAKED FUSION
- Budget Pick: Sig Wong
So what’s the best epoxy resin for crafts, really?
Below, we’ve created a list of the best Epoxy resin we could find by taking into account the versatility of the material and expanded on it by highlighting what type of epoxy resin is most useful for what purpose (i.e., Jewelry, coating, the best bang for your buck, etc.). Moreover, there is also a quick synopsis of what you can expect for each product.
1. CRAFT RESIN – Editor’s Choice
HIGHLIGHTS:
- All-around applicability
- Food Safe
- 34, 68oz, and pro kit options (2.23 Gallons)
- Clear and easy to use
- Complete beginner’s kit.
Our top pick is there for a reason as Craft Resin delivers quality and quantity in spades with its amorphous and even-handed epoxy. Lauded for its gorgeous clear finish, customer reviews favor the overall performance of this product, citing its strength and adaptability as it can be used in a wide variety of projects. The resin comes with a handy, all-in-one kit (optional) and is easy to use for both pros and beginners. The only real issue you’ll be having with this product is why they don’t bother selling it in a bigger bottle!
Why did it make our list?
- Works amazingly well
- Reviews express surprise at the ease with which this resin can be used
- Fitted to virtually any project
- Crystal clear finish
- No pungent odor
- Responds effectively to heat gun treatments
What is not ideal about it?
- Long drying times
- Price
- Problems when working with Tabletops
2. UNOKKI – Best Epoxy Resin for Jewelry
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Thoroughly tested
- Ease of use
- Self-leveling
- High sheen
- Multiple applicability
- Clear kit, including sticks and gloves for easy mixing
- No odor
Heavy contender second to Craft Resin, Unokki holds its own, only with its scales tipped more towards jewelry craft. It’s definitely up your alley if you’re looking to make that next rainbow-colored ring or bezel. Excellent for creating gifts and safe for children, this type of epoxy is every bit as ideal for coasters and models making for a smooth viscous pour with every mixing. Sits well with a relatively low wait time on drying, Unokki’s revered product is an achievement all at its own.
Why did it make our list?
- Little to no bubbles
- Shorter drying times, curing solid and clean
- Customers noted the ease of use to those new to the use of epoxy
- Even pour
- Balanced fluidity
- Viscosity allows for precise pouring
What is not ideal about it?
- Sizing of the gloves included in the kit, sometimes making the process more difficult than easy
- Long curing times
3. PUDUO – Casting and Coating Starter Kit
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Ease of use for beginners
- Value for money
- Sheen
- Packaging
- Money-back guarantee
PUDUO Epoxy Resin has surprised many with its curing time’s half-life, with some claiming it to have cured in a mere 8 hours. That’s nothing to joke about in this world of craft and is nearly something not regularly heard of! Its viscosity is even-tempered, creating a nice flow with every pour you make. Layering with this epoxy is created with ease, making it the resin for the casting process. High adhesion to various materials instantly sets this product apart from the rest.
Why did it make our list?
- Fast-drying times
- Easy to use
- Little to no odor
- Little to no bubbles
- Minor problems overall
What is not ideal about it?
- Some drying problems
- Cracking and hairline fractures appearing in certain crafts
- Temperatures had a distinguished effect on bubble appearance, frustrating buyers
4. NAKED FUSION – Best Artist’s Resin for Coating
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Thickness
- Sheerness
- Great for beginners
- Great Value for the price
- Easy to use and remove
If you’re an artist looking for the right kind of epoxy to help you nail that next art picture, needing a two-part system that’s forgiving and is easy to sand and polish, say no more as Naked Fusion’s Epoxy Resin is the medium for your musings and the answer to your next varnish or casting. Create beautiful and stunning images with this product that’s easy to use and a friend to beginners. Pour it onto metal, wood, or plexiglass and watch it illustrate rich and colorful images that is sure to keep the fire of inspiration burning.
Why did it make our list?
- Very forgiving and easy to use
- Loved for creating dazzling effects and vibrant colors
- Castings are typically bubble-free
- Flexible and thick pouring makes for strong and durable castings
- No noticeable smell or odor
What is not ideal about it?
- Customers experienced cloudiness
- Warming practices may not work
- The brochure included in the packaging alleged to be misleading
- Other complaints found a 50-50 mix of the resin and hardener did not harden on painting
5. Sig Wong – Budget Pick
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Easy to use
- Sheerness
A damn good product for those moments you find yourself having to pinch pennies, Sig Wong’s Epoxy Resin understands the budgeting constraints and has developed a distinguished recipe that is gentle on your wallet. You can use this bad boy with silicone molds, without really having to worry about pesky bubbles hardening after fully curing and still get a finished clean look. A great tool that’s easy to use for both beginners and veterans, this product does not sacrifice quality for quantity, making it a buy that’s well worth the purchase.
Why did it make our list?
- Good for beginners
- Little to no odor
- Fast shipping times
- Mixes well with other acrylics
- Forgiving
- Fits most projects, matching them in size
What is not ideal about it?
- Product not as advertised
- Mislabeled shipments
- Long drying times
Buying Guide
Epoxy, polyurethane, and polyester resins have their unique applications but ultimately share core common components. They’re sworn by, have incredible utility, and are tough once fully hardened.
Adhering to a vast array of materials, it’s critical to know what you’re looking for and to ask yourself what you want out of your personal project.
Some guidelines:
Epoxy has mixing ratios, typically 1:1 or 1:2
Finding the right one for your project depends on:
- Adhesion
- Max thickness, per layer, cast on during casting process.
- End transformation and final density
- Viscosity
- Cure time
General uses:
- Casting
- Kiteboard building
- Repairs and renovations
- Floor coatings
- Sealing countertops, particularly of the kitchen sort
- Model Building
- Woodwork
- Art
- Boatbuilding
FAQ
Some frequently asked questions concerning epoxy are as follows:
Does Resin take long to dry?
Yes, most resins take a fair bit of drying time and have a good window of time to work with. Although some resins can have slightly faster drying times, the shortest time you’d be looking at is 8 hours, while the longest could be days.
Can this be used as glue?
While it does adhere to surfaces and other materials, we don’t recommend this explicitly for that purpose. A lot depends on what you’re trying to fix. Stick regular super glues and follow instructions on their product labels, as they typically carry a list of what they work best on.
Can this be used on more fabric-like surfaces, like a canvas?
Yes! Epoxy Resin can be used and worked onto surfaces like that of the canvas, but you’d need to mix a powder-like Mica and seal it with something before pouring resin to dry.
Closer inspection of the labeling on the epoxy product itself can further detail more specific uses and applications and should be used alongside this guide to make the best decision.
Wrapping it up
The picks for this list are there for a reason. Each of the top three choices presented in this article was nominated because they’ve delivered on nearly every individual purchase. Regardless of whether or not that outcome was fantastic or a total derelict, the number of good to bad reviews is a healthy ratio.
Our best craft epoxy resin verdict? CRAFT RESIN. Final answer.
These products provided results that spoke for themselves, earning mostly positive reviews. Customers weren’t overly dissatisfied looking for reimbursement but instead painted a unanimous image positive enough in tone to steer the overarching verdict, as worth their price tag. Sure, some may be a little steep for the wallet or take a while to dry, but if you can swing it, why not?
The resin in general is a wonderful material that has come quite a distance in the story of craft and general use and continues to prove its indispensability and dependable nature. Doesn’t matter if you’re an artist or a craftsman; don’t take our word for it, get out there and see for yourself!