One of the most desired attributes of using epoxy is that crystal clear, almost glass-like finish that it produces over virtually any surface. However, creativity doesn’t stop with UltraClear Epoxy resin pours, imagination knows no limits and that applies to epoxy pours as well. Embedded objects, multi-colored resin pours, the possibilities are endless when it comes to using epoxy resin for your surfaces. Don’t let a standard clear epoxy pour detract from your creative vision, if your picturing a beautiful, color filled surface when you think of your epoxy project, then this blog is for you. We’ll go through the ins and outs of using both mica powders and liquid mica pigments and how they are used to tint resin and provide mesmerizing results.
Powder Pigments
Powder pigments are made up of very tiny particles. The epoxy will absorb these pigments during the curing process so the color is evenly dispersed which gives the clear epoxy a vibrant color. Powder pigments are most often used in projects that require lots of coloring and even from lots of different colors.
They are more cost-effective than liquid color pigments and are quite popular for budgeting bigger projects that may need more variety and adaptability. The best way to use powder pigments, is to slowly add powder into the hardener side of your epoxy mixture first. That way you have plenty of time to add and adjust the color to how you want it to look exactly.
Liquid Pigments
Liquid pigments are made up of a highly concentrated dye that is suspended into an easily mixable liquid substance that is very effecting at blending into and tinting epoxies solid, vibrant colors.
Because liquid epoxy pigment is made from ground-up particles that are more coarse than the ones put into a powder epoxy pigment, it can be absorbed very quickly and easily by epoxy resins.
To mix liquid pigments with epoxy resin, the first step is to add the tint into the hardener side first until you've achieved your desired color. Then you would add the appropriate ratio of resin into your mixture, and mix until it's fully blended using a mixing paddle or stir stick, depending on how much you're mixing up at once.
Should You Use Powder Or Liquid Pigments For Your Epoxy Project?
While both the powder and liquid pigments work fantastic for adding tints to an epoxy pour, they each have unique attributes that make them perfect for different projects. For example, say you were adding your family’s name as a wood inlay over a wood plaque, but you wanted the letters of your name all a certain color. This would be perfect for liquid dyes since they simply add a solid color to an epoxy pour. If you just wanted each letter to be blue for example, then we’d recommend using liquid dyes.
If you were making a river table, charcuterie board, or other type of project with a larger area of epoxy, that’s when most decide to go with powder pigments. While a simple blue color would be cool, with a larger area of epoxy it looks fantastic with added swirls, metallic or pearlescent effects, and different mixtures of colors all that can be achieved with the powder pigments. The majority of epoxy river tables that you see will have been made with these same powder pigments over the liquid ones for this reason. We even offer some glow in the dark pigments for even more options when making your own unique projects!
How Do You Use Powder Pigments and Liquid Pigments to Color Epoxy?
Ok, so you’ve decided which type of color you’re going with, now how do you apply it you may be wondering. Lets go over that below:
1. How to Use Powder Pigments Mixed with Epoxy
No matter if you’re using the Bar Top Epoxy or the Deep Pour Epoxy, we always recommend adding the color in the same way. You simply measure out the correct amount of hardener for your pour, say you’re making a 1 gallon batch, you will measure out 1/2 gallon of hardener into a clean container first. From there you will take a small scoop and add in some of the mica powder that you’ve purchased. Take a stirring rod and simply mix the powder into the hardener until it is fully absorbed. If you’re satisfied with the results, you can go on to add the same amount of resin (1/2 gallon in this scenario) and continue to mix according to the instructions. If the hardener is still to translucent and you feel it doesn’t contain enough mica pigment, simply repeat the process of adding another scoop, mixing, then assessing if you’d like to add more or keep it where it is. This is the best method as you will never add more mica powder than you need, and it lets you slowly build up the color to be perfect for your project.
2. How to Use Liquid Pigments Mixed with Epoxy Resin
For mixing liquid pigments, we’re going to follow the same procedure as above regardless of whether you’re using Bar Top Epoxy or the Deep Pour Epoxy. As a note, if you’re mixing Deep Pour Epoxy, since the ratio of Resin to Hardener is 2:1, you may want to add a slightly more amount of color into the hardener side as you begin to mix in the liquid pigments. This is due to how much resin you will be adding after you’ve mixed the color in, since you’re adding twice as much resin as hardener, the color could be diluted down to a shade that you aren’t happy with. You can also mix the Deep Pour resin and hardener first, then add the color if you desire. We wouldn’t recommend this with the Bar Top Epoxy however, since once the Bar Top Epoxy is mixed, it’s recommended to pour the mixture out within 5 minutes or less. The heat that is generated inside the mixture can cause the Bar Top Epoxy to begin to cure much faster than the Deep Pour Epoxy.
Buy Epoxy Supplies Online from UltraClear Epoxy
The best place to buy all of your epoxy supplies online is from UltraClear Epoxy. We have epoxy resin, epoxy hardener, and everything else you'll need to get started on your next DIY project. Our prices are fit for budgets of all sizes, and we ship your epoxy supplies to you, anywhere within the United States. If you're curious about more ideas, want to give us some feedback, or have any questions about our products, you can contact us here. You can also call us directly at 1-800-997-0459.
