One of the questions we get asked most is how much epoxy am I really going to need? The answer to that is quite simple if you know the measurements of your surface. If you don’t know the measurements of your surface, you’ll need to go and measure the length and width of your surface before you move on to the next step. In this blog, we’ll go over the in’s and out’s of making sure you order exactly how much epoxy you’re going to need for your resin project.
What type of surface are you using?
The most common application of epoxy is over wood, however you may be covering concrete, granite, tile, etc. Different types of surfaces require different applications of epoxy resin. For rougher, porous surfaces like concrete that isn’t smooth. You may need to do 2 to 3 seal coats to completely seal them before pouring your flood coat. For smoother finished surface that aren’t porous such as laminate, you can simply pour the flood coat directly over them. We’ll cover this in the next section.
Do you need a seal coat or can you simply flood coat it?
If this is your first epoxy project you may be asking, what is a seal coat? Is it a different product or do I simply use the same epoxy? Well, a seal coat is simply when you brush a thin layer of epoxy resin over your surface to “seal” it prior to pouring the flood coat. This is important as simply pouring a flood coat over certain surfaces could lead to disastrous results. If your surface is porous, the flood coat will be ruined without a proper seal coating stage. This is due to all the trapped air in your surface that is going to be released into the flood coat. These types of bubbles can’t be popped with a heat gun or plumbers torch, since they will continually release the entire time your epoxy is curing. This is why the seal coat stage is the most important part of an epoxy project.
Do you have a raised edge or do you want the epoxy to go over the sides?
For most projects like countertops or regular wood table tops, it’s best to let the epoxy go over the sides to coat the edges. It’s important to remember though that when you do this you will lose roughly 30 percent of your resin. Which means you simply need to account for ordering an extra 30 percent to ensure you have enough material for your flood coat.
How many square feet will a gallon of epoxy cover?
For our Bar and Table Top Epoxy, one gallon will coat either 48 square feet when brushed on as a seal coat, or 16 square feet when poured on as a flood coat. So if you require a seal coat, just take your square footage, and divide by 40 to determine how many gallons you will need for each seal coat. Do this same thing with your flood coat except you will divide by 16 for this calculation. Sometimes it's best to divide by 14 just to ensure you have enough for your project, the last thing you want is to run out of epoxy in the middle of your flood coat pour!
Just remember to keep in mind that extra 30 percent if you want the epoxy to flow over the edges and coat the sides. In order to keep things as simple as possible, we have a user friendly epoxy calculator that can be found here. If you have your measurements done this is the quickest way to ensure you’ll be ordering the right amount of product. However, if you have a unique project, or just want to be extra sure, you can always contact us directly by phone or email to get an accurate quote quickly as well.
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.
