Published by UltraClear Epoxy · Manufacturer’s application guide · View the product
Official manufacturer instructions from UltraClear Epoxy for applying UltraClear Bar & Table Top Epoxy to bar tops, tables and countertops. Mix equal parts resin and hardener 1:1 by volume, brush on a thin seal coat, then pour a 1/8-inch flood coat. Keep the room above 75°F during application and for 72 hours after the final coat. The seal coat and flood coat use the same product.
Read everything before mixing. Our epoxy is formulated differently from others you may have used, and these directions apply only to UltraClear Bar & Table Top Epoxy.
Prepare your workspace
- Warm the room, and keep it warm. Keep the room above 75°F during application and for 72 hours after the final coat. This is a requirement, not a suggestion. Below 75°F the epoxy will not cure and the surface turns cloudy. Turn the heat up several hours ahead, use space heaters if needed, and set the thermostat a few degrees higher in case it reads low. On a commercial bar, turn off refrigerators and beer taps several hours before pouring.
- Level the surface before you begin. Start clean and dry. Wipe off dust with a dry cloth and keep the surface free of oil, grease and wax. Any existing stain or finish must be completely dry. Test the complete process on a small sample first, every surface is different.
- Protect the area. Put 2 mil painter's plastic under and around the project. Cardboard is not enough, epoxy soaks through it, and cured epoxy is very hard to remove.
- Have enough epoxy and supplies ready. Count the seal coat, edges, cracks and runoff in your quantity. Running out mid pour ruins the surface. Use our coverage calculator. Have a new graduated mixing container for every batch.
Gather your tools
Graduated mixing containers, flat edged stir sticks, a timer, a bristle brush that will not shed, a propane plumber's torch or heat gun (not a hair dryer), and 2 mil painter's plastic. For full gallon batches, a drill with the 1 gallon helix mixing paddle (sold on our website, or Home Depot Workforce model HM1HD).
Two coats, one product. The job has two stages: a thin brushed on seal coat, then the poured flood coat that self levels to 1/8 inch. Both use this same epoxy at the same 1:1 mix. There is no separate primer or seal coat product to buy.
Warm the resin only. Before mixing, set the closed resin container in a sink of warm to hot tap water for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep water out of the container. Never warm the hardener, it will overheat and cure in the bucket almost instantly. Warming shortens working time, so be ready to pour right away.
Doing something more than a plain top? Embedding objects, photos or bottle caps, adding pigment, damming edges, deep voids and repairs each have their own steps. Check our help center before starting.
Wear protective gloves and eye protection, work in a ventilated space, and read the product label and safety data sheets before you begin.
Mix, then seal
Mixing correctly is the single most important part of the project. Under mixed or mismeasured epoxy stays sticky and never cures.
Measure equal volumes, every time
Pick a batch size below. Pour the hardener first, then an equal volume of resin, using a graduated container. Do not estimate the quantities or measure equal weights. All ounce measurements are US fluid ounces (fl oz). Mix one batch at a time in a new container.
| Batch | Hardener + resin | Mixing method |
|---|---|---|
| Seal coatSmall batches, brushed on | 16 fl oz + 16 fl ozOr 8 fl oz + 8 fl oz if you work slowly | By hand, 2 to 3 minutes |
| Half size flood coat | 1 quart + 1 quart | By hand, 4 minutes |
| Full flood coatMaximum batch size | ½ gallon + ½ gallonHardener to the 2 qt line, resin to 4 qt | Drill, hand, then drillSequence below. Hand mixing also works. |
Full gallon mixing sequence
Drill at medium speed with the paddle fully submerged, moving it around the container and up and down. Never lift the paddle out while spinning, it whips in bubbles. Hand stir for 1 minute: scrape the sides and bottom and fold the liquid sitting on top down into the mix. Drill 3 more minutes and stop, longer over mixes it. Time yourself with a clock.
Mixing by hand works too for any batch size: use a flat edged stir stick, scrape the sides and bottom constantly, and fold the top layer in until the mix is completely uniform, without whipping in air. The drill paddle is simply easier and takes the guesswork out of blending a full gallon.
Pour it as soon as it is mixed. UltraClear Bar & Table Top Epoxy has about 5 minutes of pot life in the container after mixing; warmer conditions can shorten it. Mixed epoxy holds heat in a bucket and can harden quickly or start to smoke. Do not leave it sitting, mix batches ahead, or exceed 1 gallon combined (½ gallon hardener + ½ gallon resin).
Brush on the seal coat
Wood, concrete, cork, granite, tile and anything with embedded objects need a seal coat, even over several coats of polyurethane. Skipping it causes bubbles that rise into the flood coat and cure in place. Laminate, Formica and stainless steel can skip it.
Oil based stain or paint: epoxy will not stick to it, so apply 2 to 3 coats of oil based polyurethane first, let it dry, then seal coat. Copper: no seal coat, but apply a regular (not water based) lacquer first and test it on a small area.
- Mix a seal coat batch from the table above and brush it on like paint in a thin coat over every porous area and edge. When you run out, mix another batch in a new container and keep going until everything is sealed. No torch or heat gun on the seal coat.
- It will not look perfect, and that is fine. Brush marks and some bubbles are normal. The flood coat blends into the seal coat and fills all of it in, crystal clear.
- Wait 4 to 6 hours, then pour the flood coat. The seal coat does not need to be dry. It should still be slightly tacky so the flood coat bonds to it. Do not go past 10 hours. After that, scuff and clean as described under "Adding another coat" below.
Rough, old or very porous wood (barn wood, knots, planks, holes) needs two thin seal coats 4 to 6 hours apart. Pour a little epoxy on and spread it thin with a plastic squeegee or putty knife instead of a brush. Fill large cracks first with small batches (4 oz + 4 oz) every few hours until level.
Pour the flood coat
Start 4 to 6 hours after your last seal coat, mixing a full flood coat batch as shown above. If more than 10 hours have passed, use the recoat preparation below.
- Pour immediately after mixing. Start at one end and pour slowly back and forth, working down the length of the top. Control over the container is the key to a good pour. Fill missed spots with more epoxy and let it self level to 1/8 inch. You cannot spread it thinner than that.
- Join the next batch within 20 minutes. Mix and pour one batch at a time. Pour each new batch against the previous one within 20 minutes so they flow together. This does not restart the heat-removal window on an earlier poured area. On a large top, have one person mix while another pours. Use a new container for every batch.
- Let the epoxy coat the edges. Pour so epoxy flows over and coats the sides. Runoff is normal. Drips form about ½ inch under the edge and sand off once cured. Deep sides of 4 to 6 inches are easier done after curing: sand smooth with 200 to 300 grit, wipe with acetone, brush on epoxy and smooth it with the torch.
- Pop the bubbles. Use a propane plumber's torch or heat gun, not a hair dryer. Hold it a few inches above the epoxy and sweep continuously, never pause over one spot or you will burn it. A pass over the whole top takes only a minute or two. Get your eyes down at surface level to spot small bubbles.
Scrape while mixing. Never scrape while pouring. Scraping the sides and bottom is essential during mixing. When pouring, dump it out, set the bucket down and leave the residue. Chasing the last drops with a stick or brush puts unmixed material on your top and leaves sticky spots.
Bubble removal timing
Time the 20 minutes from when each area was poured. Adding a new batch does not restart the clock on an earlier area. Keep flames and heat away from acetone, alcohol and other solvent vapors.
Bar rails
Attach the rail before you pour so the epoxy seals against it and spills cannot drip through the gap. Run a bead of Elmer's glue or acrylic latex caulk along the rail and corners to stop bubbles. Never use silicone, epoxy will not stick to it. Most people finish the curved rail itself with polyurethane, which is easier to get smooth than epoxy.
After pouring, leave it alone. Keep the room above 75°F for 72 hours after the final coat and keep the surface undisturbed. For a thicker finish, add separate 1/8 inch coats using the timing below.
Cure and care
Allow 72 hours before use
Keep the room above 75°F the whole time. It keeps hardening for a couple of months, so treat it gently at first.
Protect and clean: use coasters and placemats, especially while new. Fully cured, it handles about 135°F. Never set a hot pan directly on it. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft cloth. No abrasive cleaners or pads, and never buff or polish it, that only scratches and clouds it. Red and other colored dyes can stain.
Cleanup: the mixing paddle and stir sticks can be reused between batches. Acetone can remove uncured spills but may damage the surface underneath, so test first. For skin contact, wash with plenty of soap and water and follow the manufacturer’s safety data sheet.
Adding another coat, or refinishing years later
| Time since previous coat | What to do |
|---|---|
| 4 to 6 hoursRecommended recoat window | Pour the next coat with no sanding. The layers bond as one. Keep each flood coat 1/8 inch. |
| More than 10 hoursOr an old epoxy finish | Once the epoxy is hard enough to sand, lightly scuff the entire surface with 220 to 320 grit. Wipe off all dust with denatured alcohol or acetone (never mineral spirits) and let it dry. The new coat fills the scratches and comes out crystal clear. If you expose bare wood, seal it again first. |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| Whole top soft or sticky after 48 hours | Under mixed, or not measured 1:1. Hard but slightly tacky: pour a new flood coat over it, no sanding. Soft like jello: scrape off as much as you can (acetone helps), then remix carefully and pour a new coat. |
| Small sticky spots | Scraping the bucket while pouring, or spots that did not get blended. Slightly tacky: paint over them with a small fresh batch or repour the whole top. Soft and wet: cut out the soft material, fill the low spots with a small pour, wait 4 hours, then do a full coat. |
| Bubbles | Everywhere: no torch used, a missing or thin seal coat on porous wood, or a whipped mix. One spot: a knot, crack or missed area in the seal coat. Small bubbles usually are not worth fixing. If you want them gone, sand and recoat the whole top. Spot fixes leave a raised bump that looks worse. |
| Ripples or waves | Heat held in one place, a coat poured too thin, or a warped surface. Another full flood coat hides nearly all of it. |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a different product for the seal coat?
No. The seal coat and the flood coat both use UltraClear Bar & Table Top Epoxy, mixed the same way at 1:1. The seal coat is simply a small batch brushed on thin before the flood coat. There is no separate primer or sealer to buy.
What is the mixing ratio for Bar & Table Top Epoxy?
1 part hardener to 1 part resin by volume, measured in a graduated container. Do not measure by weight and do not eyeball it.
What temperature does the room need to be?
Above 75°F during application and for the full 72 hours of curing. Below 75°F the epoxy will not cure properly and can turn cloudy.
How thick is one flood coat?
The epoxy self levels to about 1/8 inch per coat. For a thicker finish, pour additional 1/8 inch coats 4 to 6 hours apart.
How long do I have to work with the epoxy after mixing?
Apply UltraClear Bar & Table Top Epoxy immediately after mixing. Pot life in the container is about 5 minutes after mixing and can be shorter in warmer conditions. After pouring, join each new batch to the previous one within about 20 minutes. Stop using a torch or heat gun on each area 20 minutes after that area was poured. The time available in the cup is different from the working time on the surface.
Does the seal coat need to be dry before the flood coat?
No. Pour the flood coat 4 to 6 hours after the seal coat, while it is still slightly tacky. It will not look perfect and that is normal. The flood coat blends into it and comes out crystal clear. Do not wait more than 10 hours, or you will need to scuff and clean the surface first.
How long before I can use the surface?
72 hours at above 75°F. It keeps hardening for a couple of months, so use coasters and placemats at first. Fully cured, it handles about 135°F.
Can I mix by hand instead of using a drill?
Yes. Hand mixing works for any batch size if you scrape the sides and bottom constantly and fold the top layer in until the mix is completely uniform. The helix mixing paddle on a drill is easier and takes the guesswork out of blending a full gallon.