How to make an epoxy bottle cap tabletop or bar top

Have everything ready before you start. Not sure which surface to use? See our surface compatibility guide.

• UltraClear Bar & Table Top Epoxy

  Crystal clear and durable. Use our epoxy calculator to see how much you need, and order here.

• Bottle caps

  Collect your favorite caps in any colors, patterns or brands and plan your layout.

• Nitrile or butyl gloves

  Always wear them when handling uncured epoxy. Safety first!

• Graduated mixing containers

  One quart containers for seal coats and five quart containers for flood coats. Use a fresh one for every batch.

• Drill and mixing bit

  A mixing drill bit on an electric drill blends gallon batches. We also sell a cordless drill.

• Paintbrush with strong bristles

  For the seal coat that holds your caps in place. Try our seal coat brush.

• Stir sticks

  Reusable stir sticks for hand mixing small batches.

• Propane torch or heat gun

  Essential for removing air bubbles. A torch works slightly better; our heat gun works great too.

• N95 maskOptional

  Recommended if your workspace has poor ventilation.

• Acrylic caulkOptional

  Seals raised edges so no resin leaks through. See our acrylic caulk.

• Space heatersOptional

  Epoxy cures best at 75°F to 80°F. Heaters help hold that range.

• Plastic, PVC pipe and duct tapeOptional

  Build a temporary enclosure to hold the temperature while it cures.

You'll have about 5 minutes to start applying epoxy after mixing, so have everything ready first.

1. 1

   Mix a seal coat batch

   In a one quart container, mix equal parts resin and hardener, no more than 16 oz of each (32 oz total). Stir by hand for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom. Mix a second batch in a fresh container if you need more.

2. 2

   Brush on a thick seal coat right away

   Apply it to your surface thick enough to set the caps into. This keeps them from floating up when you pour the flood coat.

3. 3

   Press in your bottle caps

   Set them firmly into the seal coat in any pattern you like.

4. 4

   Let it cure for 24 hours

   Keep the room between 75°F and 80°F.

1. 1

   Measure the flood coat

   In a five quart container, mix equal parts resin and hardener, no more than one gallon combined per batch. Mix more batches in fresh containers as needed.

2. 2

   Blend for about 5 minutes

   Use the drill and mixing bit on medium speed. Scrape the sides halfway through, and keep the bit low so you don't whip in air.

3. 3

   Pour right away

   Pour smoothly over the surface. It self levels at 1/8 inch on its own, so just make sure the whole area is covered.

4. 4

   Remove air bubbles within 15 minutes

   Keep a heat gun or torch a few inches away and move steadily over the whole surface, never lingering more than a second. With a torch, never let the flame touch the epoxy. Then check at eye level and clear any bubbles left.

5. 5

   Add more flood coats if needed

   If caps still aren't covered, wait 4 hours, then repeat this step.

Caution: Don't apply heat after 15 minutes. The partly cured epoxy can be damaged by heat. And never pour a single layer thicker than 1/8 inch; it adds bubbles and can leave an uneven surface. Add more flood coats instead.

• Preventing and removing air bubbles

  Tips for a bubble free finish.

• The three types of epoxy coating

  A beginner's guide to coat types.

• Is table top epoxy heat resistant?

  What cured epoxy can handle.

• Bottle cap bar top video tutorial

  Watch the whole project step by step.