Sanding Epoxy Resin

Dust and burrs are among the minor surface defects that resin sanding eliminates. It requires expertise and the right equipment to complete any project—whether it's wall art, a table, or a personalized ring—with a smooth, polished surface.

Sanding is necessary after a minimum of 48 hours of drying time to achieve the highly desired, polished gloss of your finished surface. It takes talent to sand resin correctly. If you have patience, the correct abrasive products, and instructions, your creations will turn out beautifully.

TYPES OF RESIN SANDING

There are two types of resin sanding: wet sanding and dry sanding. If mounting your piece on wood or other porous materials, consider the desired outcome before deciding what supplies to buy.

The epoxy resin must be sanded using the right sandpaper since properly cured resin is a tough substance. Before choosing materials, you must determine the type of sanding that will work best for your goods.

WHAT IS THE BEST SANDPAPER FOR RESIN?

Whether you are wet sanding or dry sanding will determine what kind of sandpaper is ideal for resin. A description of each is given below.

1. DRY SANDING

Items made of wood or those that will be affixed to wood or other porous surfaces should be dry-sanded. When dry sanding, there are two essential things to keep in mind. First off, a face mask is necessary to protect against inhalation since dry sanding epoxy resin generates more dust. Sanding resin requires the constant use of a mask since the particles can be harmful and carcinogenic if inhaled. The heat buildup from dry sanding is the second thing to take into account. This heat has the potential to break down the resin, leaving a hazy finish that is challenging to clean up.

When buying supplies, you have to consider the grit of sandpaper in relation to the object you are sanding and the desired ultimate surface. Sandpaper comes in a range of grits, from very coarse 60 grit to 2000 grit, the finest of which is typically used for the final pass.

For dry sanding resin, aluminum oxide sandpaper is typically a good and cost-effective option.

2. WET SANDING

Wet sanding is typically the advised course of action when sanding epoxy resin. The water instantly removes the dust, nearly eliminating secondary surface scratches and prolonging the life of the sandpaper by reducing residual clogging.

Wet sanding also significantly lessens breathing hazards. The drawback of wet resin sanding is the water itself. If you use too much or leave it sitting for too long, it can cause a bit of a mess and harm any wood that is attached to the resin. Look for a waterproof silicon carbide sandpaper to use when wet sanding epoxy glue.

TABLES FOR SANDING RESIN AND OTHER BIG OBJECTS

You can use the wet sanding method to sand resin on a table, but you need to be careful with how much water you use and how long you leave it wet.

Water is absorbed by the wood, even through microscopic resin fissures, which may cause swelling, warping, or discoloration underneath the finished surface. Dry sanding is, therefore, the recommended technique for wood artifacts.

Sanding resin on a large object should start with any uneven application of resin and be addressed before proceeding. This can avoid uneven surfaces and unintentional resin coating removal during sanding.

There are two options for sanding resin by hand or with an orbital sander. The steps are the same, whether using an orbital sander or hand-sanding using abrasive sheets. Above all, keep the sandpaper clean to avoid swirls, pigtails, scratches, and other surface damage.

If there are few or no defects, you can start by lightly sanding the epoxy resin surface with a soft sanding pad or sheet. If not, begin with a lesser grit to remove edges and other flaws. Sand moves consistently under even pressure, first across each grit and then parallel to it.

Go up in grit as the resin smooths. 220 grit will provide a smooth surface. 400–600 grit can achieve a satin finish, 800-100 grit can achieve a semi-gloss finish, and 1200 grit or more can achieve a high-gloss sanding finish.

ORBITAL SANDING EPOXY RESIN

An orbital sander can successfully handle tables and other large objects for resin sanding. It can swiftly sand a large surface. For big areas, orbital sanding of epoxy resin is a good dry sanding method.

Because of their highly aggressive mode, orbital sanders should only be used with caution, paying close attention to the type of disc, pressure, and even movements. It is essential to exercise caution while using an orbital sander to dry sand epoxy glue as it could dissolve the material. Although it is uncommon, wet sanding with an orbital sander is possible.

ORBITAL SANDER DISCS

The best option for using an orbital sander on epoxy to sand a large area would be to use hook-and-loop (Velcro) sanding discs.

Aluminum oxide is one of the most suggested abrasive types for these discs when using epoxy. Our recommendation is for an aluminum oxide disc with gold stearate, which greatly lessens the load building from sanding. You'll want to pick a disc that resists clogging.

While an ordinary sanding disc can be utilized if your orbital sander includes a vacuum connection, a hook and loop sanding disc with vacuum holes will work much more effectively. This aids in sucking away any sanding-related debris that may otherwise clog the discs' surface, causing ineffective sanding in addition to raising friction and heat.

When sanding epoxy resin using an orbital sander across a sizable area, you can also use a resin fiber disc instead of other types of sandpaper, which may wear out more quickly. However, since resin fiber discs are stiffer and can remove more material than you may want, this is generally not advised. Prior to cleaning, use higher grit hook and loop discs; they can be utilized as a starting point if there are already deep scratches or if you need to level off the surface.

Most resin fiber discs have an abrasive surface made of zirconia, ceramic, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, or A/O. The kind of material beneath the resin, as well as its thickness and surface, determines the type of disc employed.

Although silicon carbide-based waterproof sandpaper is perfect for hand sanding, the silicone carbide disc is more commonly used for masonry work. It is not a standard option for resin sanding.

Because of the substance on the surface, a resin zirconia disc can be too abrasive for finer resin sanding but offers continuous sharpening. There are ceramic discs available in 24, 36, 60, 80, and 120 grit, making them an excellent option for heat-sensitive materials. Some like to sand resin using an orbital sander with this.

SANDING JEWELLERY MADE OF RESIN AND OTHER SMALL OBJECTS

You'll probably want your homemade jewelry or other little items to be flawlessly smooth and polished when you're done with them. Epoxy resin finishes can have little burrs, edges, rough spots, and other minor flaws eliminated by sanding them.

Though more minor things require patience and an acute eye for minute details that cannot be perceived by merely passing a hand over the surface or observing at an angle, it may appear that working with smaller surfaces is easier and faster than working with tables or larger surfaces.

Sandpaper sheets work well for resin sanding little objects. Since the small surface areas shouldn't require coarse grinding to get the desired results, a finer grit paper is used.

JEWELLERY

First, gather your supplies: water, a safety mask, and sheets of 400–1000 grit wet or dry sandpaper. Having a level, stable platform to work on will simplify the procedure.

Remember to wear your mask to prevent dust inhalation. After covering your work surface with sandpaper, submerge your jewelry in water. Push the object back and forth over the sandpaper to avoid over-sanding or removing too much of the epoxy glue.

Remember to pivot when working your jewelry over the paper. Move east to west and north to south. Examine the progress and wipe off any dust by dipping your piece in water. Switch to finer grits of sandpaper as necessary until the required level of surface smoothness is attained.

Go up in grit as the resin smooths. A satin finish can be achieved with 400–600 grit, a semi-gloss finish with 800-100 grit, and a high gloss sanding finish with 1200 grit or more.

ARTWORKS AND ADDITIONAL TINY OBJECTS

Additionally, hand sanding is the recommended technique for safeguarding the surface of smaller items like wall art and other décor.

The tools needed are the same: water, a protective mask, and sandpaper with grit levels between 400 and 1000. But a little wooden block also serves many other purposes. Larger sheets of sandpaper can be chopped down to make handling them easier.

Wrap your sandpaper around a tiny wood block to make it easier to grasp and more even when sanding art. Wet the paper and sand by moving back and forth in a circular motion. When sanding wall art with resin, you should use extra caution. Because the resin coating is thinner, harsh movements or high pressure can harm both the surface and the underlying materials. The key is smooth, consistent circles.

As the grit wears down, replace your paper, and adjust the sandpaper's grain to account for the smoother surface. As previously mentioned, a satin finish can be achieved with 400–600 grit, a semi-gloss finish with 800-100 grit, and a high gloss sanding finish with 1200 grit or more.