DIY Epoxy Resin Transformation: Update An Old Tabletop!
Out with the old, in with the new! Follow along as Steve of Upstart Epoxy shows you how to transform this old and worn RV table top into a beautiful, functional granite-style table top! This tutorial is great for anyone who wants to repurpose an old piece!
Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate/Expert
Estimated Working Time: 48 Hours
What You’ll Need:
- Upstart Epoxy Table Top Resin
- Upstart Epoxy Powdered Pigments Set
- Wooden Laminate
- Sander
- 40-Grit Sandpaper
- 90% Alcohol
- Heat Gun
- Copper Colored-Primer
PROJECT PREPARATION: We started off by removing the hardware from the old tabletop to save it for the new version.
Start preparing your wooden laminate.
Next, we were ready to start working with our wooden laminate. We did some measurements and made sure it would be able to fit inside of the RV. We then ‘scuffed’ up the wooden laminate using 40-grit sandpaper. This step creates a mechanical bond between the wood and epoxy resin.
That way when we spray on our primer, the epoxy will adhere perfectly! Make sure to sand all of the corners and edges of your piece and be sure to spray off any leftover residue.
Prime the wooden laminate.
We wanted to match the colors on the new project to RV, so we primed the base of the table top with a copper color. We chose this color because we knew the copper shade wouldn't overpower our colored epoxy.
Mix up your Table Top Resin.
We decided to go with Table Top epoxy resin, not only because we’re working with a tabletop, but also because it has a high viscosity, which means the texture of the epoxy is thick. A resin with a high viscosity is best for a project like this, because the thickness helps the epoxy stay in place during both the application and curing processes.
We mixed up 128 ounces of Table Top- 64 ounces of Part A and 64 ounces of Part B, and then mixed a couple of small batches of Tabletop (use the cups in your Upstart Epoxy kit!) to mix our powdered pigments in. You can use our Coverage Calculator to find out exactly how much epoxy you'll need for your individual project.
Choose powdered pigment colors.
We chose three colors from our Powdered Pigments Set for the project- Sparkle White (AW4), Brown (Y411), and Black (BK2). The white, which we mixed into the 128 ounces of Table Top, will be the featured color of this project- the other two colors will be used to create some neat accent effects on the tabletop.
TIME TO POUR: We took the new tabletop indoors and got ready to pour our epoxy and create designs!
Pour the epoxy on the wooden laminate.
We poured the mixture on the laminate and used the over drip method, which is when you allow the epoxy drip over all sides and corners of your project. We made sure to cover the entire surface area and sides, using the spreader that comes with every Upstart Epoxy resin order.
DIY Tip: Use your spreader to move the epoxy all over the project to ensure a good overflow on all sides. This makes it easier for your secondary colors to flow and blend naturally!
Add detail to your project by swirling in the other powdered pigment shades.
We started off using a black spray paint to create lines, but we were dissatisfied with the outcome. Products like spray paint are alcohol based, and melt in too quickly with the epoxy, which can mess up your designs. We took one of our cups of premixed Table Top resin and added the Black (BK2) pigment which worked a lot better!
We wanted to use black to mimic natural fracture lines similar to granite or marble, as well as to make the lines distinguishable. We went ahead and spread out the original lines, then used a heat gun to form more unique lines. We repeated this step with our Brown (Y411) powdered pigment.
Once you add the accent colors, you'll really see how much the lines stand OUT. The working time on this is about 1-2 hours, so that's plenty of time to make changes if need be. Have fun with it!
THE FINAL TOUCHES: Now it's time to finish off the tabletop with a few final steps.
Add alcohol for more unique effects.
We hit the tabletop with a little 90% alcohol, which gives the piece a bubbling effect and makes it mimic natural granite. We were really happy about the outcome so far!
Scrape off drips for a clean finish.
We used our paint-stirring stick to scrape off the drips off of the tabletop as they started to harden, repeating this step periodically until the project is nearly cured. This would be 12-24 hours. DIY Tip: You can scrape drips or excess from the project with either a heat gun or 40-grit sandpaper.
Add the brackets and install the tabletop once completely cured.
After allowing the tabletop to cure, we mounted the brackets that we removed from the old tabletop and added them onto the underside of the new piece. Lastly, we installed it on top of the RV table and it’s all done! The tabletop turned out beautiful and really gave the RV an updated, modern look.
THE REVEAL:
