Resin Tray: A Step-by-Step Guide

Whether you are a beginner in working with resin or simply want to try making a resin tray for the first time, it is one of the most exciting things to do, especially if you love to create. While making a resin tray may be complicated, with the appropriate materials and right guidelines you can get it done without much hassle. So, keep reading to find out the exact step-by-step process needed to make a tray.

Setting up your workspace

Always make a habit of setting up a workspace and having all your required materials present before you begin the tray making process. This is because the pot life of a resin doesn’t give you much spare time to work around. So, it’s always better to have your materials within hands reach. Some of the important materials are: measuring and pouring cups, stirring sticks, the tray mould and colour pigments.

It’s also handy to have a few tissues around. You could even prepare a few embellishments by purchasing things such as pressed flowers, gold or silver foil flakes or even crystal chips online beforehand.

Taking safety precautions

Once you’ve gathered the necessities for making a resin tray, the next process is to take safety precautions as resin is a type of chemical and should be handled with care. Make sure you’re wearing gloves, safety goggles and masks in order to avoid breathing in or touching the chemical directly. It is also important to make sure your workspace is well ventilated allowing air to circulate.

Mixing the resin and hardener

When mixing the two parts, there are a few things you need to be aware of. Remember to pour your resin (part A) and hardener (part B) according to the given measurements and instructions of the bottle. When mixing the two parts, take your time until the white whisps are no longer seen and avoid mixing speedily as that could cause plenty of air bubbles to form. Doing the measurements and mixing wrong can affect the curing process and therefore needs to be done with patience and care.

Adding in colour

The next step would be to separate you resin into different pouring cups depending on the number of colours you’re working with. While pigmented powder colours are the most preferred choice, you could also make use of pigmented liquid colours. Add small parts of colour to each cup and stir well in order to ensure no clumps form.

Pouring the resin

Once your resin is ready to be poured, make a quick decision on the effect you’re going for. One of the best effects for a tray is the marble effect; however various designs result in stunning looks regardless. Your rhythm of pour and bringing together of colours helps creates the vision that you’re going for. This is also the part where you add the embellishments according to your visual concept.

After you’re done with the pouring process all that’s left for you to do is allow it to cure and enjoy the final look!