Before You Start: The 5-Minute Prep

• Cover your bench (silicone mat or baking paper works in a pinch).
• Wear gloves and eye protection, and ventilate your space.
• Measure accurately (follow your kit’s mix ratio carefully).
• Warm bottles in lukewarm water for 5 minutes to reduce bubbles.
• Have a heat gun or butane torch ready for quick bubble passes if necessary.

1) Ocean-Swirl Coasters (1–2 hours hands-on)

Create glossy, gift-worthy coasters with ocean blues and crisp white lacing.

What you’ll need

• Silicone coaster molds (round or hex)
• Clear coating resin (thin/medium viscosity)
• Pigments: navy/teal/blue + white paste or opaque white
• Stir sticks, cups, heat gun

Steps

1. Mix a small batch of clear resin. Split into 3–4 cups and tint blues separately; keep some clear.
2. Pour blues from darkest to lightest in arcs. Add a line of white where “wave” foam should be.
3. Gently push the white over the blues with a heat gun for that lacing effect.
4. Pop bubbles, cover from dust, and leave to cure per your kit’s guide.

Pro tip: Work thin. Too much heat or deep pools can yellow over time in strong UV. For coasters, a thin pour looks cleaner and cures faster.

2) Knot Fill & Timber Touch-Up (trade-clean finish)

Turn rustic offcuts into premium boards by filling knots, checks, and voids with clear or tinted resin.

What you’ll need

• Clear laminating resin (low viscosity)
• Painter’s tape, scraper, sandpaper (120 → 240 → 400+), mineral oil/wax
• Optional tint: black, smoke, or metallic

Steps

1. Tape the underside of voids. Seal raw edges with a thin resin smear to reduce bubbles.
2. Mix, tint (optional), and fill just proud of the surface. Pop bubbles lightly with heat.
3. After cure, sand flush and finish with a food-safe oil/wax (if the board will be used for serving).

Trade tip: For deeper voids, pour in two thinner passes to control exotherm and keep the surface glassy.

3) Pebble & Resin “Beach” Tray (weekend showpiece)

Trap river pebbles or sand in a shallow tray for a coastal centrepiece.

What you’ll need

• Shallow serving tray with removable base or lined interior
• Clear casting/coating resin
• Clean pebbles/shells (dry), optional pigment for a faint blue tint

Steps

1. Dry-fit pebbles in a single layer. Mix a shallow batch of resin and pour to just cover the stones.
2. Pop bubbles, then add a whisper of blue to a small portion of resin for “water” at one edge.
3. Level, cover from dust, and cure. Add handles once fully cured, if your tray design allows.

Note: For outdoor pieces, consider a UV-resistant topcoat and store away from direct sun when not in use.

Finishing Strong: Fast Wins That Matter

• Edges: Softly sand and round over sharp drips for a professional feel.
• Feet: Add silicone or cork dots to coasters and trays to prevent scuffs.
• Care card: Include a simple “wipe clean, no dishwasher/oven” tag if you gift or sell.

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