Epoxy Resin Table Tops: Coating a Table vs Pouring a River Table
There are two ways to make a resin table top: a clear coat over timber, or a deep pour that fills a river or void. They need different resins. Here's how to choose, how much to buy and how to pour each one step by step.
The Quick Answer
For a clear coat over a timber table top, use a coating resin poured 1–2 mm thick, such as Solid Cast 606 Clear Wood Epoxy or Diamond Hard Coat 607. For a river table or deep void, use a deep pour casting resin such as River Resin Deep Cast Epoxy, poured 15–50 mm at a time. Coating resins are not made for deep pours, and deep pour resin is not a fast top coat, so pick the resin that matches the job.
| Solid Cast 606 | Diamond Hard Coat 607 | River Resin Deep Cast | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job | Clear top coat on timber, filling knots | Clear top coat on timber, canvas, concrete | River tables, deep voids, castings |
| Mix ratio | 3:1 by weight | 2:1 by volume | 2:1 by volume |
| Per pour | 1–2 mm | 1–2 mm | 15–50 mm |
| Working time | About 40 min at 25 °C | About 30 min at 25 °C | About 2 hours at 25 °C |
| Cure | About 24 hours (thin layer) | Set in about 1 day, full cure about 3 days | Touch dry about 2 days, sand after a further 2 days |
| Heat resistance | Up to 80 °C | Up to 80 °C | Up to 80 °C |
How Much Resin Do You Need?
Coating a table top
As a guide, 1 litre of mixed coating resin covers about 1 m² at 1 mm thick. Multiply the length by the width of your table in metres, then by the thickness in millimetres.
Example: a 1.8 m × 0.9 m dining table is 1.62 m². A 1 mm coat needs about 1.6 litres, and a 2 mm coat about 3.2 litres. Raw timber soaks up more resin, and some runs off the edges, so buy a little extra.
Pouring a river or void
Work out the volume of the gap in centimetres: length × average width × depth, then divide by 1,000 to get litres.
Example: a river 180 cm long, 15 cm wide and 4 cm deep is 10,800 cm³, or about 10.8 litres of mixed resin.
How to Coat a Table Top With Epoxy Resin
Prepare the timber and the room
Sand the top, remove all dust and set the table dead level. Raise it a few centimetres off the work surface so excess resin can run off the edges. Work between 20 °C and 30 °C, and keep it above 20 °C while it cures.
Fill knots and cracks first
Prefill knot holes and larger defects so they become features rather than hollows in your finish. Solid Cast 606 is ideal for this, on its own or mixed with sawdust or colourant.
Measure and mix exactly
Solid Cast 606 is mixed 3:1 by weight on a scale. Diamond Hard Coat 607 is mixed 2:1 by volume. Mix in a straight-sided container for several minutes, scraping the sides and base, until it's completely clear with no streaks.
Pour 1–2 mm and let it level
Pour onto the centre of the top and let it self-level, spreading it to the edges and letting it flow over. Don't try to build a thick coat in one go. These are coating resins, so thicker finishes are built up in layers.
Pop the bubbles
Pass a propane torch flame lightly over the surface to release bubbles. Air can keep rising out of the timber, so check again after about 15 minutes and repeat.
Clean the edges and let it cure
After about an hour, wipe or scrape the drips off the underside of the edges. Leave it undisturbed to cure. Solid Cast 606 reaches maximum impact strength after 5 days, and Diamond Hard Coat 607 is fully cured in about 3 days.
Shop epoxy resin →How to Pour a River Table
A river table fills the gap between two live-edge slabs with clear or tinted resin. Because the pour is deep, it needs a slow, low-heat casting resin like River Resin Deep Cast Epoxy.
Build a sealed form
Set the slabs in a level, leak-proof form with a non-stick surface so the resin can't escape or bond to it. Check every seam before you mix anything.
Seal the live edges
Brush a liberal coat of Solid Cast 606 over the natural wood edges. This stops air rising out of the timber and leaving bubbles in the river while the deep pour thickens.
Warm, measure and mix
Warm the resin and hardener for maximum clarity. Measure 2 parts A to 1 part B by volume, then mix with a paint mixer on a drill at slow speed for several minutes until evenly clear. To tint the river, add colour from our resin pigments.
Pour 15–50 mm at a time
Pour from a few centimetres above the cavity and let the resin flow along it, topping up after 5 minutes if needed. Keeping each pour between 15 and 50 mm keeps the curing heat at a safe level.
Add layers in the touch-dry window
Cure at a constant 25 °C (never below 20 °C). It's touch dry in about 2 days. Pour the next layer during this window so the layers bond together, then allow a further 2 days before sanding.
Sand and finish
Cut back with a belt sander at 80 grit, then an orbital sander from 80 through to 320 grit. For extra clarity, wet sand at 500, 800 and 1500 grit, then finish with wood oil or polish, or a final coat of coating resin.
Shop River Resin →Common Table Top Problems
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Bubbles keep appearing | Air rising out of the timber | Seal or prefill the wood first, torch again after 15 minutes |
| Thick or cloudy resin | Resin and hardener are too cold | Warm the bottles in hot water, cool to room temperature, then mix |
| Soft or sticky patches | Wrong ratio, poor mixing or a cold room | Measure exactly, scrape the cup while mixing, keep above 20 °C |
| Cracking or overheating | Coating resin poured too thick | Use River Resin for deep pours, and coating resin at 1–2 mm only |
| Drips hardened under the edge | Run-off left to cure | Scrape the underside edges after about an hour |
For more help, see how to fix bubbles in epoxy resin and why epoxy resin won't cure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best epoxy resin for a table top?
For a clear coat over timber, use a coating resin such as Solid Cast 606 Clear Wood Epoxy or Diamond Hard Coat 607, poured 1–2 mm thick. For river tables and deep voids, use a deep pour resin such as River Resin Deep Cast Epoxy, poured 15–50 mm at a time.
How much epoxy do I need for a table top?
About 1 litre covers 1 m² at 1 mm thick. A 1.8 m × 0.9 m table needs about 1.6 litres per 1 mm coat. For a river, multiply length × width × depth in centimetres and divide by 1,000 to get litres.
How thick should epoxy be on a table top?
Pour coating resin 1–2 mm per coat and build thicker finishes in layers. A single 1–2 mm pour of Solid Cast 606 gives a finish equal to 50 coats of varnish.
How long does an epoxy table take to cure?
A thin coat of Solid Cast 606 cures in about 24 hours, with maximum strength after 5 days. Diamond Hard Coat 607 sets in about a day and fully cures in about 3 days. A River Resin pour is touch dry in about 2 days and needs a further 2 days before sanding.
Can I put hot things on an epoxy table?
Our table top resins are heat resistant up to 80 °C once cured. Use a trivet or board under hot pots, pans and dishes, which can be hotter than that.
Can I use table top coating resin for a river table?
No. Coating resins are made for 1–2 mm layers, not deep pours. Use River Resin Deep Cast Epoxy for rivers and voids, then finish the whole top with a coating resin if you want a glossy surface.
How do I stop bubbles coming out of the wood?
Seal or prefill the timber before the main pour. For river tables, brush Solid Cast 606 over the live edges first. For coatings, torch the surface after pouring and again after about 15 minutes.
Whether you're coating a timber top or pouring a full river table, the key is matching the resin to the job, measuring exactly and keeping the room warm until it cures.
Ready to build your table?
Coating resins and deep pour River Resin, from beginner kits to bulk sizes.
