How to Make Resin Coasters: An Easy Handmade Gift
A set of four resin coasters is one of the easiest resin projects to start with, and one of the nicest to give. Here's which resin to use, exactly how much each mould needs, three colour ideas and a simple timeline for finishing gifts before Christmas. If you've never worked with resin before, read how to make resin art first for the basics.
How to make resin coasters: place clean silicone coaster moulds on a level surface, measure Epoxy Casting Resin and hardener exactly (1:1 by volume) and mix slowly for 3–5 minutes until clear. Stir in a little colour, pour to the rim, pop any surface bubbles and leave it to cure. It sets in about 24 hours and fully cures in 2–4 days. A standard 9 cm round coaster, 1 cm thick, takes about 70 mL of mixed resin, including 10% extra.
What You Need
| Item | What to use |
|---|---|
| Resin | Epoxy Casting Resin 1:1. The 2L kit makes about 28 round coasters. |
| Moulds | Silicone coaster moulds: round, square, hexagon, geode and heart shapes. No mould release is needed with Solid Solutions resin. |
| Colour | Epoxy pigment paste for solid or metallic colour, mica powder for shimmer, and gold or silver foil flakes |
| Tools | Straight-sided, flat-bottomed mixing cups and flat stir sticks, plus a torch for surface bubbles |
| Safety | Gloves, safety glasses and a well-ventilated room |
| Finishing | Small felt or cork pads for the bottom of each coaster |
Which Resin Is Best for Coasters?
Use Epoxy Casting Resin 1:1. Coaster moulds are 1–1.5 cm deep, and casting resin is made to pour that thick in one go, with a low bubble formula for clear coasters and plenty of working time to add colour.
| Epoxy Casting Resin 1:1 | |
|---|---|
| Mix ratio | 1:1 by volume |
| Working time | About 60 minutes at 20 °C |
| Pour depth | 1–50 mm |
| Set | About 24 hours |
| Full cure | 2–4 days (thin pours take longer) |
| Heat resistance | Up to 80 °C once cured |
| Kit sizes | 2L, 4L and 10L |
How Much Resin Do You Need for a Coaster?
Work out the volume of the mould, then add 10% for what stays in the cup and on the stick. For a square mould, multiply length × width × depth in cm; for a round mould, multiply 3.14 × radius × radius × depth. The answer is in mL. For example, a 9 cm round mould, 1 cm deep: 3.14 × 4.5 × 4.5 × 1 = 64 mL, plus 10% = about 70 mL.
| Mould | Size | Resin per coaster (incl. 10%) | Set of 4 (incl. 10%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square wine glass coaster | 5.9 × 5.9 × 1 cm | About 38 mL | About 155 mL |
| Round coaster | 9 × 9 × 1 cm | About 70 mL | About 280 mL |
| Hexagon coaster | 11.5 × 10 × 1.5 cm | About 143 mL | About 570 mL |
| Medium square coaster | 11 × 11 × 1 cm | About 133 mL | About 530 mL |
| Large square coaster | 13 × 13 × 1 cm | About 186 mL | About 745 mL |
Epoxy Casting Resin pours up to 50 mm, so every mould here, including the 1.5 cm hexagon, fills in one pour. A 2L kit (1L resin + 1L hardener) makes about 28 round coasters, or two sets of four large squares with resin to spare.
How to Make Resin Coasters, Step by Step
Set up a warm, level space
Work between 20 °C and 30 °C in a well-ventilated room. Put on gloves and glasses, and place clean, dry moulds on a flat, level surface before you mix anything.
Measure 1:1 by volume
Measure equal parts Part A (resin) and Part B (hardener) by volume, not by weight. Use the table above to work out how much you need. You have about 60 minutes at 20 °C, so mix only what you can pour in that time.
Mix slowly for 3–5 minutes
Mix slowly in a straight-sided, flat-bottomed cup with a flat stick, scraping the sides and base until the resin is clear with no streaks.
Add colour
Pour some resin into a second cup if you want two colours. Stir in pigment paste at 2–5% of the mixed resin (about 2 g per 100 mL), or add mica powder a little at a time. Keep pigment paste under 5%.
Pour to the rim
Pour slowly into the centre of each mould and let the resin find the edges. Fill to the rim, but not over it. Remember that the side against the bottom of the mould becomes the top of your coaster, and the side you pour onto becomes the underside. So if you're adding foil flakes, pour a thin layer of clear resin first, press the flakes into it with a stick and let it thicken enough to hold them, then fill the mould. Don't sprinkle them on top.
Pop the surface bubbles
Pass a propane torch quickly over the surface to release micro bubbles, without touching the resin, and keep it moving so it never stays on one spot or on the silicone. A heat gun on low also works. Do this before the resin starts to set.
Cover and leave it alone
Cover the moulds to keep dust off and leave them undisturbed. Epoxy Casting Resin sets in about 24 hours and fully cures in 2–4 days.
Demould and finish
Once it has set, flex the mould gently and pop the coaster out, then keep it flat until it has fully cured. If an edge feels sharp, wait for the full cure, then wet-sand it lightly with fine sandpaper, wearing a dust mask. Stick small felt or cork pads, evenly spaced, on the bottom so it sits flat and doesn't slide or scratch the table. Wash the mould in warm soapy water, let it dry and store it flat.
Three Christmas Coaster Ideas
Press gold foil flakes into a thin first layer of clear resin, then fill the mould with resin coloured with Metallic Emerald Paradise pigment paste.
Stir Pearl White mica powder into clear resin for a soft shimmer, with silver foil flakes pressed into a thin first layer.
Use the 5 piece ocean coaster set mould. Pour Ocean Blue and white resin into the mould together and swirl them gently with a stick for a sea-and-foam look.
Make each coaster in a set a different colour from the same pigment family, so everyone at the table can find their drink.
A Christmas timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Early December | Order resin, moulds and colour. Orders are processed within 1 business day and take 2–9 business days to arrive. |
| 22 December | Last day to pick up from our Belmore store in Sydney before Christmas |
| Pour day | Mix and pour your set with Epoxy Casting Resin |
| Next day | Demould once set, after about 24 hours |
| 2–4 days after pouring | Fully cured: add felt pads, then wrap. Pour at least 4 days before you give them. |
Common Coaster Problems
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sticky or soft coaster | Ratio not exactly 1:1, not mixed long enough, too much pigment, or too cold | Measure by volume, mix slowly for 3–5 minutes, keep pigment paste under 5% and work above 20 °C. See epoxy resin not curing. |
| Bubbles | Mixing too fast, or cold resin | Mix slowly, work above 20 °C, then torch the surface. See how to fix bubbles. |
| Thick, cloudy resin | Cold resin and hardener | Stand the closed bottles in warm water until clear and free-flowing, then dry them before you open and mix. See epoxy resin too cold. |
| Uneven or overflowing edge | Mould not level, or poured past the rim | Check the surface is level and fill to the rim only |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do resin coasters make good coasters?
Yes. Cured epoxy resin is hard and glossy, and our coaster resins are heat resistant up to 80 °C once fully cured. Add felt or cork pads underneath so the coasters don't slide or scratch the table.
How much resin do I need for one coaster?
Work out the mould's volume (length × width × depth for a square, or 3.14 × radius × radius × depth for a round), then add 10%. A 9 cm round coaster, 1 cm thick, needs about 70 mL of mixed resin, and an 11 cm square needs about 133 mL.
How long do resin coasters take to dry?
With Epoxy Casting Resin, coasters set in about 24 hours, so you can demould the next day. Full cure takes 2–4 days, and thin pours take longer. Wait for the full cure before you use or wrap them.
What is the best resin for coasters?
Use a casting resin that can be poured 1–1.5 cm thick in one go. Epoxy Casting Resin 1:1 pours from 1 mm to 50 mm, has a low bubble formula, gives about 60 minutes of working time at 20 °C and is heat resistant up to 80 °C once cured.
Do I need mould release for silicone coaster moulds?
Not with Solid Solutions epoxy resin. Our platinum-cure silicone coaster moulds release the coaster once it has cured. Flex the mould gently and pop it out.
How do I colour resin coasters?
Mix the resin and hardener first, then add colour. Use epoxy pigment paste at 2–5% of the mixed resin for solid or metallic colour, mica powder for shimmer, or foil flakes pressed into a thin first layer of clear resin. More than 5% pigment paste can leave the resin soft or tacky.
How do I stop bubbles in resin coasters?
Mix slowly and work above 20 °C. Epoxy Casting Resin has a low bubble formula; after pouring, pass a propane torch over the surface to release any micro bubbles, without touching the resin.
Start with one set of four round coasters. Once you know how your resin behaves, try bigger shapes, new colours and the ocean set. You'll find more projects in our 15 resin art ideas.
Ready to make your coasters?
Epoxy Casting Resin in 2L, 4L and 10L kits, plus round, square, hexagon and ocean coaster moulds.
