Hypnomation Media Thanks! Happy coastering!

Epoxy flooring

Hope it works out for you!

Beverly Poole Thanks, Beverly!

you prolly dont give a damn but does any of you know a tool to log back into an Instagram account..? I was dumb lost the login password. I would love any assistance you can offer me

@Rene Aldo Instablaster ;)

Sanusi Usman Thanks, Sanusi! I guess that’s up to your business, production quantity and profit margin. I sell these for $7USD/per on my website and in my gallery. I’ve seen some artists sell theirs for up to $15/each. Find what works for you!

I did try this initially, but the spray caused the edges to get tacky - and it did not hold the cork very well. My latest coasters I'm using pre-applied adhesive felt sheets from Aetna Felt (www.aetnafelt.com). Much more efficient and look great!

My apologies! I followed the link and read your suggestion for dust. Thank you so much!!

The images seem to fade faster with mod podge on top. And the resin can cloud or yellow if using a low quality mixture. The tiles I made with Art Resin are still perfectly fine several years later.

Pilar Jablonski I’ve tried two other, slightly less expensive, resins. Unfortunately they have yellowed over time and they are not the safest to use. You will need a very well ventilated areas to work with them too. Not sure if it’s worth the slightly less cost.

It was just a 1/8th inch thick sheet roll from Michael’s cut down to 4x4 squares. Nowadays I use a felt roll.

Also would these be water/heat resistant? Thanks for the video really helpful

Thanks, Clare! I'm sure it's possible to pour directly into cork but it's possible that you'll be fighting to remove a lot of air bubbles as they escape from the cork. And yes, they are reasonably heat (for hot mugs) and water (condensation) resistant. I wouldn't recommend putting a hot saucepan/boiling teakettle on it or running them through a dishwasher (because of the cork).

btruono thanks so much For the reply will keep in mind for sure!

Thanks, Nikki! I would not recommend putting the ModPodge on top of the photo. It does create too many bubbles with the resin coating. Make sure you use a Brayer/Roller to push out as many bubbles under the paper as possible when gluing the print down. To glue the cork, I use the Loctite Go2Glue for it's heat, cold and water resistance. I print my images myself on glossy photo paper, but I'm sure you could have them printed elsewhere. For more details and a list of materials, you can visit my written tutorial here: www.truono.com/how-to-make-photo-coasters-using-epoxy-resin/ Have fun!

btruono thank you so much! When I first mod podge the paper to the tile, it is perfect and smoothed out, no bubbles at all. It's when I apply the top coat of mod podge that it goes all crazy lol. I havent tried photos yet...working with scrapbook paper right now.

CreateGoodFX thanks! I have one on my desk that I use daily. Still looks great and has held up nicely. The rings it does get are just from condensation or drips from the drinks and easily wipe off with a damp cloth.

@@true4form How about hot drinks? Do the hot cups stick to that resin?

CreateGoodFX I mean, I wouldn’t use it for a hot plate for something that just came out of the oven... but for a freshly poured cup of coffee or tea it seems to be fine.

@@true4form Thank you for the info. It's very helpful for those of us who are just getting started with resin.

I've had one on my desk for the past two years worth of hot coffee mugs. No issues yet!

btruono thank you so much! :)

Maris Rios I'm the photographer as well! I captured all the images.

master vivi I have not had any issue with the inks bleeding or changing. That may have to do with the printer paper more than anything. I would recommend doing some tests with different print surfaces.

btruono Thank you so much😊, I will try that

@@mastervivi3713 If using regular paper, a layer (I do two) of matte mod podge (I tried with gloss mod podge and didnt like results, it distorted the finished image for some reason) over (use a sponge brush to reduce brush lines) will stop ink from bleeding.

@@thevampsyd7 thanks for the tip 😊

If you seat it with a clear enamel, it shouldn’t bleed.

This is my MAIN concern! Help! I really want to be able to put hot coffee cup or soup bowl on them. Ive read that many resins will get "ridges" where cup lays. Please advise!

The liquid pours over the edges then hardens into a practically permanent shell.

Brilliant thanks for the reply 👍🏻

Kim and Debbie Lowe interesting... my guess is that the wood surface has a lot of trapped air in the nooks and crannies. Is it possible to sand it down with a very fine sand paper to get a smooth finish? Then possibly treating it with a spray on epoxy to seal the wood before the pour over?

I spray a good amount of glue on the wood then use a roller to make sure it adheres. For extra protection I brush 2 layers of mod podge, let dry then I epoxy.

Guillermo Barragan just a Canon photo printer. Printing onto a glossy photo paper. Because the paper is slightly plasticised it doesn’t bleed and the images are very sharp and clear with the resin poured on.

Judy Huck I’m using plastic cups to raise them above a piece of cardboard. You can see in more detail in Step 9 on my How-To post here: www.truono.com/how-to-make-photo-coasters-using-epoxy-resin/ Have fun!

I’ve never really tried to do that. Since the resin drips down the side and sometimes onto the back of the tile, affect the spacing between each tile, depending on how the grout is laid. I’d be really interested to know if you do try!

Totally agree. The larger the quantities, the easier it is to cut costs too. And some of the products I listed were just for sake of a quick purchase for those who wanted to try this technique. If there are bulk products that do the same thing, go for it!

What's the name of the resin you use please?

Ignore my question, wrong video lol, but just checking these can take a hot drink after 72 hours curing time?

The ones I make should be fine for a hot mug after 72 hours of curing. I'm using ArtResin.

Clif-do you find the resin to be just as good quality? And may I ask the kind you use?

I used a glossy photo paper. Usually if you use the same brand as the printer, it will hold up just fine when the resin is poured. Second to that, higher quality resins will stay clear longer and not turn yellow over time.

I buy in bulk from a local tile and flooring company. But I'm also making hundreds of these coasters... For someone who just wants to make a small batch of gifts, I did include a link on my written tutorial (www.truono.com/how-to-make-photo-coasters-using-epoxy-resin) for similar tiles that can be purchased on Amazon. I think it includes free shipping as well.

Hi Lynn! Looks like my website had a glitch on it - which is now fixed. You can find the list here: www.truono.com/coasters-howto Hope you find it useful!

Firstly, I want to say I'm impressed at your efforts! This is a time consuming process that does require a lot of trial and error and I commend you for seeing what works for you. I'm not familiar with the resin you are using, so I cannot speak to whether it's causing an interaction with the printed ink. The glossy photo paper and printer ink I was using was from the same brand (Canon), so I knew the image would adhere well to the substrate. In past experiences with alternative papers and cheap refillable ink brands, even when not printing for resin use, it was often easier to smudge or see the ink not drying/laying on the paper as intended. This could be part of the issue, depending on what you are using. Have you tried any other combinations of papers, inks or printers? For Modge Podge, it always seemed to have a very bubbling effect on resin curing process. When adhering the prints to the tiles, I was very careful to keep the adhesion layer thin and only applied behind the print paper. On occasion, some would overflow and I knew those were going to be troublesome during the resin process. Perhaps some other type of adhesive would work better here? Super 77 spray on the backs of the prints, then a using a roller/brayer to flatten the print to the tile? I've not tried, but it might be worth exploring... Magic Tape was generally all I ever tried, and yes, it occasionally stuck or tore when it should not have. The time between pour and cure for when to remove it was always a challenge because it probably has a lot to do with room temperature and whatnot. I think you have the right idea for trying other tapes, 3M makes quite a variety. Even the wall-safe or gift wrap kind may provide a difference. On spreaders, I always used a small cut piece of framing mat board, or cold/hot press board. And I would cut a lot of them and use several per batch of coasters. I think the key to this step was to get full coverage on the tile tops and sides, avoiding pushing resin onto the bottom of the coaster (it will drip down to the tape, but this may help with your taping issue above.) It's a very gentle process to manipulate the viscous liquid between the spreader and tiles, but I always tried to avoid pushing the spreader into the tile. You'll just want to move the liquid around for coverage. The tiles I used were from www.flooranddecor.com/, which coincidentally is next to my local Home Depot. They were simple standard white tiles. I bought them in bulk packs for relatively low prices. They often did have sides that were not completely enameled but that did not bother me. I would go through stacks of them and eliminate any that had (what I considered) defects or imperfections which would cause issue later in the resin process. Hope that insight helps a bit and that you're able to get what you are after. Best of success to you!

mzsdot I do just to be sure that it’s dry. Realistically it’s probably fine after a short time. (30min to 1 hour)

btruono Thanks for your super quick reply! I’ve made a few of these now (as gifts etc) and your video is always my reference.

I used a photo printed on a glossy photo paper. The material is sort of plasticized and the resin does not soak into the paper. That worked best for my purpose but it might be worth experimenting with actual magazines by pouring resin on top of them…

@@true4form thanks so much! I'm excited to try this out!!

Latreese Pettigrew I’ve not personally tried a heat gun but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Experimenting is good! Let me know your results. Have fun!

Helen R Mann with the resin?

I’ve only tried inkjet on glossy paper. Laser should work too. But it’s worth some trial and error! Let me know the results.

@@true4form perfect, didn’t know which would be best. Thank you thank you

The top surface is waterproof. The image is safe. However, the cork backing likely would not handle a dishwasher or full submersion. It can get a little wet and the glue I use will not come off. You could choose to use a different backing if you want these to be dishwasher safe.

Depends on a lot of factors... it's a huge difference between making 4 coasters vs 1000s. Depends on how bulk the materials are, where you buy them, material quality, even resin brand. Depends on tools you use. Depends on yield amount (make 100, but only 80 are worth selling). Depends on where you want to cut corners and speed up or reduce/increase quality. Even depends on your value of time spent creating them. Sorry, I do not have a definitive answer for you - I know my own numbers but it will be different for everyone. It is certainly something to consider when you're doing business planning.

Marcita Naylor For easy removal of the hardened resin drips. Better than a chisel or grinder, I promise.

btruono ok great I will definitely be trying this! Thank you for responding😊

I use it under the photo print to adhere it to the tile. You can put some on top if you want but I found that it causes a long fight with bubbles in the resin. The final product is much clearer without the mod podge on top. If you use glossy photo paper, the resin does not cause the paper to seep in or the ink to bleed.

@@true4form can it will better if I use laser printed papers rather than ink printed?

@@habibaumme9553 possibly! I’ve not tried laser prints before. I believe those use a wax material. I would be curious to your results. Experiment!

LD Hablizel That’s why I wrote a tutorial to go along with it. Explains everything there. www.truono.com/coasters-howto

Sure thing! I hope you find it useful!