Resin can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a little bit of a challenge. Resin for crafts are not all created equal. Some cure faster, some yellow in the sun, some self level, and some do not. If you’re brand new to resin or even just experimenting with different projects you may find it difficult to select the right resin for crafts that live up to your expectations. In this blog post I’m going to cover several types/brands of resin so you can find the best resin for crafts without the headache.
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4 Best Traits You Want In Your Resin For Crafts
- Resin that you can work with longer before it cures and hardens.
- You want resin to be crystal clear when it’s done curing.
- It needs to level itself and spread out evenly for coating.
- It shouldn’t show yellowing after only a short amount of time.
These are some of the most important factors to resin artists when they are selecting their resin for crafts.
Why is it so hard to find a good resin?
There are a TON of brands out there. Not only a ton of brands, but a lot of different types of resin for many different things. There are resins for boats, tables, counters, floors, and of course crafts.
There are also some companies that try to pass off a lower quality resin as a high quality product. This results in less than satisfactory results in your artwork.
I personally have ran into this a couple of times before I found products that were much better. This led me to do quite a bit of research to find a much more reliable set of resin products.
Let’s check out some of the best resin for crafts.
Here I will be showcasing some brands that are known for their performance that many resin artists rely on for their craft projects.
Amazing Clear Cast
This brand is highly praised by many resin artists for its stellar quality. Amazing Clear Cast is especially useful for coating and casting.
In my personal experience this is the go-to brand for coating tumblers. I had a negative experience with a brand a while back and then I tried Amazing Clear Cast and it really worked much better.
Not to mention this resin is FDA approved once it is cured. This means it will be safe to drink or eat off of a cured surface of this type of resin.
Positive Traits:
- Easy to use.
- Low odor.
- Dries hard.
- Dries quite clear.
- Self leveling.
- Doming resin.
- FDA food safe once cured.
DR. CRAFTY
Arguably one of the bigger names for resin for crafts. DR. CRAFTY is a popular brand that delivers in most aspects.
I personally have had no issues with this brand although some claim they have issues with their finished projects not curing as well as other brands.
Overally DR. CRAFTY is trusted by many as it remains a best seller. If you are a beginner this would be a good brand to experiment with.
Positive Traits:
- Beginner friendly.
- Cures clear.
- Long pot time (working time) of about 45 minutes.
- Non-toxic when cured.
ProMarine ProArt Resin
ProMarine is a brand that has been around for quite some time and it not only specializes in art resin, but various other uses as well. I think it’s safe to say that this company knows what it is doing when it comes to resin for crafts.
This particular brand makes many claims and of course many resin artists trust them with their work. This brand has plenty of positive ratings and is known to be versatile.
Some of this brands claims are that their product is easy to use, non-toxic, and has an intense shine. I’d say this brand is definitely worth looking into as a beginner.
Positive Traits:
- Made by an experienced and established company.
- Easy to use.
- Non-toxic safe for indoor use.
- Intense shine.
- Doming resin.
Can’t I use countertop or flooring resin for my art?
I warn against this only because there are so many chemical differences in resin for these other purposes. I specifically choose to use resin labelled for “art & crafts” because I can feel better about my own safety.
Epoxy resin that is used for other things are often intended for outdoor use or at least in a well ventilated area. For this reason I tend to shy away from other resin formulas.
In addition to those factors there is also a pot time difference. (Pot time is the amount of time you can work with the resin before it cures or starts to harden.)
Resins for countertops, tables, floors, boats, or other hardware type uses cure much quicker and typically put off more fumes. They also may not be FDA approved to be used in things like tumblers.
When in doubt, check the label.
For the most part in my own experience I have found that many resin brands are quite transparent. You can usually read on the label how long you will have to work with the resin, how long it takes to cure, and more.
Carefully reading the label can make the difference between a successful project and a total disaster. Some resins will even specify how much colorant to use or what brand works best with them.
Not all resin for crafts are created equal and I think that is important to understand.
If you are still struggling with understanding the types of resins and what would work best in your situation you can also check out my post “9 Superior Tips For Resin Beginners” for some extra guidance.
Experiment With Different Resin For Crafts
With so many brands of epoxy resin on the market you can always try them out. You may find that you like certain resins for jewelry and others for coating or casting.
Sometimes you just have to experiment with resin to decide what works best for you. Consider factors like how long you will be working with the resin for your art projects.
I remember an instance where I purchased a resin that worked well for small crafts, but was terrible for top coating. It really didn’t occur to me that these subtle differences would matter.
Read Reviews
Some of the best information I’ve gotten about resin was from reading reviews. While there are some people who can’t be pleased I usually take advice from those that appear knowledgeable.
Reading and looking for genuine reviews has helped me find resins that are perfect for certain projects. If not for reviews I would not have learned that Amazing Clear Cast is one of the most preferred brands for coating tumblers.
Take into consideration both positive and negative reviews. Determine what factors are the most important to you and go from there.
I hope this post helps you find the best resin for crafts that works for you!
Of course you can always drop questions in the comment section or email them to [email protected]. Happy crafting!