Defects that might occur when working with epoxy resins

The resin has not hardened/cured for the period indicated on the product label.

Usually the rate of gelling and hardening depends in direct proportion to the temperature. That is, if it is cold, the process is slower, and if it is warmer, it is faster. The laboratory conditions under which our resins are tested are: temperature = 23 ° C, pressure = 1atm (101 325 Pa) or the so-called standard atmospheric pressure and air humidity of 50%. Any deviation from these parameters leads to changes in the behavior of the resins. That is why the conditions in the work premises must be controlled. Solution: Check the conditions in your room and correct them if necessary. Wait a little longer and if you still do not get the desired results, contact a specialist who can help you.

Lack of adhesion

What is adhesion? Adhesion is the force of attraction between the surface molecules of heterogeneous solids and liquids. The loss of adhesion is usually associated with an improperly prepared surface before pouring the resin. If your base is very smooth or crumbly and poorly cleaned, you will certainly experience the consequences of lack of adhesion. Whenever multi-layer systems are applied, we recommend to our customers to roughen the surface between the individual layers to ensure the adhesion of the next layer. When applying resins or any coatings on metal or mosaics, etc. it is always absolutely necessary to scratch the surface with sandpaper or other means. The application of resins on roughly treated wood or crumbly walls, floors, etc. can lead to absolute compromise of the final product (coating).

Loss of shine or the appearance of cloudy spots

Usually the cause of this defect is moisture, which can be from the air, from the surface and less often directly into the mixture of water (drop or small amount of water). Before applying resins on wood, you must make sure that it is dried and does not contain moisture above 4% in it. It is possible that even if you dry the material, it will absorb moisture again from the air if you leave it in a room with high humidity for a long time. Solution: Make sure you remove any moisture from the surface on which you will apply the resin. Always prime before actual pouring resins, whether thick or thin. Do not apply epoxy coatings at relative humidity above 75%.

Orange effect

A very interesting effect is formed on the surface of the coating, which resembles an orange peel. Usually the reason for this is the temperature in the workroom. If it is too hot, the surface layer may harden before the inside of the coating and thus form a crust on the surface. This is a common problem with resins that contain solvents. As the high temperature leads to faster evaporation of the solvents and the resin does not have enough time to harden and this defect is formed. Solutions: If the resin has not yet completely hardened, you can use a roller to "level" the surface. Another option is to pour a new layer up to 2 mm thick, if the resin has not yet completely hardened. In case the coating has hardened completely, you should proceed to sanding the surface and then applying a new thin layer. Or you can apply Polyurethane varnish on top, which is transparent and will restore the shine of the coating.