How To Finish An Epoxy Table

Need finishing options for your epoxy river table? See how to get a natural matte, satin, or glossy finish.

Once you’ve finished building your beautiful epoxy table, there are many options for finishing it. EcoPoxy epoxies can be worked the same as wood, so just like finishing a wood table, you can use a variety of methods to finish your epoxy table.

Sanding

No matter the product you will be using, you will likely need to sand your piece for an even surface and to buff out any tool marks and imperfections. Always start with a coarse grit, and slowly work your way up to the finer grit sandpapers, making sure not to skip more than one grit size at a time. Be sure to wipe off all the sawdust, debris, and let your piece dry thoroughly before applying your finish coating.

Glossy Finish

UVPoxy can be used for a glossy finish on your epoxy table. To ensure you get a perfectly smooth finish, follow these tips to properly prepare your suface:

• We recommend seal coating any surfaces that will be coated with UVPoxy. Seal coats help prevent air and moisture from migrating out of substrate materials, which can cause bubbles. 
• The best way to know whether your workpiece needs to be sealed is to coat a small test piece before proceeding with your project.
• Before applying the seal coat, prepare your workpiece for proper bonding with UVPoxy. For hard, glossy surfaces, use 220 grit sandpaper to scuff the areas that will be coated with resin. Remove excess dust with compressed air, then wipe clean with denatured or isopropyl alcohol.
• In cases where you are seal coating a painted surface, simply clean the surface using compressed air and wipe it with an appropriate solvent. Always test the solvent on a painted test piece before using it on your project.
• With your workpiece ready for the seal coat, mix the resin accordingly. Pour the resin into the center of the workpiece. For flat surfaces, use EcoPoxy’s notched spreader (1/8” side or flat side) to push the resin evenly out from the center and completely coat the surface. Make sure to spread the resin to the edges of the workpiece.
• For workpieces with irregular surfaces, use a brush to push the resin into tight corners, cracks, and crevices. Allow the resin to spill over the edges of the workpiece to seal all sides. Make sure that all surfaces are coated evenly. The UVPoxy seal coat should be a thin film rather than a flood coat.
• For best adhesion, apply your UVPoxy flood coat while the seal coat is still tacky. Otherwise, wait until the seal coat is set, then scuff the sealed surface with 220 grit sandpaper. Remove excess dust, then wipe clean with denatured or isopropyl alcohol before applying the UVPoxy flood coat.

Note: If your workpiece is particularly porous, 2-3 seal coats may be required to seal the surface fully. Examine your project carefully after seal coating to confirm that all voids have been filled before continuing to the flood coat.

Matte Finish

For a matte finish, you can sand your table surface up to 3,000-grit. If you'd rather apply a topcoat, most oil-based finishes will adhere to the epoxy portions and form a protective film, which will buff out to an attractive matte finish. The optimal sandpaper grit for most of these finishes is 320 or higher. Proven brands like Osmo, Rubio, and Odie’s oils/waxes have been used with great success by many customers. These finishes will help your tabletop resist moisture while retaining a natural matte look.

Satin Finish

If you want a subtle gloss, UVPoxy can be used for this look as well. While a flood coat results in a glossy finish, to get a satin finish simply sand the cured flood coat of UVPoxy with extra fine grit sandpaper. Work your way up through the grits until you get to your desired satin look. 

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