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How to Mix Resin for Beginners

Hey y'all,

If there’s one thing I know about resin it’s that it can be super intimidating. Especially to beginners! I won’t tell you how easy it is (there’s definitely a learning curve) but I will tell you how fun it is… and how quickly you can pick it up if you’re willing to jump in and give mixing resin a try.

When you start to mix resin the first thing you should know is that not all resin is the same. Some is meant to do large projects, some is meant for small bevels (jewelry pieces)… and all of this resin has different instructions.

Each and every resin will have it’s specific instructions on the box so you don’t have to worry… but regardless of your resin the directions will be identical or very similar. Most resins have a part a and a part b that have to be mixed together in a 1 to 1 ratio for about 2 minutes. Once mixed you’ll have a window of 15-45 minutes before the resin is toooooo hard to work with.

Depending on your resin you may need a 1 to 2 part ratio, or perhaps you’ll need to work super fast to complete your piece in a 15 minute window. Either way whenever you try a new type of resin always start by reading the directions on the box.

Today I’ll be showing you how to use Amazing Clear Cast Resin which has a 1 to 1 part ratio, 30 minutes of work time and 24-48 hours before you can remove your piece from the mold. It’s a pretty good resin to start with and easy enough to work with.

Ready to get started?

Supplies:

  • Amazing Clear Cast Resin
  • Respirator/Mask
  • Gloves
  • Wagner HT400 Heat Gun
  • Silicone Mold (I used these coaster molds for this project)
  • Freezer Paper
  • Baking Pan
  • Small Mixing Cups
  • Silicone Measuring Cup/Larger Mixing Cups
  • Popsicle Sticks
  • Toothpicks
  • Plastic Spoons
  • Inclusions: Fine Glitter, Chunky Glitter, Rose Gold Flakes
Not sure what the heck inclusions are? Not sure where to find molds? Confused about where to start with resin… not even sure what to buy? This post will teach you everything you need to know about mixing resin but if you want to go back to the beginning check out my Resin 101 Post. It’s a complete guide to getting started with all things resin.

Step 1: Prepare your Surface

Start by prepping your surface, cover the table you’re using with freezer paper and gather all of your supplies. You need to work in a well ventilated area so if you’ll need to move your resin to cure for the full 24 hours I suggest covering a baking pan with freezer paper so that you’ll be able to easily move your molds.

Resin doesn’t give you a lot of wiggle room on the drying time so once you start you won’t want to dart off to the other room to grab glitter… get everything you’ll need now.

Then put on your respirator so you’re ready to rock.

Trust me on this one… the first time I used resin I didn’t think I needed a respirator and I had a massive headache 15 minutes in (not to mention sticky fingers). Wear your respirator (and gloves!) it’s worth it.

Step 2: Mix Your Resin

Let’s jump right in. For this little “how to mix resin” demo I grabbed an easy to use coaster mold… you can use any silicone mold you have handy but these little coasters are a fun beginner level project that can really turn out amazing!

To start I picked the second smallest coaster and started by mixing 30ml of resin. That means we’ll need 15ml of part a and 15ml of part b.

Start by pouring the 15ml of part a into your tiny measuring cup.

Now take bottle b and add 15ml of part b on top of the part a in your mixing cup. You’ll see how they sit one on top of the other… kind of like oil and water.

That’s what we need to mix together!

Remember that if you have your measurements off the resin won’t cure… if you don’t mix them together thoroughly (or long enough) the resin won’t cure. So be careful to measure your portions carefully and when it comes time to mix… mix it real good y’all.

Ready? Set? Mix!

Take a popsicle stick and mix your little measuring cup for 2 minutes. Make sure to mix from the bottom so that you get all of the mixture from the bottom and the sides thoroughly mixed.

Step 3: Pour the Resin into your Mold

Once you’ve mixed your resin completely go ahead and pour it directly into your mold. Later on you’ll learn techniques where you can mix fun things into your resin first (like the second alcohol ink technique I used in this tutorial) but for today we’re going straight into the mold.

Make sure that the resin spreads all the way out into the corners of the mold… you can use your popsicle stick to push the resin around the edges of the mold if need be. We definitely want full coverage.

Step 4: Pop the Bubbles

This is my favorite part!

One your resin is in your mold you’ll notice quite a few bubbles in the liquid. Take your heat gun (I use this little Wagner HT400 model since it has multiple settings and works for all my craft projects) and pass it over the resin on the low setting.

You’ll see all of the little bubbles rise to the top of the resin and pop! Just take a look at the photo above to see all the bubbles in the freshly poured resin… then scroll down for the crystal clear, bubble free photo!

Once all of the bubbles are gone your resin should be crystal clear and ready for a few inclusions.

Looking for ideas? Here’s my master list for amazing budget friendly items you can add to your resin.

Step 5: Add Inclusions!

Now it’s time to have a little fun… adding inclusions! For this project I picked a simple selection of fine glitter, chunky glitter, rose gold flakes. (Check out my list of 25 fun inclusions to put inside your resin projects for even more ideas.) All of these items can be added once your resin is in the mold… and looks amazing when dry.

I always add the inclusions smallest to biggest (other wise you wouldn’t be able to see the small glitter behind the huge rose gold flakes!). Remember that the front of the coaster is against the mold so we’re actually adding all of these fun materials to the back of our coaster.

So start by sprinkling your fine glitter all over the coaster, then add a sprinkling of chunky glitter on top of that. Finish it off by laying small and large pieces of rose gold flake across the surface.

Easy peezy!

Once you’re done with your little coaster it’s time to leave these babies to do their thing. It will take 24-48 hours to fully cure so go ahead and let them sit for a while. If you are working in a space where your resin can cure without being bothered then this is the point you get to walk away.

If you’re working outside or in a well ventilated area that has a lot of traffic move your resin somewhere it won’t be messed up for the next 24 hours. This is one reason I like to lay my freezer paper on a baking pan… it’s super easy to pick up and move.

Step 6: Remove from the Mold

Once your resin is completely cured you can remove it from the mold. Luckily this is a pretty easy process.

Simply start to peel the mold back from your resin… if the resin was mixed properly and it’s all the way cured you should see a clean release on all the edges.

If the resin is still tacky and does not feel smooth and dry to the touch then leave it alone and come back the next day. If the resin feels crystal clean and dry then go ahead and completely remove the mold… it should leave you with a shiny, beautiful resin coaster!

Check it out!

Ready to take your project to the next level? CLICK HERE to learn How to Layer Resin to add even more depth to your resin pieces!

Looking for more resin projects? I’ve got you covered!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
You made it through the entire post? That means you're one of my new favorite people! I'd love to be friends and see what else you would like to read about! Leave me a comment and then sign up for your very own FREE paint planner.... so that you can keep track of every single paint color with ease!
Welcome back! I'd love to be friends and see what else you would like to read about! Leave me a comment and then sign up for your very own FREE paint planner.... so that you can keep track of every single paint color with ease!

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sidebar betsy I'm Betsy, Home Decor Enthusiast, Yorkie Mama, Crafter, Blogger, Picky Eater, Chief Mess Maker, Antique Hoarder and Graphic Designer. You can generally find me working on (attacking with a paintbrush) the 3 bed, 2 bath home we are currently renting! Our home might not be perfect but it is ours & if you hang out long enough you'll see that what we lack in know-how we make up for in passion!
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The number one question people ask when they watch The number one question people ask when they watch my new home tour on YouTube? Why is there so much clutter... um excuse me I like stuff! The second question? How did you frost the doors? Don’t worry... I wrote out the whole process, check out the step by step tutorial on the blog!
With Christmas fast approaching I’m having secon With Christmas fast approaching I’m having second thoughts... about taking down my holiday decorations! I absolutely love all the blush and rose gold this year and think I might have to add more pink to my every day decor. Until then maybe it will just stay Christmas at the Smith house! Tutorials for both the “Merry Christmas” resin sign and the “Dear Santa” Cricut sign are in my profile! #pinkchristmas #pinkchristmastree #pinkchristmasdecor
Well y’all Christmas is coming up quick... which Well y’all Christmas is coming up quick... which means I need to get a move on with all that wrapping! I got a jump start this morning after whipping up a few little resin light bulbs! Check out the full tutorial over on the blog if you’d like to wrap your presents with a few resin goodies this year... and tell me in the comments below. Are you finished wrapping or (like me) are you still getting started? #pinkchristmas #pinkchristmasdecor #resinchristmas #giftwrappingideas
Ready for another fun and easy resin project? Thes Ready for another fun and easy resin project? These little Christmas trees are the perfect beginner level project so if you’ve never done resin before don’t let it intimidate you!! Grab your heat gun and jump in... I’ll walk you through it! Check out the full blog post for these little guys on the blog (link in profile!)
If you haven’t joined Michelle at @weekendcraft If you haven’t joined Michelle at @weekendcraft SVG membership then WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! I am obsessed with all the cute svg’s and y’all she is doing a live craft night every month to walk you through making one of her designs... and the first craft night is tomorrow! She’ll be making this “Merry everything and Happy always” SVG and it’s so cute! You don’t want to miss it! See you there! 

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#ad how amazing did these little fall coasters tur #ad how amazing did these little fall coasters turn out?! Plus I absolutely love the matching tray! The best part? This is such a quick and easy resin project... a silicone mold, a little resin and your trusty heat gun and I promise you can make this baby!! Link in profile for the tutorial!! #fallresin #resinforbeginners #cheetahprint
Okay... is it bad if you just want to make coaster Okay... is it bad if you just want to make coasters in the same mold with the same technique but different colors?? They turn out soo differently! Just a sneak peek of my fall coasters and the blush ones I made last year!
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🥳📦🥳 GIVEAWAY🥳📦🥳
If you have loved all of the Cricut projects I make here is your chance to win a Cricut Joy of your very own! If you’re ready for a little craftiness (maybe a little time to relax) then this giveaway is for you! I’m teaming up with a few of my cavities crafty bloggers so that one of you can win your very own mini crafting machine. Good Luck!!!!

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A little peek into the fun summery Tablescape I pu A little peek into the fun summery Tablescape I put together for a little garden party! Want to check out the full table? Wondering where to find all the pieces... click the link in my profile for all the details!
#ad Did you know you can put infusible ink onto al #ad Did you know you can put infusible ink onto aluminum? It's sooooo simple... honestly it's one of the easiest projects I've ever done. Even if you've never used your Cricut before you. can. do. this. I'll show you how every step of the way! Follow along with the full tutorial video over on YouTube! The best part? These little aluminum signs look amazing as part of a larger project! Check out how I added mine to a larger resin wave project on the last slide! @officialcricut #cricutcreated https://lnk2.io/wvMllZf
Okay so It’s no secret that I’ve been obsessed Okay so It’s no secret that I’ve been obsessed with resin for a while now but this week I’ve been playing around with resin waves! Including this tiny resin sea shell! Check out the link in my profile for the full tutorial!
After a lot of struggle, loss and frustration I am After a lot of struggle, loss and frustration I am finally dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s on my next chapter. Yesterday I went and signed the million and one papers to close on my new house! I cannot wait to share the moving (and decorating) process with all of you... next step: keys! #firsttimehomebuyer #newhouse
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