How to Seal Paper for Resin So It Looks Its Best

seal paper for resinOne of the most frequently asked questions I get is how to seal paper to include it in resin.

Why might you include paper in resin?

So you can turn your favorite photo into a pendant.

Pretty cool, eh?

How do you seal paper for resin?
applying a layer of white glue to a photo

Option 1:  Apply glue

Use a paintbrush and clear drying glue to apply at least two coats to your papers.  Be sure to also apply glue to the edges of your papers. Allow the glue to dry completely before including them in resin. This may be a couple of hours but can take a couple of days if you’re living somewhere humid.

If your papers aren’t dry and you put them in resin anyways, they will wick in moisture stains.

And you don’t need to worry about the brush strokes the glue makes. They’ll disappear when you add your epoxy resin.

Here’s how you can paper for resin using glue:


Option 2:  Apply tape

If you don’t like using glue, or hate waiting for the glue to dry, you can use packing tape.  (Guess who said ‘Waiting is the Hardest Part?‘)

Apply clear tape over the front and back of your papers, so they overlap. Trim the edges of the tape as necessary, but be sure to leave a tape margin. Otherwise, the paper edge is exposed and wicks moisture in.

Here’s how to seal paper for resin using tape:


Here are a few of my other pro tips when using paper for resin:

Print on “very bright white” paper (brightness of 96 U.S. or above).

The colors will come through much brighter than on a standard copy paper.

Use a color laserjet printer instead of an inkjet printer.

The colors are crisper, and they don’t smear when applying glue. If you don’t have access to a color laserjet printer, many copy stores will print these pages for you on a laserjet printer for a small charge.

What if I told you that making resin crafts could be easy?

It’s why I wrote the ebook Resin Fundamentals. Learn from my 17 years of resin experience instead. You can read this PDF book today and feel confident you won’t be making costly mistakes. It’s the book I wish I had when I started.

 

Unpublished Blog Posts of Resin Obsession, LLC © 2023 Resin Obsession, LLC

 

Like this post? You may be interested in  What are the types of resin? And Why It Matters.

64 thoughts on “How to Seal Paper for Resin So It Looks Its Best

  1. I purchased very high quality paper. And I take it to Staples and or office depot with my USB and just ask them to print out the pics and or images that i want printed out on there laser printers..for about .25 to .50 cents a sheet. I then coat them with mod podge once on each side. Instead of 4 to 5 times. Also the picture is so much more crisp with a laser printer. It’s worth the extra time that save coating with mod podge so many times.

    1. I print my own artwork and cover tiles I’m having trouble with finding a tape that doesn’t take the print off any suggestions

    2. I don’t know if anyone has thought to use a laminator. I have a project on the go and that’s what I am going to use, unless someone can tell me it doesn’t work

      1. Hi, brian.. I used it.. it’s way better than tape 😂 i used it to make photo keychain resin.. after cutting the photo to the exact size, laminate them and cut the edges then I used uv resin first because it fast dry.. after that I used epoxy resin…

  2. That’s a great idea Margaret. Color laser jet printers are expensive and making copies somewhere else can help save on costs.

  3. Hi Katherine,

    My mother’s birthday is coming up, and I wanted to make her a gift this year. For various reasons, cherry blossoms hold a certain amount of sentimental value for her. As such, I was hoping to preserve some fresh cherry blossoms in resin for her- is this just totally unrealistic? If it is, I understand, but any help at all would be hugely appreciated.

    Thanks in advance!

    1. Hey Shawna you can buy a special powdered form of silica at any craft store. You cover your flowers in that and leave it for a day. Your flowers come out not only preserved but they don’t lose their color like regular drying does and it doesn’t make them super crispy. Plus it’s reusable! I preserve all of my flowers using this method and then they are ready to go straight in the resin.

  4. Hi, I have been unhappy with the sealers I have used as they leave brush marks on the photos, even Mod Podge.
    Help!

  5. Kate,

    Are you still seeing brush marks when you pour resin on top? I always see brush marks when I’m sealing my items, but because the glue dries clear, the clear resin fills in nicely and the brush marks go away.

  6. The matte spray modge podge works great.. Also, you can envelope smaller items in clear packing tape, just be sure and seal the edges well and leave a tiny margin.. and try not to get fingerprints on the tape 🙂

  7. I captured a Northern Black Widow spider & wish to preserve it in resin. What is the best way to go about doing this? I’ve heard others say that the spider needs to first be sprayed with a sealer & then it will be fine. Others say it has to be dried out… But if it dries out it will completely lose its shape, which I don’t want. Please help!

    1. I make origami figures from candy wrappers that are usually wax paper, and colored. I’m wanting to put them into small glass jars with resin inside to make miniature landscapes for them. What do I need to do, if anything, to prep the figures?

  8. I remember years ago my moehtr gave some man in our church an necklace that instead of a chain , it was a thick leather cord and the pendant was shaped like a cross but the cross was made out of nails that was driven in Christ hand. I found out that this necklace did in fact come from Israel. It was very unique.

  9. hello!
    I am casting resin for the first time…right now! haha and like always have not tried it on something that doesnt matter first…so we will see how THAT goes. I am casting a ‘whirly-gig’ or samara….it is dry and brown and i want it that way….do I still need to seal it with mode podge? or becasue I dont care about the color is it ok the way it is? I am casting it into a little shallow wooden frame…

    thanks!

  10. Kim,

    I’m not sure what you’re referring to when you say samara, but I can tell you if it is porous at all to seal it. If you’re unsure, basically it comes down to whether or not the consistency and/or color would change if this item got wet. if so, then the answer is to seal.

  11. To dry flowers, get drying crystals from a hardware like Ace, Home Depot, or Lowes. Advertised for use in closets or areas that become “musty”, you can take a wide container that has a tight fitting lid, put at least 1/2″ layer of crystals in it, lay the flower(s) on it, and carefully pour the drying agent all around, between petals, and covering completely. Be gentle so as not to bruise the petals. They should be ready in a very few days. Small flowers like cherry blossoms should take less than a week. Larger ones, or “juicier”, like roses, carnations or chrysanthemums take up to 10 days to two weeks. The drying agent may have to be “recharged” afterward before using again.(It helps to get the kind you can dry in the oven to recharge.)
    I found this out from my sister, who used the drying agent in her work, and I tried it on flowers. It would be much too drying for the spider mentioned!

  12. Hello,
    I would like to layer some of my pet’s ashes in resin but I am a little intimidated by the fact that the ashes are porous. It would just be a pinch and maybe a little sand from her favorite beach. Do you think this would work without ruining the resin and therefore the precious ashes?
    Thanks!

  13. Lesli, I haven’t done anything with ashes, but in talking with our customers, several of them have used ashes. I would suggest trying some test pieces first. Perhaps you can try with some wood ashes first? Sand also works very well with resin. Make sure it is completely dry before using it, as the moisture will inhibit curing.

  14. I wanted to start making resin pendents of my art work which i pain in acrylic, what is the best way to (material) to make the resin pendants with my acrylic painting skill, should i be painting directly on to paper and than sealing it or should i make a laser jet copy of the original painting to use in the painting?

  15. @Crystal, I would suggest making a copy of your original painting and printing those on paper. (It’s a great way to make many of that original you love!) If you wanted to seal one of your originals before including in resin, I would suggest trying our resin gloss sealer spray.

  16. I have some rub on tattoos that I would like to use in resin. Would I seal them like I would regular paper?

  17. Katherine I was just wondering when you do your resin jewelry with photos ….Do you print them out on regular good quality printing paper or do you print them on a good quality photo paper? I use Photo paper and use a sealant on it as well …But I was just wanting to know what you thought was the best on this?
    Thanks Kathy Howington

  18. @Kathy,
    I have a professional grade laser printer and print them on super bright white paper. I think that does better to prevent ‘runs’ and protect the color versus photo paper.

  19. I’m planning on making a photo frame keychain with craft sticks and laminated clip art. If I put the craft sticks into a frame, can the resin (mine is Gedeo epoxy resin) still leak out of the sticks?

        1. You can apply a layer of resin to the top or a couple of light coats of sealer spray to make them glossy. I’m not sure what you mean by ‘stuff’ proof.

  20. Then how do I prevent the resin from spilling out of the sticks and picture frame if I want to make the picture look bevelled?

    1. I would seal the edges of the sticks with a clear drying white glue. You could also use a 5 minute epoxy to do this as well.

      1. I have PVA white glue. Can it be used to prevent the resin from spilling? Because I have no ideas and there are no things available in Malaysia!

  21. I’m lucky enough to have access to a freeze dryer at work which is pretty good at drying petals. Another tip from a chemistry lab could be to seal the blossoms in an airtight box with a dessicant such as silica gel. The seal will need to be good so you can add some vaseline around it or similar. This will mean you don’t have to flatten them as with pressing. You could also try a dehydrator at about 40 deg C.

  22. You know how you use transparency and won’t have to seal? I wonder if you just laminate it….. lol would it work??? I’m going to test it.

  23. We can make bowl of resin by using decorating dry flower and can use some sparkle if want cause sparkle looks amazing

  24. Question…. would I seal drift wood the same way? I work with wood…. or would a spray sealer work of polyeuethane?

    1. You need to seal the wood first, but this isn’t my area of expertise. I’ve also heard woodworkers talking about using cactus juice.

  25. I am becoming artist inspired by Bob Ross & others on Twitch & learning of mod podge, which will use after then maybe white pain on old white formica cabinets facing, but wood foldable tables top use resin when get 50 off at Michael’s, cuz expensive in my opinion for me a poor person. I am glad in my 1st search that I found this article, so now I know more & exactly what I needed clear & precised instructions. My lucky day finally. Lol Thanks.

  26. What if you wanted to resin coat an 8×10 photograph. If you tried to tape up the photo, you will see lines from the tape from the different strips of tape. How can you seal an 8×10 photo? Or even a 5×7 photo for that matter.

    1. I am trying to make an epoxy tumbler with old comic books. How is the best way to seal the comics to preserve color since they are thin like newspaper? Please advise.

      1. Some fabulous tips here. I’d thought about mod podge but hadn’t tried it. I’m going to try PVA (or school glue/Elmer’s I think it’s called elsewhere?) To see if that also works. Has anyone tried clear nail polish or spray varnish?

  27. Late to the party but that’s ok…. I just got some pretty scrapbook paper at the dollar store AND they had Mod Podge 👍, so I will be trying this soon! They also have totally clear school glue now, also super cheap,, which would probably also work. I’m going to try both and see which turns out better. Thank you for another great tutorial ❤ I had a lot of silver pendant blanks just sitting around waiting for the perfect project LOL

    1. P.S. just don’t do what I did initially and accidentally glue your paper to the wax paper! It was stuck good…think I overdid the Modge Podge a bit, lol

  28. Can I color a coloring book page or image then resin it to make a charm or something with it? If so, what can I use to color the page?

  29. I want to use watercolor paper in the bottom of an acrylic tray. I think lamination would be best, but do I need to use adhesive to stick the art to the tray before using resin?
    Thanks in advance.

  30. When I want to seal something I am using in a project, I use a spray Gloss Paint to seal the paper. I have an inkjet printer and this seals the ink and the paper. I usually spray it two times. Make sure not to saturate it in the spray as the ink will run and ruin it. This has worked very well for my projects.

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