Making resin gifts for a loved one is one word. FUN. And you might be wondering if you can use resin to DIY a gift for grandparents.
Yes, you can.
Grab the kiddos. Grab your resin supplies. And get the oven ready.
You’ve got an afternoon of resin crafts coming.
Supply list:
Ceramic tiles
Permanent marker pens
Resin Obsession crystal doming resin
Mixing Cups
Stirring Sticks
Safety Gloves
Protective Mat
Step 1: Decorate ceramic tiles.
Give your kids your collection of Sharpies.
Fully supervised of course.
Then, let them draw masterpieces onto white, glazed ceramic tiles. You can get these from a home improvement store. They cost about $1 each.
💡 Pro tip: Ceramic tiles are a perfect surface for making resin art too.
Step 2: Bake the tiles.
To make sure the ink doesn’t come off the tiles, let them air-dry for 24 hours. Then, place the tiles into a cold oven and turn it on to 450F. After 30 minutes, turn the oven off and let the tiles completely cool.
💡 Pro tip: To get brighter colors for your DIY gift for grandparents, let the tiles air dry for several days, and don’t bake them. Or use oil-based Sharpies for the project.
Step 3: Mix resin.
The Resin Obsession crystal doming resin is perfect for this project. It evenly levels without you having to do any extra work. Plus, it cures extra glossy in only one coat.
But how much resin do you need to mix?
Ah. This part is easy.
Use the Resin Obsession resin calculator to do the math for you.
Step 4: Cover the tile with epoxy.
Prop up your tile, then pour the mixed clear epoxy resin onto the ceramic tile. Pour enough to cover approximately two-thirds of the tile. Then, let it spread.
Use your stirring stick or gloved fingers to help cover the tile with resin.
Drip more resin onto the tile if it isn’t covered completely. You don’t want fish eyes in your DIY gift for grandparents.
Go over the tile surface with a heat tool and watch those bubbles pop. It’s #oddlysatisfying.
So this is why you need a protective resin surface. Your resin can slide over the edge and drip onto your table.
Step 5: Clean up the resin drips and finish the back
If you have cured resin on the back of your DIY grandparent’s gift, you’ll need to sand them off. You can use coarse sandpaper, but it will take a while. Plus, it’s incredibly boring.
The quicker way to sand resin is using a rotary tool.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Wear a dust particle mask and safety glasses when using any rotary tool.
To ensure the tiles don’t scratch a delicate surface, add felt pads to the back. These are the same pads you can put on the bottom of furniture legs so they don’t scratch the floor. You can use corkboard to protect the back too.
Your DIY gift for grandparents is done! And they’ll love that they’re one-of-a-kind epoxy art.
Confused about where to get started with resin?
Tried making resin crafts and unhappy with your results? It’s not your fault. There is so much information out there. There’s no way you can sort through it all.
It’s why I wrote the book Resin Fundamentals. I’ve condensed my 15 years of resin artist experience into the book of essentials you need to know to make something amazing. Even if you’ve never created with resin before. Buy the ebook now and get a download link to your email address in minutes.
Unpublished Blog Posts of Resin Obsession, LLC © 2022 Resin Obsession, LLC
It’s a plreause to find someone who can identify the issues so clearly
Hi!! This is very helpfull thank you.. I tried to do somethig very similar to this one, but when i put something hot on it, it becomes sticky.. Do you have any idea for making it resistant to heat??
Thanks
Try a different resin that doesn’t soften with the heat. What kind/brand are you using?
Thank you for the reply!!
I am from Turkey and i had difficulties to find different kinds of resin here… The brand is ARTDECO and it says 100 layers varnish resin on the bottle… I dont know if it is what you asked though
I would expect it that resin to work without any problems for a project like this. I would suggest reaching out to them for help with your situation.
Great diy project! However, I was wondering if I skip the baking part and let the Sharpie drawings air dry, will the resin mess up the drawings? Like cause it to blur or distort?
I don’t know. I followed others’ advice that says in order to cement the ink to the tile, it needs to be baked.
after the sharpie, use Krylon Kamar Varnish, three coats every thirty minutes, then 2 coats of Krylon UV Clear every 30 minutes. Finally, use painters tape on the back of the tiles so you don’t have to file the big drips on the back-side. I use ArtResin and a artists torch to pop the bubbles. Have fun!!
Why would you cover after pouring resin?
To keep dust and other particles in the air from settling into your resin.
Good information…thanks. Will a doming resin such as Easy Cast Clear Casting Epoxy also work? Thanks.
Yes, it will.
You can also use Painters Tape on the back of the tile. The Resin will drip on to the tape and simply remove. I use corkboard on the bottom of my tiles for a finished look.
Will art resin work and not stick when a hot or cold beverage is placed on the coaster. If you like a resin pour
Hi Denise, we’ve got a conversation about this topic in our forum that you might find helpful: https://www.resinobsession.com/forums/topic/drinking-glasses-sticking-to-resin-coasters/
Hi Everyone … this seems to be a great source of information. I just completed a few dozen ceramic coasters using a dutch pour method and then resined them. They look beautiful however I now notice that some of the sides did not full coat. Can you give any advise on how best to coat the sides without re-pouring the entire coaster? Is that even possible? Would I need to sand the sides first? Can I do all the sides at the same time? Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Kirsten, did you use a doming resin for this project? If not, this is the one I would use: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/resin-obsession-artwork-resin
Hello Kristen & Kathrine,
I am having the same issue. I will apply a photo or sticker to the top of the tile with modge podge and then resin over the tile. While I resin, I ensured the entire tile/coaster is covered. However, after the item cures, the sides of the tiles appear as though the resin just dripped off of them. The sides are uneven and lacking enough resin for full coverage. This causes a huge issue…since the entire tile isn’t sealed, the top resin ends up peeling off. How can I apply resin to the sides so it’s thick enough to stay on the them? It extremely dishearting this happens. So much time and energy. Not to mention, I recently had one clients item do this. Very upsetting. Please any suggestions are welcomed! Thank you!
Hi Alex, I’m sorry this is happening to you. This article will help: https://www.resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/why-does-my-epoxy-have-dimples/