How to choose the right resin

Are you unsure how to choose the right resin when there are so many options on the market? We talk about the benefits of the different types of resin you might come across and how to choose the right one for your project.

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General All Purpose Epoxy Resin

General all purpose resins are the most common on the market. This type of resin usually has a low viscosity and is a really great all rounder, meaning it will work for the majority of your resin projects.

You’ll find this type of resin is best as a beginner as it will give you good flexibility and the option to explore styles and a wide range of moulds.

Apex All Purpose Resin will give you a great durable finish and can be poured in single layers up to 3cm or poured in multiple layers (leaving each layer to cure for at least around half its cure time before pouring the next) for a deeper project.

We love using general purpose resin for things like:

coasters
trays
jewellery
dishes
small decorative ornaments

Take a look at the key features of the Apex All Purpose Resin:

Viscosity	Low viscosity
Mix Ratio	1:1
Heat Resistance	Heat resistant up to 90 degrees Celsius
Max Pour Depth	3cm
Working Time	30 minutes
Cure Time	16-20 hours
Features	UV resistant Extremely durable Food contact safe

Deep Pour Resin

Deep pour resins can be great for adding things like flowers, memories and other bigger items as it cures more slowly, allowing time for bubbles to be released from your objects. It is also a very low viscosity resin (meaning it is very runny) which makes it easy to mix. They are often a little more expensive but worth it for a crystal clear bubble free finish.

Deep pour resins will vary by brand as to the recommended minimum and maximum pour depths. Always check the instructions for your chosen brand.

Apex Resin Deep Cast is specially formulated for bigger projects where you would like a seamless pour with a crystal clear finish. We recommend using deep pour resin for projects such as:

Large bowls and plates
Flower preservation
River tables
Memories preservation
Moulds with a depth over 3cm

Viscosity	Very low viscosity
Mix Ratio	2:1
Heat Resistance	Heat resistant up to 120 degrees Celsius
Max Pour Depth	30cm
Working Time	60-90 minutes
Cure Time	16-24 hours (based on a 15cm pour depth)
Features	UV resistant Extremely durable Food contact safe

Fast Cure Resin

Fast cure resins can be perfect if you are short on space and want to turn around a project quickly. Typically ranging from 2-6 hours, fast cure resins can really cut down the time it takes between pouring layers too.

The Apex Fast Cure Resin is perfect for a quick project like jewellery or smaller projects that you’d like to ensure are heat resistant and durable as well. We use this resin for projects including:

Creating a domed top coat
Jewellery
Keyrings
Coaster top coats
Geode Art
Ocean art including creating waves
Candles

Viscosity	Very high viscosity
Mix Ratio	1:1
Heat Resistance	Heat resistant up to 120 degrees Celsius
Max Pour Depth	3cm
Working Time	20-30 minutes
Cure Time	Touch dry in 2 hours
Features	UV resistant Extremely durable Food contact safe

UV Resin

You will need to use this type of resin with a resin UV light in order to set your one part liquid.

You are still able to add colour, texture and things like flowers to your UV resin project. However you need to ensure that the UV light can penetrate though the resin to cure it. This means solid colours won’t work well and you are limited by the depth of each layer you can cure at one time.

We love Apex Resin UV because of its ability to cure in minutes. Its easy to work with and creates less mess than working with a two part epoxy resin.

This type of resin is perfect for projects including:

Jewellery
Bezels
Embedding
Small shallow moulds
Small keyrings
Sealing projects
Using as a glue
3D painting

Viscosity	High viscosity
Mix Ratio	No mixing required
Heat Resistance	Heat resistant up to 100 degrees Celsius
Max Pour Depth	4cm
Working Time	Unlimited due to pouring direct from the bottle
Cure Time	2-4 minutes under UV lamp
Features	UV resistant Extremely durable