Have you ever mixed your resin and noticed it has heated up really quickly. It might bubble or even start smoking. You might notice lumps of your resin turning solid within a few minutes even if it usually takes hours to cure.

Is your resin hot or smoking?

If you’ve landed on this blog because it is happening to you now – first things first. Open your windows, if possible, put on protective gear and take your resin outside.

On rare occasions, a flash cure can catch fire so it is best to be outside where it can be controlled. Make sure it is away from animals and children and monitored until cooled.

Why does resin flash cure?

1) Mixing too much resin at the same time

The more of both parts you mix, the more of a chemical reaction you will have. Every brand of resin will be different and should come with a minimum and maximum amount of both parts that should be mixed together at the same time.

Always follow the instructions for your brand of resin. You can always measure in to multiple cups or containers and mix a number of smaller batches at the same time.

2) Your epoxy resin is too hot before mixing the two parts

If your working space is too hot already, this could warm your resin before even being mixed.

Keep your resin out of direct sunlight. Always store your resin in a cool dark place.

3) Your have overheated your resin

Using a heat torch or heat mat can be a great way to remove bubbles and speed up the curing process but … too much heat can make the temperature rise too fast.

Check out our blog on removing bubbles from resin to see how you can safely remove bubbles from your resin.

Visit our blog on using heat mats for resin to see how best use these without leading to flash cures.

4) Your resin quality

All resins can flash cure due to the reasons above. However, some cheaper brands may not have undergone full safety testing measures or may not perform as well as other brands of resin.

Always check reviews before you purchase your epoxy resin and ensure that you follow the exact instructions for your brand of resin. They will vary.