Counter resin hardened too quickly!
+9
My son in law decided to put a resin bar top on top of DIY kitchen counter. It hardened TOO quickly. He didn't have time to spread it out and now some spots are not covered. In his haste there is resin on stove top and floor. Any info would be appreciated. When the two liquids are mixed together are they supposed to get hot?
you will have to rub it all down again with sandpaper, starting with a course grit one . he probably put too much hardener in it.
One thing you can do to slow down the reaction (when you do it the 2nd time), is use a bigger container. Putting a ton of resin in a small container makes the mix hotter and speeds up the reaction of the 2 components. Another thing I would suggest is to have somebody else do this job, because your SIL obviously doesn't care about doing it right. For example, he didn't tape off the left edge, so the resin splashed up onto the stovetop. The key to working with epoxy is preparation and patience.
In addition to the size of the container (and batch size), the container itself could be hyperinsulating the resin mix. Do not use styrofoam or other insulating containers, do not double up containers for sturdiness, etc. No, it is NOT supposed to get hot!
Since you're taping a stove top and you're not going to mar the finish, you can use any kind of tape - even duct tape would work. But you have a much bigger problem now - getting all that cured epoxy off the counter top.
First of all...prep is IMPORTANT! Make sure everything is covered and/or taped. Mix the resins exactly as per instructions.
I've done my countertop this way and had a couple of missed spots. The key is to work quickly...pour, spread quickly (using a notched trowel helped spread it evenly) and then let it settle on its own. Yes, as the 2 resins start to harden, it gets very warm to hot.
You won't have to start all over. I made my mistakes and was successful in correcting them. You'll need to get more and do exactly as the instructions say. There are instructionals and tips on YouTube that are helpful.
Was it particularly hot when he did it?
Two-part polyester resins, epoxies and plastic body filler (Bondo) with separate hardeners all generate heat as the chemical reaction occurs and it hardens. Some can get too hot to touch.
When I use that stuff I take a heat gun on it and rip it up. Some times it will peel off. But be safe. Test a spot first.