How to Make a Resin Table

Learning how to make a resin table is a project that rewards patience more than talent. The process is a sequence of fairly simple stages, each of which must be done properly before the next can begin. Rush one, and the problem follows you all the way to the final polish. Take your time, and even a first-time maker can produce a piece that looks professional.

This beginner’s overview walks through the whole journey: the tools you will need, how to set up a workspace, the stages in the right order, and the safety equipment that should be on before any resin is opened. Other pages on our site go deeper into individual steps; this one gives you the map.

Tools list: what you need to make a resin table

You do not need a professional workshop, but some tools are essential and others make life much easier.

• Measuring and marking: tape measure, steel rule, square, pencil and a long straightedge.
• Cutting: a circular saw or track saw for trimming slabs and squaring ends; a jigsaw is useful for shaped tops.
• Flattening: a router with a large surfacing bit and a home-made router sled, which lets you plane a slab too wide for a thicknesser.
• Sanding: a random orbital sander with a range of abrasive discs, plus hand blocks for edges.
• Mould making: melamine-faced board, screws, a drill driver, sheathing or mould-release tape, and silicone sealant.
• Clamping: several sash or F clamps to hold slabs down so they do not float when resin is poured.
• Resin handling: accurate digital scales or graduated mixing buckets, stirring sticks or a paddle mixer on a slow drill, and a heat gun or small torch for surface bubbles.
• Levelling: a long spirit level and shims to get the mould perfectly flat.
• Finishing: a polisher or buffing pads, polishing compound, and your chosen oil or topcoat.

Safety equipment and PPE

Resin is safe to live with once cured, but liquid resin, hardener and sanding dust all need respect. Before you begin, gather the following personal protective equipment:

1. Nitrile gloves: latex is not suitable. Change gloves whenever they become sticky, and never touch your face while wearing them.
2. Respirator with organic-vapour cartridges: for mixing and pouring, especially in larger quantities. Add particulate filters for sanding resin and timber.
3. Eye protection: safety glasses or goggles, as splashes into the eye are a real risk when mixing.
4. Long sleeves and an apron: to keep resin off skin and clothes. Repeated skin contact can lead to sensitisation, a lasting allergy to epoxy.
5. Hearing protection: routers and saws are loud, and flattening a slab takes a long time.

Ventilation is equally important. Open windows and doors or use an extractor fan, keep pets and children out, and never pour resin in a living space.

Workspace and temperature

Resin is sensitive to temperature. Most products specify a working range, typically a comfortable room temperature, and expect it to be held steady during the cure. Cold slows curing and can cause cloudiness; heat speeds it up and, in deep pours, can cause cracking or excessive heat build-up, as our deep pour epoxy tutorial explains.

Choose a space where you can leave the mould undisturbed for several days. A garage or workshop with a heater works well. The floor or bench under the mould must be level and solid, and the area should be as dust-free as possible, since anything floating in the air may settle in the wet surface. A simple tent of plastic sheeting over the mould keeps dust and insects out.

The stages of how to make a resin table, in order

1. Choose and dry the timber. The slab must be properly dried. Damp wood releases moisture and air, ruining the pour.
2. Prepare the slab. Remove loose bark, clean out dirt from cracks and decide on the layout of the river or resin areas.
3. Flatten and cut. Flatten the slab on both faces with the router sled and cut the edges to the shape you want.
4. Seal the timber. Brush a thin coat of resin over the surfaces that will touch the pour to stop air escaping into it later. Our guide on how to seal wood for epoxy covers the details.
5. Build and seal the mould. Construct a melamine box, line it with release tape and seal every joint with silicone.
6. Level and clamp. Level the mould carefully and clamp the slabs so they cannot float.
7. Mix and pour. Measure resin and hardener accurately, mix thoroughly, add colour if desired, and pour in layers within the product’s depth limits. Our guide on how to pour epoxy resin covers the technique.
8. Cure. Leave the mould at the right temperature for the full time the manufacturer recommends.
9. Demould and flatten. Remove the mould and flatten the whole top again with the router sled.
10. Sand and finish. Sand through progressively finer grits, then polish or apply oil or a topcoat.
11. Fit the base. Attach legs or a frame with fixings that allow for timber movement.

Beginner tips that save heartache

The best way to learn how to make a resin table is to start smaller than you think. A side table or a narrow console teaches every stage with a fraction of the resin and risk. Read the resin datasheet twice, and follow its mixing ratio, pour depth and temperature to the letter. Test your colour on scrap first. Keep a notebook of quantities, temperatures and timings so your second table is better than your first.

Above all, do not panic when something goes wrong. Most problems, from small bubbles to uneven surfaces, can be fixed during flattening and finishing. Our guide on how to remove bubbles from epoxy helps you prevent the commonest one.

For the woodworking side of the build, This Old House has a step-by-step guide on turning a wood slab into a table, covering sanding, stabilising cracks with bow-tie keys, finishing both faces to limit movement, and fitting the legs.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to make a resin table?

Expect at least one to two weeks for a first project, much of it waiting for curing. Active work time is shorter, but the stages cannot be rushed.

Can I make a resin table without a router?

For small pieces you can hand sand, but a router with a sled is the practical way to flatten a full-size slab. Some makers pay a local workshop to flatten for them.

What is the most important safety item?

Nitrile gloves and a respirator with organic-vapour cartridges, used in a well-ventilated space, are the essentials. Avoiding skin contact prevents sensitisation.

Watch how to make a resin table

Follow along with real builds on the Go Bespoke YouTube channel, @go-bespoke, and see every stage from raw slab to finished table.

Would you rather we made it for you? Get in touch for a bespoke quote.