How to make an epoxy resin table (river table) step by step

In this article we're going to explain everything you need to know to make a table with an epoxy resin river: the sanding and cleaning process for the wood, materials for the formwork… Everything you need to know to make a table with ClearWater Deep Pour Epoxi.

How to make an Epoxy Resin table step by step

1. The first step is to prepare the wood. Let's say our wood section is 1 metre long, 40 centimetres wide and 2 centimetres thick (the width is approximate, as it varies depending on the shape of the tree and its bark). First, use a pencil and a ruler to draw a straight line running from the base perpendicularly up to the top.

It's important that this line runs lengthways, not across the width. Once drawn, you can cut along it with a jigsaw. If you clamp a wooden batten to your board with some clamps, you can use it as a guide to get a straight cut without having to do it freehand. This cut can be made with much more professional or industrial machinery, but not everyone has that kind of equipment at home or in their workshop.

With this step we've divided the board into two sections — if you align the cut with the ends of the future table, the negative gap left on the inside, flanked by the tree bark, is the space you'll fill with resin.

If you buy the wood from a professional supplier, it will usually come already sanded and without bark. If not, you'll need to remove it with a gouge or chisel. You don't need to carve it off — it can be pulled away easily. You can use these tools just as an aid. Make sure you clean off all the dust or sawdust from the wood thoroughly, because these particles can become suspended in the resin. The best approach is to use a compressor and blow them off, or use a household vacuum cleaner to clean all sides.

2. The next step is to prepare the formwork. To prepare the formwork you need a smooth, satin-finish surface. By this we mean one with no pores through which the resin could seep. You can use satin-finish wood, foam board, etc.

A trick we recommend is to use satin-finish wood (or untreated wood) and protect it from damage by covering it with a bit of children's book covering film, which you can find at any stationery shop. The film creates a smooth, waterproof surface that not only prevents the resin from seeping through, but also makes it much easier to release.

You can build the walls using the same film-covered wood technique. What's not recommended is screwing the pieces of wood together — it's better to glue them with a hot glue gun so they can be cleaned and reused for other projects.

3. Once you've designed the space between the two boards, glue the formwork walls to the wood and seal the joints on the inside of the formwork. This creates a watertight container that the resin won't leak out of. To ensure the table releases cleanly from the formwork, we recommend using Ultra 4 Epoxi Parfilm release agent, specially formulated for releasing epoxy resin. Two coats applied 3 minutes apart is enough.

4. Before pouring the ClearWater Deep Pour Epoxi resin, you need to seal the edges of the wood to prevent bubbles from forming. To do this, you can use 3D Smoother, which is normally used to coat the surface of 3D prints.

This ultra-fast epoxy resin has a cure time of 4 hours. As soon as you brush it on, the wood will absorb the resin and it will become integrated, sealing the surface. Apply a thin coat along the edge, working slightly onto both the top and bottom surfaces. This prevents the subsequent ClearWater Deep Pour Epoxi pour from becoming filled with bubbles. This process should be carried out on all cavities, knots and any other areas where the wood will be in contact with the resin.

5. Once the formwork is fully prepared, place the boards flush against the ends. To prevent them from floating or resin from seeping underneath, clamp them to the wood using clamps, always placing wooden blocks between the clamp and the surface — this way, if any resin overflows above the board, the clamp won't get stained and stuck.

To calculate how much resin you need, bear in mind that one kilogram of ClearWater Deep Pour Epoxi will cover a surface of 1 square metre at 1 millimetre thickness. Another way to measure the volume is to fill the gap between the two boards with rice, then pour that rice into the plastic bucket (ideally a transparent one) where you'll mix the resin. Mark the outside of the bucket with a line at the level the rice reaches — that's the volume of resin you'll need. The resin-to-hardener ratio is 2:1, so divide that measurement by 3.

6. Finally, pour the resin and hardener mixture into the wooden table over the boards that make up the river. Simply let it rest and it'll be ready. You can add a final finishing touch with a polish or a special resin varnish to give your epoxy resin table an even shinier, more refined look.

Feroca's top tip: If you get epoxy resin on yourself or your surfaces during the process, we recommend using this cleaner: Resin thinner and cleaner. It works as both a resin thinner and a cleaner.

Make your own Epoxy Resin table with FEROCA

How many times have you been in someone's home or walked past a shop and spotted a river resin table and wished you had one? Have you ever thought that you could make one yourself — not just to enjoy at home, but also as a great commercial opportunity?

At Feroca we offer you the best epoxy resin so you can create professional and impressive projects. You'll achieve an incredible finish thanks to the outstanding quality of our products.

At Feroca we make your epoxy resin table project easy. Are you ready to give it a go?

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