Working in resin lets us create beautiful pieces of artwork. With resin work, we can create pieces for our own pleasure, or this can be the basis of a small business based on our art skills. Creating something beautiful can be immensely rewarding, either to give as a gift or as the foundation of a successful enterprise.

Today, we will share information and tips concerning how to polish resin. We’ll share ideas on how to use resin polish after sanding, what epoxy objects are easiest to polish, and what the best epoxy polish compounds are. Polishing epoxy resin is easy and will make your artwork shine.

What is Resin Polish?

Resin polish is usually a clear liquid or paste that is used after sanding. Any product that can be used for wood polishing also works great on resin. Various kinds of automobile polish also work very well with resin. You should experiment with test castings and determine what works well on the type of resin that you like to use in your castings.

Which Epoxy Resin Objects Should I Polish?

First,  carefully wet sand your object after removing it from its mold. Using water and wet sanding the object by hand is the best method. You should also use sandpaper that is between 120 and 3000 grit. Carefully clean your piece between each round of sanding and application of an epoxy layer. Sanding marks and grit can get caught between epoxy layers. This process is easy but requires patience and attention. Only fully sanded pieces should be polished.

All epoxy resin objects can be polished, but the methods that you use will depend on what kind of object you are polishing. The rule is that softer cured resin objects should be polished by hand, and hard cured resin objects can be polished with a buffing wheel or drill head. Smaller objects should be polished by hand if possible or with a buffing wheel. Hand polishing is the correct option for small objects that have many curves.

What are the Best Epoxy Resin Polishing Compounds?

There are several types of epoxy resin polishing compound on the market. We recommend that you experiment with each type of epoxy polishing compound available. As previously stated, automotive and wood polishes can work very well with resin jewelry and other small objects. 

If possible, cast and sand a test piece of resin and then polish, testing different polishes to see how they appear. The best polish for epoxy resin is the one that tests the best on your specific work.

How to Polish Epoxy Resin items

Here, we will discuss how to polish epoxy items, with an emphasis on polishing by hand. Even large objects can be polished by hand, although the best results can be gained on a large epoxy surface by using a drill with a buffing drill head.

For this process, you will need:

• A Polishing paste of your choice
• Water (either a bucket or a spray bottle will do)
• A linen or cotton cloth
• A block of wood that can be covered by your cloth and fits in one hand

How to Polish Epoxy Resin After Sanding

1)     Apply your polishing paste to your cloth, and then moisten it slightly with water.

2)     Rub your piece with the cloth using careful, circular movements over the object. There won’t be a change immediately, so keep at it and make sure you apply the paste to the entirety of the object. Keep rubbing with the circular movements until you notice the change of gloss. Be patient, this may take some time.

3)     Your wooden block will help you polish straight surfaces, edges, and other areas where you need to apply pressure. Cover the block with your cloth and use this to polish the straight corners and edges of your piece.

Make sure that you only use colorless polishing paste to avoid any coloring effects on your piece. Further, make sure that after every application you use a separate clean cloth to wash off the polishing paste. Until removed, polishing paste can give an epoxy resin object a matte appearance.

Polishing Resin Objects by Machine

When polishing by machine, follow the same general steps using a circular on and off motion. However, you should still be careful to use machine polishing only with resin pieces that have cured to a high level of hardness. Soft cured resin objects can warp due to heat or even breaking. A combination of machine polishing and hand polishing can be used for resin objects that have many curves.

Bringing Out the Shine: Let Plastic Materials Answer Your Resin Polish Questions

If you’re a crafts enthusiastic, professional artist, or small business person who works in resin,  let us help you. Plastic Materials works with arts professionals, and we can answer any questions you have about how to polish resin. Contact us today.