How to Make Resin Coasters for Beginners

Are you interested in learning how to make stunning but straightforward resin coasters? Look no further! In this article, you’ll learn a simple technique to create gorgeous resin coasters that make for lovely Christmas decor pieces as well.

The good news is, anyone can follow this simple method of combining pigmented resin and clear resin to create beautifully textured resin coasters no matter your level of experience. All you have to do is a little pigment/resin mixing, a little pouring, and voilà! Your coasters will look as magnificent as those from the most talented resin artists out there.

How to Pour Resin Coasters - Step by Step

From start to finish, watch resin artist @pearsonluxprojects pouring a simple but beautiful set of Resin Coasters using MEYSPRING Pigments and executing a very doable technique! Make sure to have your sound on to follow this beginner-friendly method! We are totally in love with the results and hope you like them too.

1. Have all of your supplies ready and at hand! (See all supplies listed here)
2. Mix resin and hardener slowly and thoroughly for about 3 minutes until the mixture becomes clear.
3. Pour resin into 3 cups: 1 for Shiny Malachite, 1 for Wine Red, and 1 for gold flakes. Leave remaining clear resin in the original container.*
4. Add a little mica to each cup intended for colored resin and stir until dispersed. Start with a little bit of pigment and add gradually until the desired opacity is reached. Color and resin layer thickness might affect the end result. Keep mica at or below 3% of the combined resin + hardener weight (Part A + Part B), or your resin maker’s lower limit. Too much pigment can interfere with curing. Use our mica calculator with the amount of mixed epoxy in each colored cup for an approximate starting dose.
5. Add gold flakes into resin; you can add as many or as little as you’d like!
6. With your coaster molds leveled and ready, pour the pigmented resin around the edges of the molds.
7. Immediately pour the clear resin into the center of your molds.
8. Use a heat gun/torch to quickly pop any surface bubbles, avoiding the edges of the molds.
9. Pour gold flake and resin mixture into the center and adjust as needed.
10. Once more, use a heat gun/torch to pop any bubbles that rise to the surface. Repeat as needed.
11. According to the epoxy resin brand's instructions, let the resin cure and watch the magic happen!
12. After the resin has hardened (typically 12-24 hours), unmold your coasters!
13. (Optional) Use a gold paint marker or acrylic paint to paint the edges of the coasters. You can also add a flood coat for extra protection and thickness. (Not shown in video).

*Pro-tip: Let your resin and mica mixture sit for about 10-15 minutes before pouring. This gives time for any air bubbles to rise to the surface and lets the mixture thicken.

Now that you’ve watched this resin coasters tutorial for beginners, we hope you’re inspired to create your own! Since you are probably wondering about the essential materials to get started, see below all the supplies you’ll need as well as some other tips for a successful creative journey when making coasters with epoxy resin! 

What do you need to make resin coasters?

Resin Art PPE

If you are new to creating art with epoxy resin, be sure to read our blog post: Safety Tips and proper PPE for Resin Art to ensure you’re fully protected and prepared to design and produce gorgeous pieces of art with this medium! Also, see below a list of the essential Personal Protective Equipment you’ll need to work with resin.

• Nitrile Gloves
• Respirator Mask
• Protective Clothing and/or apron

Resin Art Supplies

The following list of supplies is all that resin artist @pearsonluxprojects used in her resin coasters tutorial shown above. Just in case you want to give it a try ;-)

• MEYSPRING Wine Red mica powder
• MEYSPRING Shiny Malachite mica powder
• Epoxy Resin
• Gold Flakes
• Silicone Coaster Molds
• Heat Gun/Torch
• Gold Paint Marker (Optional) 

How much resin do I need for 4 coasters?

The artist reported using about 400 g of mixed epoxy for four 5.12-inch-diameter molds, filling them roughly two-thirds full. That is about 14.1 ounces by weight, not 13.5 fluid ounces. For your own molds, calculate the volume from their dimensions and intended pour depth, then follow your resin maker’s mixing instructions.

But you can calculate the amount of resin needed for any roundish surface by measuring your mold’s diameter and height. See more instructions below:

1. Measure the total width or diameter of your mold. Then divide the diameter by 2 to calculate the Radius [r]
2. Measure the height of your Molds [h]
3. Proceed to calculate the volume in cubic inches using the following formula: r2 x Pi [3.14] x Molds’ height [h]
4. In the end, just divide by 1.805 to convert cubic inch volume to US fluid ounces
5. Multiply the number of fluid ounces by 4, and that would give you the total amount of resin you need to create 4 resin coasters

This formula is not 100% accurate when the molds are not perfectly round, but it will give you an approximation, so you don’t waste a lot of resin or fall too short.

Final thought

After learning a new technique to make resin coasters using just pigment powders plus an uncomplicated resin pour method, we hope you're ready to get crafty and create some beauties of your own! We can’t wait to see what you make.

If you try this beginners Resin Coasters tutorial, let us know in the comments how it worked for you and share the results with us on Social Media, tagging us @meyspring or using our hashtag #MeyspringPigments on Instagram!

Here is a Pinterest friendly image to save to your boards for later reference: