Resin is a great way to preserve special items and decorate different things.
Perhaps the most common use among those new to the craft is to embed flowers in small resin shapes, but the list of possibilities is truly huge.
If you are a creative person, you will find resin a great way to expand your list of hobbies!
How do you suspend items in resin? First pour a shallow layer of resin suitable for your project into the mold. Once it has set partially, place the item on the resin and pour another shallow layer of resin to hold the item in place. Continue to add layers, allowing each to partially set first, until the item is covered fully.
There are, of course, different techniques, and you’ll want to experiment to get perfect results.
So stay with us as we discuss how to successfully suspend objects in resin, mistakes to avoid, and a few creative embed ideas.
Basic Steps For Suspending Objects In Resin
You can embed all kinds of objects into epoxy resin, and it really is a great way to get creative without breaking the bank.
However, things that contain a lot of moisture should be avoided, such as fresh flowers and leaves.
Therefore, it is always advised to use dried flowers and leaves when embedding them in resin.
If you’re not sure what can and can’t be embed in resin, check out my article on items to embed.
You have to follow only a few simple steps to ensure that you embed the chosen items successfully in your resin.
Be sure you have your gloves on before you begin. Here is an easy, basic technique to get you started.
- Pour an initial layer of resin, about 1/8 inch, over the surface of your piece. This will hold your item in place, keeping it from falling over when you have completely poured all your resin.
- Next, pour the rest of your resin into your mold, making sure to cover your desired piece fully. You can put your resin in different patterns, and you can even add more items into your mold.
- Torch to remove bubbles, and cover the top of your resin to protect the wet parts from dust and small insects that might try to land on the surface.
- Allow your resin to dry for at least three to five hours. You can then decide whether or not to pour a second coat if your objects still need to be covered.
- For areas of high relief, you may need to pour multiple coats to cover the objects completely. Be sure to wait for each layer to dry completely.
Do Flowers Need To Be Preserved Before Putting Them In Resin?
You do not have to preserve your flowers before putting them in your resin mixture.
You simply have to ensure that your flowers are moisture free. This means that your flowers have to be completely dried out.
You usually have to dry your flowers inside of a paper or on the inside of a book for at least a month before being able to put them in resin.
If the flowers still contain moisture, the resin will not cure fully, and the flowers will rot over time inside the resin.
Mistakes To Avoid
It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or whether you already have experience with resin projects.
It can be quite easy to make common mistakes when you lose focus. The following are the five most common mistakes that can be made with resin:
Not Reading and Following the Directions
Beginning with a new DIY project could be quite exciting, and we sometimes get so excited that we tend to rush into things.
Before rushing your resin project, stop and read the directions that come with the resin kit before you even open the containers.
Make sure you know whether you should mix the resin mix by weight or by volume, and be sure of the curing time.
Once you have thoroughly read the directions, be sure to follow them as every resin is a little different and has instructions customized to make sure you will be successful in the mixing process.
Not Using Accurate Measurements
If you mix larger volumes of resin, being off by just a half of a teaspoon probably isn’t going to have much of an effect.
However, if you are mixing smaller amounts of resin, then half a teaspoon will be a big deal. This is why it is crucial always to use measuring cups.
Not Properly Mixing the Resin
You have to be 100% sure that you are mixing the resin entirely and thoroughly.
It is important to remember that just because the liquid seems to have no swirls and is one color, it does not necessarily mean that it is mixed properly.
You also have to scrape the sides and bottom of the cup to make sure that everything is properly mixed to the right consistency.
Choosing the Wrong Type of Resin
It would be best if you always did all the proper research before starting your project.
Sometimes failure comes from asking the resin to do something that it is not formulated to do.
You can find a list of the best resin options and full reviews in my article “Best Resin for Artwork.”
Overestimating Your Resin Skills
While resin certainly is a lot of fun, it does require some skill.
While some beginners are instant and natural masters of resin, for most, it takes time to develop skills and learn fully how resin works.
Why Do My Embeds Keep Sinking?
It is only logical that heavier objects, such as stones and statues, will sink to the bottom of your mold when placing them in resin.
Sometimes, you would want your stones or heavier objects to float, causing an illusion. How to do this, you ask?
It is advised to do your casting in layers to achieve this effect successfully.
Let’s take a look at an example:
If you have a 6-inch cube that you want to put your stones or heavier objects in, and you’re trying to go for a look that makes it seem like the stones are floating, you will want to pour your first layer to the level that you wouldn’t want your stones to float beneath.
Once this layer is halfway done curing, you can pour the next layer you would want to place your stones in.
If you are trying to keep your stones away from the cube’s edge, you may want to do several smaller layers rather than two big ones.
By doing this, you will have much more control over how the stones pack inside of your mold.
You can then finish your resin project by pouring one big layer on top.
Five Embed Ideas for Your Next Resin Project
1. Candy
Adding pretty and colorful candy pieces in resin is an easy way to make a keychain.
Be sure to seal it first with a gloss sealer spray so that your candy pieces will keep their color in the resin.
2. Beads
You can use glass beads of all shapes, sizes, and colors to make pieces of trendy jewelry.
In addition, you can vary the shapes and colors to give your resin jewelry an even more interesting visual.
3. Metal leaves
Metal leaves are an excellent way to give your resin a more sophisticated and expensive look.
For example, you can use clear resin with silver, gold, or even rose gold leaves to pour over an old tray to give the tray more life.
4. Buttons
It’s cute and charming to have a bunch of mismatched and different sizes of buttons in a piece of resin.
You can make coasters to place your cup on, protecting your tables and decorating them at the same time.
You’ll be surprised at the huge variety of molds available (see my top picks here) for everything from jewelry and keychains to gaming pieces, serving trays, and more.
5. Scrapbooking Paper
You don’t need to be a scrapbooking crafter to embed scrapbooking paper in resin. You merely have to find the pieces of paper interesting.
For example, you can use pieces of colorful paper with different patterns to create a montage for one of your feature walls in your house.
Conclusion
When it comes to embedding things in resin, the only limit to what you can do is indeed your imagination (and your skills, perhaps).
The most important thing to make sure of is that you always choose the correct resin according to the type of product you want to create.
If you are unsure whether you bought the correct resin type, don’t hesitate to ask a professional or the store you brought it from.
Resin is all about trial and error.
By assuring that you always have your measurements correct and mixing your mix correctly, you never have to worry about failing.
So even if your project looks like a toddler did it, you can still be proud!
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