25 Resin Hacks to Try in 2025
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Resin crafting has skyrocketed in popularity ever since COVID, and 2025 is shaping up to be another big year of innovation from resin enthusiasts. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting your making journey, these 25 resin hacks will save you time, improve your projects, and might even save you a little money in the end.
Let's dive in!
1. Warm Your Resin Before Mixing
Cold resin can be thick and hard to mix, and ultimately, it won't bode well for your cure. Warming the bottles in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water for 5-10 minutes helps reduce bubbles and makes mixing way easier. This is an especially good resin hack if you are working in a cooler environment.
2. Use a Silicone Mat for Easy Cleanup
Place a silicone mat under your workspace to catch spills. Resin won't stick to silicone, making cleanup as simple as peeling it off. Probably the best purchase you'll make all year.
3. Bend Resin When It's Soft
If you're looking to make a beautiful dish, sculpture, or just a really unique piece, bending your resin will give you a very distinct look. You'll want to wait until your resin is partially cured and then bend it over a plastic cup or something similar to form it.
4. Prevent Bubbles From the Corners of Your Molds
If you dust mica powder into your resin molds before pouring resin it will help prevent bubbles from forming in the corners of your intricate molds. Beware, this won't work for clear epoxy projects, but it's great for colored resin projects.
5. Prevent Bubbles With a Toothpick
After pouring resin into your mold, run a toothpick through it to pop any surface bubbles before curing. This is an especially great resin hack for when you're working with really small and intricate molds.
6. Pre-Seal Porous Materials
Wood, paper, or fabric materials can soak up resin but also create bubbles. Pre-seal them by coating them in resin or Mod Podge before embedding them in resin.
7. Counteract Yellowing Resin
Unfortunately all resin will yellow over time since it's a chemical, but there's one resin hack that can bring your project back to life after it's yellowed. Add a tiny bit of transparent blue resin color. This will help balance the yellow, bring your resin back to clear, and add a new shiny layer. Win win for everyone.
8. Make Your Own Shimmer Mix
Mixing mica powder with a very fine glitter for a custom shimmer blend that adds extra sparkle to your resin projects. We specifically recommend using a white mica powder and very very fine glitter of your choosing to create that subtle sparkly look we've been seeing.
9. Layer Colors for Depth
Pour resin in layers, letting each layer partially cure before adding the next. This technique creates stunning depth and dimension in projects like coasters, river tables, and art pieces.
10. Reuse Leftover Resin
Save leftover resin by pouring it into small molds like jewelry, trinket trays, or knick knacks. You can use these pieces for future embellishments.
11. Don't Pour All Your Resin at Once
When coating canvases, tabletops, or other large flat surfaces with resin, pour enough resin to fill the center of your space. Then, use a gloved hand to spread the resin over the surface. When you add the rest of your mixed epoxy, it will evenly dome and minimize the mess. If you need a little more after that go ahead and add more.
12. Test Colors Before Committing
Always test pigments, dyes, or alcohol inks in a small batch of resin to make sure it's the desired color you want. When working with alcohol inks remember that the color of your resin in the mixing cup is not going to be the color of the resin in your mold (especially if you're working with a thin mold). Do a stick test to see the true color by raising your mixing stick and letting resin drip down back into the cup. This color is a more accurate depiction of what your project will look like.
13. Create Texture With Bubble Wrap
Press bubble wrap into resin surfaces that are partially cured to create unique and stunning textures. These work especially well for serving trays and plates!
14. Add Tiny Details With a Syringe
Use a syringe to add fine details or precise amounts of resin to small molds and crevices in your resin projects. It's such a game changer.
15. Avoid Dust With a Cover
Cover your resin projects with a plastic container or cardboard box while curing to keep them free of dust and debris.
16. Save Money With DIY Fillers
Add sand, rice, or small stones and gems to large projects to reduce the amount of resin needed and add unique textures. We especially love adding unique stones to river tables to give it a more realistic and fun look!
17. Use a Leveling Tool
Place your molds on a level surface to ensure an even cure. A bubble level can be a very handy tool here.
18. Use Soap When Demolding
Demolding can be so fun, but also a huge pain in the butt! If demolding is working overtime on your fingers, add some soapy water to the cured resin. This will lubricate and make the process go quicker.
19. Create a Faux Metal Look
Mix metallic mica powders with resin to achieve a shiny, metallic effect for jewelry or accents. We've been seeing a lot of this with DIY countertops as well!
20. Keep a Scrap Bin for Mistakes
Don't toss resin mistakes! Sand them down, cut them up, and repurpose them into new designs. You'd be surprised with how cool these projects can turn out with a little creative thinking.
21. Get Rid of Sticky Resin in a Mold
Pour freshly mixed resin over the sticky resin and let it cure. The new resin will bond to the old resin, so when you demold it, both will pop out of the mold!
22. Use Silicone Baking Molds for Variety
Explore your kitchen for silicone baking molds to create unique shapes for your projects. This is especially great for adding small embellishments to larger projects.
23. Add Texture With Household Items
Try pressing lace, foliage, or textured fabric into partially cured resin for one-of-a-kind designs.
24. Sand for a Perfect Finish
Use wet/dry sandpaper to smooth rough edges, followed by a polish for that professional-grade finish.
25. Use a Toaster for Faster Cures
Want your resin to cure faster? Put it in a 150F toaster oven. It can reduce the drying time by 75% or more. Plus, it's a great way to repurpose that toaster oven that's aggressively trying to die.
These resin hacks are perfect for leveling up your making game in 2025. Whether you're experimenting with new materials or perfecting your favorite techniques, there's always something new to try in the world of resin. Grab your resin, get creative, and let these resin hacks inspire your next project.