Epoxy resin is valued for its high gloss protection but, from time to time, you may prefer the look of something less shiny on your artwork. The matting agents typically used with epoxy resin are highly toxic, but with some sandpaper, wax and a little elbow grease you can create a gorgeous non-gloss finish, without any chemicals or solvents.
Here's how to make epoxy resin matte
- Using a spray water bottle, generously spray down the surface of your artwork ( wet sanding helps prevent micro dust particles from scratching the resin surface, giving you a much finer, smoother finish than dry sanding. )
- Wearing a dust mask, sand down the wet resin surface with 320 grit sandpaper, either by hand or with an electric sander. You'll notice that a paste begins to form: when the paste becomes thick and dry, you'll know it's time to stop.
- Generously spray down the sanded surface and, using a piece of lint free paper towel, wipe off all of the paste. Spray once again and repeat, spraying and wiping 2-3 times until the surface is perfectly smooth and you can no longer see any scratch marks.
- Repeat the process 2-3 times with the 600 grit sandpaper before moving onto the 1500 grit. Ensure the resin surface is evenly sanded and smooth before moving on to the next grit. If there are any scratch marks you can't get rid of, you may need to jump back to the previous grit and sand some more.
- Once you've removed all sanding marks, spray with water and wipe. Repeat this process until all traces of sanding residue have been removed.
- Dry your piece thoroughly. Then, with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth, apply a generous coat of wax and spread it evenly across the entire surface of the resin. Use a fresh cloth, apply firm pressure and rub in a circular motion to polish your piece. Stop polishing whenever the finish is as smooth as you'd like it to be. If there is any haze left on your piece, use a fresh cloth to wipe it off. You can use an electric polisher at this point but be aware that the resin will get shinier and shinier as you polish it.
Voila! You now have a beautiful, silky smooth, matte finish on your artwork!
For full step-by-step instructions, see our blog How To Get A Matte Resin Finish.
Do you want to learn more about resin art techniques. See below our how-to tutorials:
- Introduction to Resin Art
- How to Make Ocean Resin Art
- How To Create A Black Resin Ocean With A Gold Crackle Shoreline
- Selective Embellishment
- How to Make Resin Flow Art
- Create Lacing and Cells in Resin
- How to Make Mandala Resin Art
- How to Make Resin Art with Dried Flowers
- How to Resin Mixed Media Paintings (Step-by-Step Tutorial)
- How to Resin Collage Art
- How to Resin Marker Pointillism
- How to Resin Spray Paint
- How To Make A Resin Crystal
- How to Resin A Glossy Photo
