How Can I Get Rid Of Bubbles In My Cured Resin?

You CAN get rid of bubbles after your resin has dried. Simply sand down the entire surface of your piece with coarse sandpaper, making sure you sand out the bubbles completely. Wipe away the sanding dust with damp paper towel, repeating as often as needed until the surface is clear of sanding residue. Apply a fresh coat of carefully measured and mixed ArtResin epoxy resin. Cover, let it cure and your piece will look perfect once again.

Bubbles are one of the biggest issues we hear about at ArtResin - read on to learn some great prevention tips and how to fix bubbles if they've already popped up.

ArtResin - Bubbles are one of the biggest



Why Are There Bubbles In My Resin?

Some bubbles are a result of mixing, but after you've poured and spread the resin over your piece, you may notice even more bubbles rising to the surface. This is because ArtResin was formulated with a bubble release agent to encourage bubbles to surface so they can be torched out before the resin starts to thicken and cure. 

💡TIP: A torch is the BEST line of defense against bubbles - nothing beats a flame to pop bubbles for a flawless, crystal clear finish.

 

Bubbles In My ArtResin



Here's Rebecca with more:





There are a few other reasons why bubbles may pop up. Here are the most common and some tips on how to prevent them:

1) Off-gassing

Porous, organic materials like wood, leaves, fabric and even some soft, lower quality papers contain air and moisture, which is absorbed and emitted depending on the climate. These materials will continue to "breathe" ... releasing air even after being covered with liquid resin. This is called off-gassing and it results in air bubbles in the resin, sometimes hours after you have poured and torched.    
Sealing your work, prior to resining, will help prevent this.

For paper, leaves, fabric etc, you can use either a brush on or a spray sealant. 
For a sturdier material like wood, you can use a brush-on sealant or even a thin coat of ArtResin, rubbed in with gloved hands (see our video How To Resin A Charcuterie Board to see how it's done.)

You may still get a bubble or two, in which case you will need to sand down your piece and apply another coat.  Sealing first will create a barrier that will help to minimize bubbles.  

💡TIP: When using an organic material, like wood, seal your work to help prevent off-gassing.

ArtResin - pre-seal your work to help prevent off-gassing



2) Air Pockets

When mounting paper, such as mounting a photo to a wooden panel or layering paper in a collage, you may find there is air trapped between the layers. 

This can result in ... you guessed it - bubbles!  

Applying each layer with an even amount of good quality adhesive will ensure each layer is well adhered.  Use a nice even layer of adhesive so that the entire piece is bonded and there are no gaps where air pockets can form.  You can spray on a spray adhesive, use a foam brush with a good quality PVA glue, or use a spreader to apply a thin layer of adhesive paste.

💡TIP:  You can even roll a brayer over top of your piece to ensure that the layers are well bonded and that there are no pockets where air can get trapped. 

Tips To Prevent Resin Bubbles- Fix Bubbles In Cured Resin

 


3) Cold temperatures

The ideal temperature for both your ArtResin and your workspace is slightly warmer than room temperature: 75-85F or 24-30CRoom temperature ArtResin epoxy resin is clear, with a beautiful, honey-like consistency. Cold resin, on the other hand, is thick, clumpy, and difficult to work with. It takes on a cloudy, milky appearance due to thousands of cold-induced micro-bubbles, which you will never be able to torch out.

💡TIP: 
Don't use cold resin. Room temperature is advised for optimal consistency and to reduce bubbles.

Room temperature is advised for optimal consistency and to reduce bubbles



How To Fix Bubbles In Cured Resin

Thankfully, epoxy resin is forgiving, meaning that many problems (including bubbles) can be fixed with a simple sanding and re-pour.

Here's what you need to do:

1) Sand Out The Bubbles

Wearing a mask, sand down the entire surface of your piece, paying particular attention to sanding out bubbles. The purpose of sanding is to create some tooth for the fresh resin layer to adhere to, so it's very important that you sand the entire piece and use a coarse sandpaper, like 80 grit. After you've sanded, your piece will look scratched, but don't worry: the ArtResin will fill in those scratch marks and your piece will look crystal clear again.  

purpose of sanding is to create some tooth



2) Wipe Away Sanding Residue

Use a damp paper towel to wipe off the sanding dust. Wipe as many times as necessary - your surface needs to be absolutely clear of sanding residue before you pour your fresh layer of resin. Feel free to use a can of compressed air as a little extra insurance, especially if your piece has any nooks and crannies where dust may get trapped.

ArtResin - your surface needs to be absolutely clear



3) Pour A Fresh Batch Of Resin

Mix a fresh batch of carefully measured and thoroughly mixed ArtResin as directed, and apply a fresh coat of resin over your piece. Spread, torch out bubbles, cover and wait 24 hrs for a touch-dry cure, and 72 hrs for a full cure. 

ArtResin - re-apply a fresh coat of resin over your sanded and wiped piece



See?
No scratch marks - just a glossy, crystal clear ArtResin finish.

gorgeously glossy, crystal clear ArtResin



So remember:
Use room temperature ArtResin on your sealed piece to help prevent bubbles ... and if you already have pesky bubbles in your cured resin, follow our simple steps to get rid of them. Here's Joanne with a re-cap!



Please leave any questions or comments below!

Do you want to learn more about troubleshooting epoxy resin? Read our guides below:

 



ArtResin: The Original Epoxy For Resin Art.

About the author: Joanne Wright

I'm Joanne, the Marketing Content Writer at ArtResin. Originally from Canada, my home is now Indianapolis, Indiana. My love of all things creative and my entrepreneurial heart means I’ve worn many hats over the years including fashion producer & stylist, retail store owner, t-shirt designer, and even vegan baker! I...