Over the last couple of years, resin tables have been one of the hottest trends in interior decorating. And it’s little wonder why. This striking dining table has a river of colour epoxy running through its wood grain.
These eye-catching tables have become the go-to project for DIY-ers across the world. Type resin dining table into Google, and you’ll have thousands of links telling you how to create one yourself.
These links lull you into a false sense of building ability. Before you settle into building a resin table on your own, heed these three warnings. A DIY epoxy table isn’t all that’s it cracked up to be. Here are three reasons why you should leave building epoxy tables to the professionals.
#1 Your Need Costly Tools
Sometimes, DIY makes sense. It allows you to purchase materials at a low-cost and, for the price of your time, create a beautiful piece of furniture for a fraction of the cost.
But what so many DIY fans fail to tell you is that you need to invest in several tools to build furniture. A professional’s workshop goes beyond a basic drill and saw to include hundreds of hand and power tools.
Purchasing the equipment you need to build your own epoxy table will drive up your cost. You may even end up paying more for a homemade resin dining table with none of the sophistication of a professional’s handiwork.
#2 It’s Messy and Temperamental
When it comes to an epoxy dining table, you’re supposed to pour the resin onto the surface and allow the epoxy to flow off the edges. This process gets messy. You’re better off expecting the resin to get everywhere. If you aren’t careful, you can wind up with a lake of tacky epoxy all over the floor when building even the smallest dining table.
If you don’t have a professional workspace, the excess resin may cause damage to your home. Some resins have an incredibly quick curing time, which means you have a limited time to clean up your messes before it becomes a permanent fixture of your home, shoes, and clothing.
While many resins are non-toxic, they may still give off noxious fumes. Breathing becomes a challenge if you’re working with it in a small space like your home or garage.
#3 You May Not Succeed on Your First Try
The professionals who handcraft gorgeous resin dining tables have years — or potentially decades — of woodworking experience to create a beautiful product every time. You simply can’t match their talents on your first, second, or even third try.
More still, you won’t be able to use the resin effectively. A true epoxy dining table relies on the resin to fill in gaps and reinforce weak points of the wood to create a durable table that will last years to come.
If you don’t pour the seal or flood coats properly, you’ll end up with imperfections and structural weaknesses.
All in all, there are too many opportunities for this project to turn into a DIY fail. You’re better off leaving resin to the professionals. Search out an experienced craftsperson who can design a beautiful river table. Meanwhile, focus on more manageable projects you can reasonably tackle on your own.