DIY Resin Coasters With Pressed Dried Flowers

How to Make Resin Coasters

you’ll need just a few supplies to make your own epoxy resin coasters.  I purchased all of mine from Amazon which made it very convenient.  In the tutorial I walk through how to make clear resin coasters with pressed dried flowers but you could easily customize these and add color or embed items other than flowers.

Supplies:

Epoxy Resin Kit (Includes: resin, hardener, measuring cups, gloves & wooden stir sticks)

Silicone Coaster Mold

Dried Pressed Flowers

Butane Lighter

Tweezers

Rubbing alcohol

Safety glasses

Preparation & Safety Precautions:

Before you get started, be sure to read the safety instructions that come with the resin and hardener that you purchase.  Some of the things that I took note of are listed below.

1. You’ll want your setup to be in a well ventilated and dust free area.
2. Wear rubber gloves and safety glasses.  It is not easy to get the resin off of your skin so don’t skip the gloves!
3. Use a drop cloth or old towel.  Even if you’re as careful as possible, it’s very easy to accidentally drip some of the resin outside of the coaster mold so you’ll want to protect your working surface with a drop cloth or towel.  Just be sure that it’s nice and flat under the coasters so that the resin can settle evenly across the bottom.

Directions – How to Make Resin Coasters with Pressed Dried Flowers

Step 1 – Clean the Silicone Molds

The first thing that you’ll want to do is prep your silicone molds.  There may be dust or other debris on the molds so wet a paper towel or lint free cloth with rubbing alcohol and wipe the molds clean.

Step 2 – Mix the First Coat of Resin

Follow the resin manufacturer’s directions and mix the resin and hardener accordingly.  The kit that I purchased required a 1:1 ratio of resin to hardener which made it very easy.  For the first coat for four coasters, I used 80 ml each of the hardener and the resin.  Since the two measuring cups were basically full, I used a disposable larger plastic cup to mix the two parts together.

Step 3 – Pour the First Coat of Resin

Pour the resin into each of the four silicone molds to fill them half way.  If you want to get rid of the bubbles in the resin, heat them with a butane lighter.  I actually liked the look of the bubbles so I didn’t do this.

Step 4 – Set the Flowers in Place

The next step is to arrange the flowers on the wet resin.  I laid out my rough design on my table first so that I could have a visual of the design before setting it in place.

Then I carefully placed the flowers onto the resin surface using tweezers.  I tapped them down into place with a little bit of force.  Not enough to submerge them but enough for them to stick to the resin surface.

Step 5 – Cure Before Applying 2nd Coat of Resin

Let the first coat of resin cure for 4-6 hours before you mix up the next coat.  If you pour the second coat immediately, the flowers will float to the top and the top of your coaster will be bumpy.  Letting the first coat cure before applying the second coat keeps your design right where you placed it.  There won’t be any shifting from side to side and you won’t have to worry about the embedded items floating to the top as your pour more resin.

Step 6- Mix and Pour the 2nd (Final) Coat of Resin

Mix up the 2nd and final batch of resin.  For me this was about 80-90 ml of each (resin and hardener).  If you are using different molds and the volume varies just take note of how much the first batch filled up the molds.  If it wasn’t quite half full you’ll want to mix more in the 2nd batch to fully fill the molds.  Or, if it was over half full you’ll need less than your first coat.   Keep in mind that you’re better off mixing a little more than you need rather than not having enough.  Resin isn’t cheap but if you have a little extra and it saves you from having to mix a third batch for three minutes+ you won’t be upset.  Trust me.

Step 7 – Cure and Remove Coasters From the Molds

Let the resin coasters cure for 24 hours and then once they have fully cured and hardened you can remove them from the silicone molds.  Simply pop them out of the mold!

Here is what they looked like after I took them out.

Aren’t they so pretty?

The resin that I bought is very clear.  I mentioned earlier, but I didn’t take the extra step to remove the bubbles. There are tiny little bubbles throughout the coaster but I like it that way.

Resin Coaster Facts

How much resin do you need to make a coaster?

The volume of resin required to make a coaster will depend on the volume of the mold that you are using.  I used about 165 ml out of each bottle (resin and hardener) to make four coasters.  So with what’s left I should have enough to make 2 – 3 more sets!  Each coaster required about 80 ml total of the resin/hardener mixture.

How much does it cost to make resin coasters?

The silicone coaster molds were $9.  The Resin kit was $33 and the dried flowers were $13.  In total, the coasters cost me $55 to make but I have enough materials to make 2- 3 more sets, so to make one coaster it will cost $4.58.

Note that I already had rubbing alcohol, tweezers and a butane torch so I did not include those in the cost of the coasters.

Are resin coasters heat resistant?

There are different types of resin on the market so you’ll want to research the heat resistance of the resin after hardening to ensure that it meets your needs.  For my project I used resin that has a high temperature resistance of 90 degrees C (194 degrees F).  This should be fine as the hottest item that I would put on my coasters is a fresh cup of coffee and if I can hold it in my hands and not be burned I know it’s nowhere near 194 degrees.  There are resins specifically made for countertops and suitable for much higher temperatures.

How long do resin coasters take to dry?

If you are pouring in layers and embedding items, each layer should dry for 4-6 hours before setting the next layer.  Once the coaster is to the desired height, you will need to let the resin cure for 24 hours or as directed by the resin manufacturer.