Epoxy resin is a popular material used in arts and crafts. Epoxy resin is famous for its versatility, durability, and ability to create smooth finishes. You need to handle the epoxy carefully, as improper handling can cause burning and interfere with curing. If you have already burnt your Epoxy and want a new one you can get epoxy resin from woodemotions.pk
What Causes Epoxy to Burn?
Before we discuss how to fix burnt epoxy, we need to know why epoxy burns. This process goes through an exothermic reaction when mixed with a hardener, which means that heat is generated when cured. If the resin is mixed improperly and applied too thick, the excessive heat can cause discolouration and burning of epoxy.
Some causes of burnt epoxy
There might be several reasons for burnt epoxy. Some reasons might be as follows.
- Overmixing epoxy, or mixing epoxy for too long, generates excessive heat, which burns epoxy.
- Applying thick layers of epoxy generates more heat. This overheating traps heat and burns epoxy.
- The right mixing ratio is quite necessary for the process. If the resin and epoxy hardener are in an improper ratio, the reaction can be unstable, causing burnt epoxy.
- Poor ventilation is another cause of burnt epoxy.
- Working in high temperatures also causes burnt epoxy.
How do you identify burnt epoxy?
Several forms show burnt epoxy. These include discolouration, brittle or sticky texture, and bubbles or cracks in epoxy. This leads to an improper finish of the surface.
Steps to fix burnt epoxy
Sometimes, you might face the troubles of burnt epoxies. All it takes is a few steps and a little effort to fix burnt epoxy. You need to follow the steps below to fix burnt epoxy.
- Assess the damage
Before fixing burnt epoxy, you need to assess the damage. If the layer has minor surface burns and discolouration, you might fix it easily in no time. However, if the damage is severe, such as the entire layer being damaged, severely burnt, or cracked, you might need to remove the epoxy layer completely.
- Removing the damaged epoxy
The next step is to remove the damaged epoxy carefully. You can use coarse sandpaper to remove the damaged and burnt epoxy if a small area is affected. If the damage is severe, you may need a scraper to peel the burnt epoxy.
- Sand the surface smooth.
After removing the burnt epoxy, you must sand the whole area with a fine sandpaper to smooth the surface. This ensures the proper adherence of the new epoxy layer.
- Mix new epoxy and monitor the curing process.
After you have gritted and cleaned the surface, it is time to apply a new layer of epoxy. Mix the resin and hardener according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Measure accurately, mix gently, and apply in thin layers.
Now, monitor the curing process. Keep an eye on the epoxy. You can place a fan to cool down the temperature. This is how you can dissipate the heat.
Preventing Burnt Epoxy in the Future
You need to follow the simple steps to avoid the hassle of fixing the burnt epoxy.
- Try to work in a cool place. The temperature of the working place should be between 21 to 24 degrees Celsius.
- The greater the number of layers, the greater the heat generation and the greater the chances of burnt epoxies will be. Apply thin layers of epoxies to avoid trapping heat.
- Mix carefully and slowly while dealing with epoxy.
- Use the right mixing conditions for curing and mixing epoxies.
- Make sure to have good ventilation in your workplace to prevent overheating.
The bottom line
It can be quite frustrating to deal with burnt epoxy. However, using the right approach can help you fix and prevent the burning of epoxies. All you need to do is to understand the burnt epoxy and follow the proper procedures. This is how you can have a long-lasting and flawless finish on your project. Visit woodemotions.pk If you want to learn more about epoxy resin.
