UltraClear Epoxy: Materials and surface compatibility
When working with epoxy resin, it's essential that your project surfaces and related materials be suitable for the epoxy bonding process.
Each of our UltraClear Epoxy resin products features extensive compatibility with a wide range of surface materials. They will bond exceptionally well with nearly any substrate.
List of UltraClear Epoxy compatible materials:
Below is a partial list of the many materials our epoxy will bond to.
- Wood (this includes both hardwoods and softwoods)
- Metals (e.g., copper, iron, etc.)
- Granite (e.g., granite countertops)
- Ceramics (e.g., ceramic tiles, pottery, trays, etc.)
- Stone (e.g., stone tile)
- Marble (e.g., marble countertops)
- Concrete (e.g., concrete tables, floors)
- Porcelain (e.g., porcelain arts and crafts, fixtures, tiles)
- Sand (often employed artistically as an embedment)
- Stainless steel (a very versatile material)
- Bamboo (a strong wood-like material generally chosen for aesthetic purposes)
Wood
Wood is by far the most common material substrate for epoxy resin. It is used to varying extents in almost every type of epoxy project. UltraClear Epoxy is compatible with both hardwoods and softwoods.
Metals
Metals includes things like copper, iron, and aluminum. Epoxy will bond to each of these, although some types of aluminum may take additional preparation, as refined aluminum will usually be fabricated with a microscopically smooth texture that may be difficult for epoxy to bond to. Etched aluminum won't present this issue.
Granite
Granite is an excellent but expensive material often chosen for kitchen countertops. Because granite is naturally porous, it makes an excellent bonding partner with epoxy resin. In turn, the epoxy will prevent the granite from absorbing stains and will also provide greater resistance against various types of damage.
Ceramics
Ceramics is a broad classification for groups of non-metallic, inorganic materials that have been shaped and fired at high temperatures. While we haven't tested every possible ceramic material under this vast category, our epoxy resin has had a 100% success rate in bonding with every ceramic we've encountered so far.
Many people associate ceramics with the purpose of brick and tile fabrication, though some ceramics are frequently used in a wide selection of arts and crafts projects, including the creation of pottery and earthenware, alongside a variety of similar creative endeavors.
Stone
Stone has a variety of construction uses. Importantly, it bonds well with epoxy.
You'll sometimes see tiles cut from stone, for use in both indoor and outdoor flooring as well as occasional interior design, as in the stone tile epoxy bar top showcased above.
Marble
We find that the most typical epoxy projects for marble are in marble countertops and marble tabletops. The inherent beauty of marble lends itself very well to kitchens and other interior rooms, where these finished projects are typically placed.
Epoxy serves to further enhance the appearance of marble while safeguarding the material itself, as it is not as durable or resistant on its own.
Bamboo
Bamboo is often used for decorative purposes. Examples include bamboo art, lamps, and vases.
Epoxy has no trouble bonding with bamboo.
Concrete
For epoxy, concrete is a fairly straightforward substance. Epoxy resin bonds very easily to concrete because of concrete's tremendously porous qualities.
In table construction, this porousness is often reduced with various techniques until it is no longer visible to the eye, but since epoxy bonds at the molecular level, it will still have no problems adhering to concrete.
Quartz
Quartz is a sturdy natural mineral that sees use in numerous industries, including electronics, ceramics, and interior decor. For construction, quartz is rarely seen in its purer forms; instead, it will often be crushed and mixed with other ingredients before undergoing high-pressure compacting to form quartz slabs.
It is these slabs which are then refined and ultimately used for constructing quartz tabletops and countertops. The resulting works can vary greatly depending on where the quartz was sourced from and whether it was treated with any other elements to alter its appearance, thus providing an array of colors and patterns to choose from.
For epoxy purposes, quartz is an ideal candidate. The resin will bond very well with the compacted quartz surfaces, and in addition to providing its signature protection, the epoxy will also embellish the many attractive color tones provided naturally or artificially by the quartz.
Porcelain
Porcelain is a unique ceramic material that is often chosen specifically for its aesthetic features. It tends to be more expensive than regular ceramic tiles, but it is also more durable, and some prefer the appearance of porcelain to ceramic and similar materials.
Much like with other ceramics, epoxy bonds well with porcelain.
Sand
Sand, often tinted with color additives, is used to bring visual flair to arts and crafts, as well as interior decor such as tables and countertops.
When combined with epoxy, it's often delicately arranged into attractive patterns before being embedded as an artistic element within a layer of epoxy.
Many users who work with sand regularly will opt for artificially colored sand to bring more visual variety into the patterns of their arrangements. These beautiful arrangements then get amplified into stunning displays by their epoxy finishes once the resin has cured.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel is one of the most versatile materials in the world, being part of nearly every conceivable crafting purpose. With epoxy, you'll often see it combined to make attractive furniture, table tops, and bar tops.
UltraClear Epoxy—Highly versatile, deeply compatible
Our epoxy resins will bond strongly and effectively with most common surface materials. This is true of any UltraClear Epoxy resin, which includes the following:
Many uncommon materials also bond well with our UltraClear epoxy resins.
If you have questions about epoxy compatibility or other resin topics, please contact us via phone or email here. Our epoxy experts are here to assist you.
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