What is the best resin for casting? Is casting resin the same as epoxy resin? Can you use casting resin on wood? Will casting resin stick to wood?
The best casting resin for wood is the main ingredient in woodworking activities that involve thick pours. Whether you are working with molds, silicone molds, or just filling large voids in wood, your results will be determined by the quality of the casting resin you use.
However, given the numerous options that the resin market is offering, it is challenging to wisely select the best casting resin for wood. We, therefore, insightfully analyzed dozens of web pages for nearly 100 hours with our reviewers and editors filtering all reviews and experiences to bring you this well-researched casting resin review.
Best Casting Resin For Wood – Reviews
1. FGCI Deep Pour Epoxy Resin Kit Crystal Clear Liquid Glass – 2 to 4 Inches Plus Clear Epoxy Resin at One Time for Live Edge, River Tables and Wood Filler- ¾ Gallon Clear Casting Pourable Epoxy Resin Kit
Highlighted Pros
✅ 2.0 – 4.0” Thick Pour
✅ Tough, durable surface
✅ Anti-bubbling feature
✅ High UV Resistance
✅ Pigment compatible
✅ Versatile for many surfaces
Cons
X Medium to Long cure time
FGCI Deep Pour has a pour depth range of between 2 to 4 inches. This feature enables it to form hard, stable, and non-wobble casts. The resulting casts pass through various durability tests and show high and long-lasting performance.
FGCI Deep Pour has a thin viscosity which is instrumental in producing a bubble-less finish – bubbles that often cause headaches to the workmanship of beginners. In the end, your casting project remains of great aesthetic value.
FGCI Deep Pour is extensively versatile and is applicable to various projects including River Tables, Void and cracks Filling, Casting Art.
Even in projects with minute volumes as low as 4 ml resin jewelry projects, FGCI Deep Pour with its low viscosity exhibits outstanding results.
FGCI Deep Pour has UV resistance formulations that significantly reduce yellowing especially when you want to install your casts on wood outdoors. Therefore, the appearance of your cast remains solid and unchanged for a long time.
FGCI Deep Pour flawlessly blends with coloring agents such as inks, dyes, and even liquid and powder pigments. This way, creators can stain the resin to use it effectively to blend with or stand out from the color of surrounding spaces.
2. TotalBoat Thickset Deep Pour Epoxy (1.3 Gallon Kit) | Clear Gloss Pourable Casting Resin Kit | for Art, Epoxy River Tables, Live Edge Slabs, Molds, Wood Voids
Highlighted Pros
✅ 1.0 – 2.0″ Thick Pours
✅ Long working time
✅ Pigment compatible
✅ Different sizes
✅ Eco-Friendly
Cons
X Too exothermic (hot) for small molds
TotalBoat Thickset advocates for 2” maximum pour for small molds and 1” when for large casts. However, TotalBoat Thickset requires great caution when dealing with small casts (5ml or lower) due to super got exothermic reactions.
TotalBoat Thickset has a self-leveling capability which is instrumental in bringing consistent thickness and mask out brush marks.
The epoxy resin to hardener ratio is 3:1, which is relatively easy to measure out.
Since the TotalBoat Thickset requires a long working time, the resulting surfaces are tough, durable, and waterproof, being perfect for beginners and pros alike.
TotalBoat Thickset produces an ultra-clear gloss that can be manipulated by adding solvents to enhance appearance, for example, mica powders, alcoholic dyes, and color pigments.
TotalBoat Thickset is eco-friendly and only produces low odor due to its low VOC formulation. Therefore, TotalBoat Thickset is ideal for spaces with relatively less ventilation, for example, underground garages, shops, or any indoor use. When the surface cures, the result is a piece free from BPA (Bisphenol A) that is safe for drinks and food.
Another advantage, as with all other epoxy resins, for thick pours, is the ability to pour deeply at a go.
Depending on the scale of your project, this epoxy comes in different sizes: 1.3 Gallon, 1.3 Quart, 4 Gallon, and 8 Gallon.
3. EcoPoxy FlowCast 3L Kit Clear Casting Epoxy Resin for Wood Working, Tables, Counters
Highlighted Pros
✅ 0.5-1.5” Thick pours
✅ Eco-Friendly
✅ Ultra-Clear Surface
✅ Compatible with many different epoxy resin pigments
✅ Durable
✅ Self-leveling capability
Cons
X Extra Long Curing time
EcoPoxy FlowCast is compatible with different kinds of pigments, be they metallic, color, or glitter, meaning that it is excellent for custom tints as a resin art.
EcoPoxy Flowcast has a self-leveling property allowing easy application in surface depressions.
The epoxy cures to a crystal clear finish described by the manufacturer as ‘liquid glass.’
Eco-Poxy Flowcast is Eco-Friendly with high biological content and extremely low odor.
EcoPoxy Flowcast is an excellent suit where the casts are large; deep pours would be necessary. The epoxy can cure to thick epoxy slabs up to 1.5 inches.
The epoxy forms an extremely tough and strong bond with wood taking durability to a whole new level.
4. DEEP POUR Epoxy – 2:1 Ratio – 1.5 Gallon Epoxy Resin – UV Resistant, Crystal Clear, Zero VOC
Highlighted Pros
✅ 2.0” Thick Pours
✅ Specific for woodworking projects
✅ Pigment compatible
✅ High UV Resistance
✅ Eco-Friendly
Cons
X Wood specific; low versatility
DEEP POUR Epoxy is specifically manufactured for your woodworking projects, including river tables that would require thick casts.
The epoxy is capable of curing to a maximum thickness of 2” per layer, which is excellent for casting and edge slabs. This thicker layer gives users the chance to apply thicker epoxy without the need for extra operation steps like sanding.
DEEP POUR Epoxy’s compatibility with mica powders and pigments makes it an ideal suit in filling voids, rivers, knot holes, or cracks.
Wisebond DEEP boasts of a high UV resistance, which is important but not critical in the slowing down of the process of yellowing over time.
DEEP POUR Epoxy is eco-friendly with low odor, 100% solid formulations, and 0 VOC.
Wisebond Deep has a self-leveling property allowing it to be applied in corners and handrails.
5. ART N’ GLOW Clear Casting and Coating Epoxy Resin – 1 Gallon Kit
Highlighted Pros
✅ Glow in the dark
✅ Durable
✅ Pigment compatible
✅ 1:1 mix ratio
✅ Eco-friendly
Cons
X Bubble prone
ART N’ GLOW is the best resin for your glow in the dark casts. This feature is ideal when making deco casts or installing resin in spaces with dim light.
ART N’ GLOW cures to a tough substance harder than wood to exhibit exemplary resin grade durability to your casting project.
ART N’ GLOW is extensively compatible with a wide range of craft pigments enabling you to stain and bring aesthetic interest to your casting resin project.
ART N’ GLOW is an easy to use epoxy only involving a 1:1 resin to hardener ratio which is handy for beginners.
ART N’ GLOW is a low odor resin and complies with sustainable production processes to bring you an eco friendly experience before and after application.
6. Amazing Clear Cast 1 gal.
Highlighted Pros
✅ Easy to use
✅ Food safe
✅ Adequate working and demold time
✅ Extensively versatile
✅ Crystal clear casts
Cons
X 1 gallon only means ½ gallon resin and ½ gallon hardener and not 1 gallon of each component
Amazing Clear Cast is an easy to use casting resin with a simple mix ratio of 1:1.
Amazing Clear Cast cures to a crystal clear casting to excellently reveal details beneath without a haze.
Amazing Clear Cast is food safe and requires accurate mixing and adequate curing time before using for direct food contact.
Amazing Clear Cast has a short working time of 30 to 40 minutes and a demold time of between 12 to 24 hours. All these are adequate enough to provide a quick project and leave room for repositioning.
Amazing Clear Cast is a multipurpose resin and is applicable to various projects including molds, mold putty, jewelry making and more.
7. Fabri-Cast 50 Polyurethane Casting Resin for Casting Models – 1 Gallon Kit
Highlighted Pros
✅ Thermal resistant
✅ Rapid action resin
✅ Easy to use
✅ Ultra low viscosity
✅ Low shrinkage factor
Cons
X Not stable for thin and shallow casts
Fabri-Cast 50 is a fast working resin that transforms from liquid polyurethane to solid resin in just 15 minutes.
Fabri-Cast 50 is an easy to use resin given its simple 1:1 mix ratio that is beginner friendly.
Fabri-Cast 50 is compatible with silicone molds for numerous casting resin projects.
Fabri-Cast 50 exhibits an ultra low viscosity which in turn results in solid strength and steady impact resistance to ensure top-notch durability.
Fabri-Cast 50 shows low shrinkage hence no need of recasting to compensate for shrinkage. Also, A high heat deflection rating of 180 degrees Fahrenheit allowing it to be used in kitchens, fireplaces and other spaces exposed to high temperatures.
Selecting The Best Casting Resin For Wood – Buying Guide
According to our research, these criteria were key for a significant number of buyers when seeking the best casting resin.
1• MAXIMUM POUR THICKNESS PER LAYER
If you are in search of casting resin then you should resin with over 0.5” in the maximum thickness per layer.
This property ensures you build your thick casts as quickly as possible without having to pour many layers.
There is no need to pour 1/8 inch of resin each time and wait for 24 hours curing time to install a consecutive layer.
Therefore, thick pour resin saves time effectively when making thick casts especially when a cast is just a single process in the entire epoxy project.
2• WORKING TIME
A long working time is a double-edged sword in epoxy projects.
On the one hand, a long working time could give you tough, complete, and durable cures without any loss of integrity or loss in workmanship.
On the other hand, a long working time delays the process of casting making your resin project take significantly longer. This could be a problem if the project you are working on is needed urgently or frequently.
Depending on your level of patience and the strength you require of the final project you will have to choose either a fast or slow working casting resin.
3• ECO-FRIENDLINESS
The world is going green! It is beneficial to your health and to the environment around you to use a resin that is BPA-free, toxin-free, and whose ingredients do not produce any VOCs when applied to wood.
Such resin is thus suitable for casts and molds which can be placed in spaces where people of all ages can interact.
4• PIGMENT COMPATIBILITY
It is a bonus feature if the casting resin perfectly blends with stains and other coloring agents including dyes, and even liquid and powder pigments.
This feature allows creators to bring interest to their casting projects by not only letting the resin cure as a crystal clear substance but also bringing color to complement or supplement existing color designs in your space.
5• UV RESISTANCE
Casts have the majority of their surface area exposed. UV therefore, either outdoors or in a room with significant exposure, has access to these surfaces and can degrade the aesthetic appearance of the casts through increased yellowing.
If the casting resin you choose has anti-UV formulation, then you are assured of reduced yellowing and long standing aesthetic value of your casts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is casting resin the same as epoxy resin?
Casting resin is not the same as epoxy resin. Casting resin stands out from ordinary epoxy resin owing to its ability to cure in large depths and as such can form thick layers at once. Generally, casting resins have a maximum pour depth of 0.50” or more per layer. Ordinary epoxy resins have a maximum pour depth of about 0.25”.
Can you use casting resin on wood?
You can use casting resin on wood. However, not all casting resins are compatible with wood. All the resins recommended above are compatible with wood. Check with the product sheet of the manufacturer to ensure the resin you are purchasing is compatible with wood.
Will casting resin stick to wood?
Casting resin will stick to wood if it is wood compatible, and if the wooden surface is prepared by sanding or sealing prior to your casting resin installation.
Conclusion
This piece was on the best casting resin for wood; that we put together after carefully filtering through the web for more than 60+ hours of reviewing and editing. Out of the 7 choices above, we believe you will zero in on 1 or 2 which suit your resin casting project.
Happy Shopping!
