“Which epoxy resin should I use?” An excellent question, and one we get asked all the time. So, let’s dive into the resin options we offer across many applications. Below we have sectioned them off by our most frequently asked questions. If you want to know more about a specific product check out the additional information available on the product pages.

Some of our experienced resin artists have experimented with and love FLAG resin. FLAG is compatible with the three speeds of hardener in the 2:1 system. Use Fast, Medium or Slow Hardener to create different effects or increase your turnaround time on projects.

Deep Pour is ideal for pours up to 1 inch. Pours under 1 inch will take longer to cure and any pours under a 1/2 inch should be substituted with Table Top Pro. Keep in mind that Deep Pour is mass and temperature sensitive. Thicker pours can be achieved in cooler working conditions. Having proper air flow around the epoxy using a fan can slow the cure time allowing thicker pours.

Deep Pour X is ideal for very large pours and castings up to 3 inches at 70F. Just like Deep Pour, thicker pours can be achieved in cooler working conditions. Pours under 2 inches will take up to 72 hours to cure at 70F.

If you purchased Table Top Pro or Art Pro and wish to seal your project with that product instead, you can do so! Instead of following the standard instructions for the product, apply a thin coating with a foam brush, paint brush or dip your piece in epoxy if that works best for you. Allow the epoxy to fully cure and note that in a thin coating the epoxy will take longer to fully cure than in a 1/8th inch coating as these products are typically used. The same process applies if you want to perform a seal coat with Low Viscosity (LV), FLAG or our Traditional Marine Resin. These can all be used as seal coats and the cure time will not vary as much as it would for the 1:1 coating systems.

It is not recommended to use Deep Pour or Deep Pour X for your seal coat. Due to the long cure times of these products, it could take days (possibly over a week) for them to cure in a thin coating. Instead, use our Penetrating Epoxy Sealer or one of the other products as described above if you have those on hand.

First things first.  LV Resin and FLAG Resin are used exclusively in the MAS 2:1 Non-Blushing System. It includes: LV Resin, FLAG Resin and three non-blushing hardeners, Slow, Medium and Fast. The mix ratio is 2 parts resin to 1 part hardener by volume, which makes these easy to mix in any shop. Both resins result in a clear, non-blushing, low-odor epoxy laminating system that can be used in a wide range of applications. This includes, but is not limited to, laminating, clear coating and bonding. You can add fillers like colloidal silica, cell-o-fill, wood flour and phenolic micro-balloons to make compounds for bonding, filleting, fairing or filling.

What is Non-Blushing Epoxy? Basically, it means the product doesn't react with the air causing a waxy film after curing. Those films should be washed before re-coating, so non-blushing systems save users time!

Let’s go through some scenarios that would warrant the use of these two resins.

Why? LV Resin is lower in viscosity and has excellent saturation into fiberglass and other cloths. If you’re looking for a utilitarian product you can also use FLAG Resin for laminating, it will work into fiberglass cloth a little more slowly than LV Resin.

Why? The medium viscosity of FLAG Resin holds a thick bond line and can also be combined with a variety of fillers for improved gap filling and sag resistance on inclined surfaces. FLAG Resin with MAS Colloidal Silica creates an excellent thickened high strength adhesive.

Why? Similar to the explanation on gluing, FLAG should be used because of its higher viscosity. You can easily add different fillers to mixed resin and hardener to create filleting and fairing compounds or filling pastes. FLAG Resin with MAS Wood Flour makes a perfect filleting material for stitch and glue construction.

Why? Even though both resins are clear, we often recommend FLAG Resin. This is because FLAG’s medium viscosity helps to coat thicker resulting in a smooth glassy finish with fewer coats.

You can also use Table Top Pro or Art Pro for clear coating applications!

We hope this sheds some light on why we offer two different epoxy resins in the non-blushing system. Both can be used for laminating and work with our Slow, Medium and Fast Hardeners, but have their own specialties. The best part is they are both easy to use at 2:1 by volume.

Give our Non-Blushing System a Try!

Our flagship products are Low Viscosity (LV) and FLAG resin with Slow, Medium and Fast Hardeners. These are the products that we started with as a company and we strongly recommend you try them. The benefits include:

• Simple 2:1 by volume mix ratio
• All three hardeners are clear and structural, meaning you can get finish and strength with one resin and one hardener
• Non-blushing system, so no messy wash downs between layers
• Two viscosities of resin to choose from and three speeds of hardener that are all mix and match

Give the 2:1 system a try and you’ll be very happy with the results.

Use Traditional Marine if you prefer a 5:1 by volume system

If you’re used to using a 5:1 by volume system then we also have the Traditional Marine Resin and the 520 Slow, 510 Fast and 320 Clear Hardeners available. This system is great for users who like a 5:1 system or who are interested in getting their epoxy at a lower price point than our 2:1 offerings. You will get an excellent finished part when you use a structural hardener (either 510 Fast or 520 Slow) and follow it up with the clear coating 320 Clear hardener to finish your project.

Reach out to us and we can help determine the best product for your particular application!