With almost everyone being stuck at home for long periods of time this year, we’ve seen some eye-catching projects and design hacks that will become the big conversation pieces for your future guests.
With budgets being tight this year, people are turning to upgrading old furniture or reclaiming old wood. Projects like this are even more rewarding than buying something new – you’re giving life to an old memory or piece of your home.
Charcuterie and Cutting Boards
One of our favourite trends of 2020 was seeing all of the ways to upgrade your kitchen, without having to demo or spend the big bucks. Creating custom and personalised statement pieces in your spaces elevates the whole room and showcases the personality of your home. And best of all, these boards are simple to make.
To get a cohesive look for your unique items, add some custom hand towels to the kitchen decor.
Coffee Tables
We’ve all walked into that one house and immediately noticed a stunning wood table and wanted the same for our place, just to find out it was custom made and crazy expensive.
Right now, you’re not alone if you don’t quite have the money to put towards that one-of-a-kind table. But there is another way to get the same effect for less—DIY coffee and river tables. These pieces can be created to match whatever aesthetic you want, from simple and clean to intriguing and bold.
Frames and Wall Art
Nothing draws an eye better to a particular wall or space in your home than a meticulously planned piece of art. Purchasing and curating art can seem like a daunting task, between the costs and the planning it can seem to be too much hassle for the rewards.
However, finding ways to create your own pieces that blend naturally into your space, or provide that “wow factor” are easier than expected. And you don’t need to be “artsy” to create that perfect piece. Find some reasonable photo printing prices, choose your latest family shot, and put it in a custom frame.
Home Office Desks
Home offices aren’t going away anytime soon. Make the spot where you spend dozens of hours per week exactly the area that you dream of. With 2021 on the horizon, we’re ready to turn our home office dreams into reality. By adding a custom desk that you love, you’ll not only make your office look beautiful, it will make you want to go to work every day just to use it!
Getting Started
When it comes to epoxy projects, each one is unique. There are number of ways to make them exactly how you’d like. However, when you work with epoxy there are a few things to keep in mind, so we’ve gone ahead and gathered a typical supply list as well as some tips and tricks that will ensure your project turns out beautifully.
We also recommend watching a few Youtube Videos on the project that you’re hoping to create, these help tremendously to supply a visual for what you will be doing.
Supplies
1. Safety Equipment
Goggles, gloves, and a mask to reduce inhalation of fumes
2. Level Surface
This area needs to be stable and safe while you create
3. Upstart Epoxy Deep Pour
Use the expoxy calculator to figure out how much you need.
4. Upstart Epoxy Table Top
This will seal your project and make it food safe
5. Wood
Walnut, oak, maple, cherry, hickory, mahogany, ash are our favourites
6. Mica Powder
This will add colour into your project
7. Wood Mould Supplies
MDF Boards the size of your project
Clear sanitary silicone
Silicone spray
8. Heat Gun
This will release bubbles from your project once the pour is complete
Each project will have some unique factors, ranging from the amount of epoxy you’ll need to whether you’ll need a mould or not for the pour. Be sure to review a specific tutorial for your project before you begin.
Pouring and Beyond
Prepping the Pour
Now that you have all of your supplies gathered, it’s time to prepare and execute your pour.
First, grab a thermometer to ensure that the temperature in your workspace is around 75 degrees fahrenheit. If the room’s too hot or too cold, it will leave your resin unable to cure (harden).
Next, you want to make sure that your wooden surface has been sanded so that there is just a little grit to it. Clean all debris. If you leave small pieces of wood or debris, they will be sealed along with your wood in the resin, which feels rough and weakens the finish.
Lastly, ensure that your mould is secure and sealed before you pour. The mould is meant to allow you to pour your epoxy to join multiple pieces of wood or just add to an existing piece. But if your mould is leaky or not secure, the epoxy you pour will come right through the bottom.
Measuring the Epoxy Resin
Once your wood and area is prepped, you can begin to pour your epoxy. It’s important to note that once you open your bottles of epoxy your timer begins.
Read the label on your epoxy bottle to understand the allotted working time. This is essential for getting the right consistency. Otherwise, you run the risk that your epoxy will start to cure before it’s reached its destination.
From here, your epoxy will either have a simple 1:1 ratio or 1:2 ratio. This indicates how to mix the epoxy so that its liquid to solid properties activate. Read the label on your epoxy bottle to understand the proper mixing ratio.
If you also plan to add colour to your project, now is the time. First take a small sample of your Mica Powder and a small sample of your already mixed resin, and add the colour to that sample. This will allow you to test the colour and ensure it’s exactly how you want it before you colour the whole batch. Once you’re happy with the colour, add to your already mixed epoxy batch.
Pour
Your area is prepped, your epoxy mixed, the colour has been added, and now you’re ready to pour. When you go to pour keep your pour as close to the wood surface as possible. The further and higher away your pour is from the wood project, the more air you’re adding into the mixture. Air bubbles are easily trapped in the project and will need to be removed later. Make sure you have enough epoxy to cover the entire surface.
Once you’re happy with your pour, it’s time to leave your project to cure and harden. Your beautiful home addition will be ready soon!
