underwater epoxies - thick epoxy putties - tabletop epoxies and supplies since the early 1990's

Bio Clear 810™ Industrial Grade Pourable Clear Epoxy Resin -

A favorite with commercial contractors and DIY Homeowners

bar top epoxy - table top epoxy

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Welcome to the bar top and tabletop clear epoxy page. Here you will find all you need to know about epoxies for bar or table tops. For some reason, our competitors don't give you an 'education', they just want you to buy their products! We would rather have informed customers, people that know the pluses and minuses of the particular resin system they're buying into. Once you know the basics, we're hoping you buy from us, instead of THEM!

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES OF CONTRACTOR PROFESSIONAL BAR TOP POURS

NOTICE: Legal notices, Terms of Service, warranty information, disclaimers, health warnings, etc. are required reading before using website, ordering and/or using Products. Any such use and/or ordering, online or by telephone, shall constitute acceptance and knowledge of all such terms. CLICK HERE (www.epoxyproducts.com/legal.html) to access these terms.

VENDOR - PRODUCT WARNINGS / BUYER BEWARE

Since we started selling bartop table top epoxies to homeowners and contractors years ago, other epoxy sellers have jumped on the bandwagon offering less than ideal epoxies at low prices. There are things you need to consider:

* Every epoxy vendor has clear epoxies to sell. Most marine - boatbuilding epoxies, for example, are clear, as are most sealing epoxies. But just 'any clear epoxy' is not what you want to use for your table or bar.

* All epoxies yellow in sunlight and even over time. UV protection cannot be added to epoxies, but can be added to other kinds of clear coatings that can go over the epoxy. We are very up-front about epoxy yellowing. If your other epoxy vendor doesn't mention it, they are not being completely open and honest with you. Note that our table top epoxy, Bio Clear 810 (tm) has very slow, reduced yellowing. A commercial epoxy pour contractor recently used our Bio Clear 810 to replace a badly yellowed epoxy covered logo in the floor of regional airport terminal. This is a good example of some so called tabletop epoxies being sold that suffer from bad (excessive?) yellowing. Buyer beware! Note we do have two products that can be applied over the epoxies to slow or prevent yellowing. Generally they contains solvents and cannot be sold in California. They also come with their own set of issues. Because of the yellowing it is generally not a good idea to have a poured epoxy table / bar outside in the sun. We mention this, but few, if any of our competitors do!

* Epoxies are chemicals and you should have easy access to the MSDS (material data safety sheet) as well as a Product Information Sheet. And you should have exposure to both the pros and the cons of any product (and not just fluffy, vague, sales hype found on most web sites). See ours at: www.epoxyproducts.com/datamsds.html.

* When epoxies start to set they release a lot of heat that can result in the epoxy bubbling, frothing or turning wavy. While they all do this, some do it much worse than others, limiting how thick you can pour before bad things happen. Our Bio Clear 810 epoxy has a much slower, more uniform heat release (called exotherm reaction) than other epoxies so it is less likely to 'bubble up' if poured thick.

* Epoxies come in various thicknesses. You need to purchase a very thin, clear epoxy (thinner than you would use for boatbuilding, recoating pebble decks, etc.). Thicker epoxies will create lots of bubbles when the 2 parts are mixed and these bubbles will not have time to surface and pop if the epoxy is thick. Also thicker epoxies may not self level quickly enough. Real Bar top and table top epoxies are formulated to be extra thin, like our Bio Clear 810 epoxy.

* Many/most of the low cost epoxy vendors don't formulate their products at all. Instead they purchase in bulk the raw resins and curing agents manufactured by the few giant chemical companies that make them. Then they package them in milk jugs instead of UN approved cans/containers which are required for paints / coatings / chemicals (clear epoxy curing agent is considered a corrosive chemical). Special labels and packaging is also required, but often ignored by the 'milk jug' crowd. The better vendors use these 'raw materials' purchased by the low end vendors (and everyone else) as the starting point for their epoxies, and formulate the products for improved features. It is sort of like using a barrel of oil from an oil rig in your car instead of using the formulated/refined version called gasoline. This applies equally to boat building and marine epoxies, just as it does for table top/bartop epoxies. Usually the only clue you have is a 'dirt cheap' price from what looks like a 'part time' website.

* Pricing. Epoxies aren't cheap. Good, formulated epoxies cost between about $60 a gallon to about $150 a gallon. Special epoxies can cost hundreds of dollars a gallon. Generally, vendors that sell through distributors have to charge more because the distributors get a 40%-60% discount on list price and the manufacturer still has to make a profit. Marine epoxy is similar to table top epoxies. Google West Marine (online boating store) and search for epoxy. Be sure you price both the resin part A and the hardener (curing agent) part B. This will give you an idea on what good epoxies cost. Don't risk your project on strangely cheap epoxy. Often, if something goes really wrong, you cannot undo the results.

* Customer support is also a key issue for contractors and first time homeowners (DIY folks!). For first time users we often do a lot of hand holding and support, before and after the sale. To evaluate your potential supplier for 'support' we suggest you email and/or call them with questions, etc. so that you can see if they will be there for you when you are considering the purchase, when you purchase, when you do your pour and after the pour if you have any issues. You can reach us by phone or email (email is better!) via our contact page at: www.epoxyproducts.com/contact.html. We sell a 48 oz 'test kit' of Bio Clear 810 so you can evaluate and learn before the Big Pour. We also sell pints or quarts of Part A or Part B by itself to our customers at pro-rated prices because acidents and spills happen and we would expect that kind of service ourselves. Ask the other vendors if you can buy less than a full kit of epoxy if you spill some product. Order one day and we ship it the following day. For more info on how to evaluate your epoxy vendor and his products see our page: www.epoxyproducts.com/eval4u.html. We also have a page on how to evaluate your marine epoxy products - www.epoxyproducts.com/mepoxies.html.

* Case studies and customer postings. This page, and others are full of pictures and feedback from our customers. We also have contact info if you want a professional to fly in and do your commercial bar, etc. This person did a poured epoxy floor in the Hawaii based recording studio of a retired famous rock star with our Bio Clear 810 epoxy (plus lots of commercial bar tops and airport terminal logo floors). All we can add is that most of our commercial contractor Bio Clear 810 customers started out with other epoxy brands and shifted over to us. You will not find anything like our User Feedback page on any other web site! It is extensive and includes, email questions, problems, comments from our cutomers. Scroll down to the Bio Clear 810 section on our feedback page -- www.epoxyproducts.com/usernotes.html .

* You will not find web page after web page, customer pictures, customer feedback (good and bad), on the other sites. They sell cheap epoxy, we sell customer involvement, information and interest in your project (even hand holding for nervous first time users). That is why customers send us their finished pictures!

SUMMARY - FOR BEST RESULTS YOU NEED AN EPOXY WITH SLOW REDUCED YELLOWING, A VERY GENTLE 'EXOTHERM KICK', AND VERY LOW VISCOSITY, BACKED BY A COMPANY THAT RESPONDS TO YOUR CALLS AND EMAILS. WE DON'T KNOW ANY PRODUCT/VENDOR THAT MATCHES OUR BIO CLEAR 810 EPOXY (which costs a bit more than the junky stuff most everyone else is pushing). WE ALSO THINK THAT OUR BIO CLEAR 810 EPOXY MAY BE THE ONLY ONE ESPECIALLY FORMULATED FOR POURED ON TABLE TOPS.

First Things First - The Basic Math

The big shocker to people considering a thick poured on clear table top is the amount of epoxy necessary. Here are some numbers you need to know:

1 gallon of anything applied 1/4 inch thick will only cover slightly less than 6.5 square feet.

1 gallon of anything applied 1 inch thick will only cover 1.6 square feet.

At 1/2 inch thick that gallon of epoxy will only cover about 3.2 square feet.

There 231 cubic inches in a gallon. One square foot is equal to 144 square inches.

(WHY DON'T THE OTHER GUYS SHARE THIS BASIC INFO WITH POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS?)

MURPHY'S LAW SEEMS TO LIKE POURED EPOXY TABLE\BAR TOPS. IT'S AMAZING HOW THINGS CAN GO 'SOUTH' EVEN THE PROS SOMETIMES MESS UP BIG TIME.

this is from "James" in the 'usernotes' page

First Things First - Epoxy Resin

Epoxies do not do well in direct sunlight (direct UV exposure). They will turn cloudy and yellow, lose their shine and perhaps even chalk. All epoxies, especially white and clear epoxies do this. Most do it rather quickly, within a few days of constant exposure. Some, like our very popular Bio Clear 810 do it very very slowly (weeks instead of days). I know of only three ways to fix this: 1) keep the table out of direct sun, 2) varnish seems to prevent yellowing if applied over the epoxy, but it is a yellow coating to start with, 3) one or two two coats of clear 2-part Acrylic Poly UV Plus will stop or stop UV yellowing of the epoxy. (More on UV blockers). Note: UV blockers cannot be added/blended into epoxies and nearly all non-epoxy clear coat products have little or no UV blockers in them.

Epoxies may feel hard and 'cured' within a few hours, but they take a week or more to cure completely. If you make the mistake of putting some paper or a heavy or sharp object on an epoxy surface that is less than several days old, the paper will glue itself to the epoxy and the objects will 'dent' the epoxy.

Epoxies are really just a hard plastic. Mix parts A and B together and a chemical reaction occurs between the two parts. The reaction generates heat and the epoxy gets hard. Many epoxies generate A LOT OF HEAT. So much that the mixture might froth up, melt the container it is in, smoke, and most certainly produce an uneven surface. With epoxies like these you are generally told not to pour out layers more than half an inch or one quarter inch (so that less heat and distortion results due to the lesser amount of epoxy present and the amount of surface area to 'expel the heat).

Most people would like a thick clear epoxy to apply to their table or bar top. Thick, unfortunately has trouble with trapped tiny air bubbles. Mixing and pouring the epoxy introduces lots of bubbles to the mixture. Fortunately most will rise to the surface and pop before the epoxy gets hard and traps them. Heating the poured epoxy with a hair dryer will aid the bubbles rising to the surface and popping. The heat the epoxy generates as it cures (if not too great) will also help the epoxy rise to the surface and pop.

Like most plastics, epoxies will soften with heat. Generally if you place something that is hotter than about 125 degrees F (such as a hot coffee cup) it might soften the epoxy to the point of leaving a dent, ring or depression in the epoxy that will not go away. Keep hot things away from your epoxy surface.

Yes, it is common to build up the thickness by doing a multiple layers of epoxy pours (generally because of the heat release on most epoxies). Our Bio Clear 810 (avail in 1.5 gal and 3 gal kits) can take pours up to 1/2 inch, our Low V or Basic No Blush (both avail in 1.5 gal kits and 15 gal units) requires 1/4 inch pours.

You may wish to protect the epoxy surface from UV, scratches and heat. See the TOPCOAT SECTION below.

LINKS:

This page (basics, pros and cons, etc.) --- www.epoxyproducts.com/bartop.html .

more examples --- www.epoxyproducts.com/bartop2.html .

more pics --- www.epoxyproducts.com/barcontract.html .

user feedback /comments (no one else does this! ) - scroll down to Bio Clear 810 --- www.epoxyproducts.com/usernotes.html .

find Bio Clear 810 in our online catalog --- www.epoxyproducts.com/d_clear.html (will take you to links to our online storefront) .

find Bio Clear 810 in our second, very simple, web store --- (www.epoxyUSA.com) .

NOTE: WATERY, THIN EPOXIES SELF LEVEL EASILY AND RARELY TRAP AIR BUBBLES IF MIXED SLOWLY

Bio Clear 810 - Pourable Table Top - Bartop Epoxy

Bio Clear 810 is a favorite with both home hobby/craft people and commercial professional applicators. This professional grade pourable epoxy table top resin can be found in homes and bars across the country.

Professional contractor poured projects include:

* 84 ft long bartable in central NJ

* 734 sf recording studio floor in Hawaii

48 oz Bio Clear 810 (tm) table top epoxy kit

Bio Clear 810 pourable epoxy is our recommended pour-on coating. Almost as watery as the Low V epoxy, it can be applied thicker - up to 3/4 inch thick in very small pours (ounces of epoxy) or 1/4 to 1/2 inch in larger pours. It resists yellowing better than any clear epoxy I've ever seen. Its only down side is that it cannot be applied as a thin coat (i.e by brush or poured very thinly). For a poured on surface greater than 1/4 inch, this is the best product we have ever used.

Yes you can encase shells, pictures, etc. in the epoxy. We have only heard of one case of the inks/colors running and that was with cheap Madri Gras decorations. No reports of problems with photographs. Note, however, these things might release air bubbles when flooded with epoxy.

COMMERCIAL PRODUCT, ONLY SOLD IN 1.5 QUART TEST UNITS, 1.5 GALLON UNITS & 3 GALLON UNITS

view this product in our catalog: Bio Clear 810

--- ORDER NOW via link to online storefront (section 1 - epoxies)----

--- You can also purchase this product at a second, more simple site - EPOXYUSA.COM

NOTE: THIS PRODUCT HAS A TENDENCY FOR THE PART A RESIN TO 'CRYSTALIZE' IN COLD WEATHER IF STORED FOR WEEKS/MONTHS

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

More pictures - comments - feedback from Bio Clear 810 ™ customers - CLICK HERE

A block of Bio Clear 810 (tm) tabletop epoxy shown with router rounded edges, an embedded coin, and routed "X" filled in with black epoxy.

CLICK HERE FOR LIST OF 3RD PARTY CONTRACTORS AVAILABLE FOR HIRE, TO CONSULT, OR TO OVERSEE YOUR SMALL, MEDIUM, OR LARGE EPOXY POUR

(or to see more amazing poured epoxy commercial bartops!)

Mixing: even a slightly less then perfect mixing can ruin a table pour and Murphy's Law seems to always apply. First make sure parts A and B are clear (part A and/or by may have a slight yellow or amber tint, this will not be visible in your pour).

Get everything at the same temperature - epoxy and the all surfaces and keep it that way for a day or so after the pour. Avoid applying near windows etc. where sunlight will change the temperature. Temperature changes (warmer temps) may cause bubbles to form.

Next, mix a bit of A and B (2:1 mix ratio) and test on your surface. This is to give you experience with the product, test compatibility with your surface, bubbles coming out of the surface, etc. No one wants surprises with the main pour! Make sure your edges/corners don't leak! (you can seal with a bit of this test bit of epoxy - then re-test for leaks!).

Now, mix up batches no larger than 1.5 gallons at a time. Larger batches can be harder to mix well, are more likely to spill, etc. Mix in a separate, large, third container. Pouring into and out of this third container aids mixing. Using a large container will mean you can mix vigorously without concern of it spilling out over the top. Not mixing well vertically (mixing the top and bottom layers) is a disappointment waiting to happen!

Don't try to get the last few drops of epoxy out of your mixing container. The liquid sticking to the sides and corners/edges of the container never get completely mixed. Pour your mixture out of the mixing container but don't keep it draining out for more than 10 seconds or so. Poorly mixed epoxy will always stay tacky or wet, either in certain areas or all over.

Finally, the epoxy will feel dry and firm overnight but will continue hardening for a week or so. Don't place papers or objects on the epoxy for at least several days or they will stick or leave a dent.

Knowledge is Power - We like informed consumers!

Learn the basics of epoxy at our educational EPOXY 101 page - Click Here.

Finally, email us back with your questions or comments before you buy - EMAIL HERE

IF YOUR TABLETOP IS IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT IT WILL YELLOW UNLESS PROTECTED BY A UV BLOCKER - SEE BELOW

Top-Coating & Protecting the Epoxy

RECOMMENDATION: If the table will receive direct sunlight, consider topcoating the epoxy

Clear Acrylic Poly UV Plus (2 part - cannot be sold in Southern California) Catalog Page Click Here

Note that 2 part urethanes can be tricky/difficult to brush apply (best to spray in very clean setting) . They set up quickly on applied surfaces and can leave brush marks, even when special 'reducers' are used. Note, this clear thin poly will show dust droplets (looks like tiny bubbles) if used in a dusty setting, (like many basements). If you haven't worked with 2 part polys before, you might reconsider using it. - Most auto repaint projects use two part polys and that is where the 2 part poly application experts can be found (notet that you never see cars painted with brushes and rollers!).

EPOXIES SOFTEN WITH HEAT. HOT COFFEE CUPS ETC. WILL LEAVE A LASTING RING IN THE EPOXY. NEVER PUT ANYTHING HOTTER THAN ABOUT 130 DEGREES F ON AN EPOXY SURFACE.

WHILE EPOXIES WILL FEEL DRY AND HARD OVERNIGHT THEY TAKE UPWARDS OF ONE WEEK TO COMPLETELY CURE. OBJECTS LEFT ON EPOXY SURFACES LESS THEN 1 WEEK OLD MAY LEAVE A 'DENT' OR PERMANENTLY BOND TO THE EPOXY (ESPECIALLY PAPERS AND CARDBOARD).

TRAPPED AIR BUBBLES ARE RARELY A PROBLEM WITH THIN WATERY EPOXIES. BE SURE YOU ARE NOT GETTING ESCAPED AIR (AND BUBBLES) FROM THE TABLE/BAR SURFACE OR THE OBJECTS YOU MIGHT BE COVERING. A HEAT GUN (OR SUPER QUICK PASS WITH A PROPANE TORCH/COOKING TORCH) WILL QUICKLY REMOVE ALL SURFACE (SURFACE ONLY) BUBBLES AND PROMOTE THE OTHER BELOW SURFACE BUBBLES TO THE SURFACE.

TO MINIMIZE BUBBLES MIX THE 2 PART EPOXY COMPLETELY BUT SLOWLY. IN OTHER WORDS DON'T USE A MIXER ON A DRILLING TURNING AT 1200 RPMs (WE'RE NOT MAKING WHIP CREAM!).

RUNNING A FAN OVER THE POURED EPOXY SURFACE WILL HELP 'EVEN OUT' TEMPERATURE 'SPOTS' THAT CAN CAUSE STRESS CRACKS, UNEVEN SURFACES, ETC.

THE COLORS IN CHEAP PAPER OBJECTS MAY RUN WHEN COVERED WITH THE EPOXY.

YOU CAN SAND OUT FLAWS ETC. THE CLOUDY SURFACE THAT RESULTS CAN BE MADE CLEAR AGAIN WITH A CLEAR TOPCOAT OF JUST ABOUT ANYTHING (NOTE THAT THE 810 EPOXY CANNOT BE APPLIED THINLY - IT WILL FISHEYE) - YOU MIGHT EVEN TRY CLEAR NAIL POLISH.

APPLICATION NOTES AND WARNINGS (MOSTLY FOR BIO CLEAR 810, BUT APPLIES TO OTHER EPOXIES AS WELL)

PLEASE READ!!

Surface to be topcoated must be clean and free of oils, grease and loose contamination. The epoxy and the surface to be coated should be at a constant 68 degrees or warmer for 24 hours before and after the pour.

Mix Bio-Clear 810 epoxy base with the Bio-Clear 810 curing agent. Make sure that both parts A and B are clear prior to mixing - if not, do not proceed and contact supplier). Mixture will also be clear after mixing. Use a mechanical mixer if possible to ensure thorough mixing. The mixing ratio is 2/1 (base/curing agent) by volume or 1/0.43 by weight. Bubbles resulting from the mixing will rise to the surface and most or all will pop. Heat from a torch or hair drier (set on low) will usually pop most remaining bubbles. It is never possible to completely mix all of the epoxy in your mixing container. The epoxy at the corner of the bottom and sides, and on the bottom will probably not be mixed well enough. Therefore, after mixing do not try to get every last drop out of the mixing container (don’t overturn the mixing container and drain it for a long period of time). Bio-Clear 810 does not require a ‘sweat-in’ or induction time and the mixed components should be used immediately.

TEST the epoxy on your surface. Some surfaces will release a lot of air bubbles. Cheap inks may bleed. Unknown or unsuspected contaminants on the surface may discolor the epoxy. Sudden changes in temperature or humidity may affect the epoxy. Make sure your raised edges or sills are leak proof and level. Once poured, it is almost impossible to stop an epoxy leak in a corner. Bio-Clear 810 cannot be brushed on. It must be poured at sufficient depth to prevent surface tension related fisheyes.

The epoxy will feel dry and hard overnight, but it takes a week for it to fully cure and harden. Do not place objects on the epoxy before then as they will stick or leave a dent or impression in the still hardening epoxy.

Unless top-coated with a UV absorber, this epoxy will yellow and eventually turn cloudy with exposure to sunlight.

MORE INFO: epoxies will yellow in sunlight - if this is an issue topcoat with our 2 part Acrylic Poly Plus with UV protectors. Note that all 2 part polys (including ours which does have UV protection - most clear coats don't - are not user friendly. You may not like the 'brushmarks' associated with it using rollers or brushes. These coatings are often sprayed - like auto clear coat - but spraying is an art - perhaps something you shouldn't consider if new at it). Also the UV plus product cannot be sold in all parts of the country.

As noted before, test the epoxy on your surface. What happens after the clear epoxy is poured upon the surface is the sole responsibility of the purchaser. Supplier liability is limited to 1 three gallon unit maximum for Bio-Clear 810, and 1.5 gal units of our other clear epoxies. See Warranty statement.

Temperature will exert a considerable influence on the rate of curing of chemically cured coatings such as Bio-Clear 810 epoxy. In broad terms expect each 10°C, (18°F), rise or fall in temperature to half or double dry times and pot lives.

WE HAVE HAD REPORTS OF STRESS CRACKS IN LARGE POURS (LARGE TABLES WITH PERHAPS 15 GALLONS POURED OUT ALL AT ONCE). SOLUTION SEEMS TO BE TO LIMIT POURS OF ANY SIZE TO A FEW GALLONS AT A TIME.

1) The epoxy leaks out from the corners FIX seal the edges and corners (using some of the epoxy, varnish, etc.). Test (maybe with water) before your big pour.

2) Bubbles in the epoxy - either from mixing too vigorously (you're not making whip cream!) or from the wood/objects you are covering with the epoxy. Sealing the surface prior to the pour will take care of the bubbles from objects in the epoxy. To remove bubbles quickly pass a torch/heat gun over the surface of the epoxy once the bubbles have reached the surface of the epoxy.

3) Stress cracks. On large pours (say over 3 or 4 gallons, or maybe greater than 15 or 16 square feet) - stress cracks can form from all the different temperatures generated. The bigger the pour the thinner each layer of epoxy has to be to 'handle' all the heat. I wish I could be more exact here, but I have no 'real' numbers to offer. I have found that running a fan across the poured epoxy helps to dissipate and even-out the heat generated permitting thicker and larger pours.

4) Ridges and an uneven surface. Just like the stress cracks, this is a result of too much epoxy (too thick) applied at one time. The unevenness is from the heat generated (unevenly) in the pour.

---- page keywords: poured epoxy bartop table top bio clear 180 directions information

Floor links:

index of floor epoxy web sites garage paint etc. +++++++++++++ www.concrete-garage-epoxy-floor-paint.com

--- Quick Purchase this product at our simplified www.epoxyUSA.com site ---

or use our

--- Direct Link to our larger EpoxyProducts.com Storefront for Quick Purchase ---

---