Why use resin to seal your pyrography project? 

As with any finish, you need to consider the end use of your project and the effect that you want to create. If you want a crystal-clear and hard coating, resin is a good option. Like any high-gloss or glassy surface, you will see reflections on the resin surface. If this is a desirable effect and it doesn’t detract from your pyrography art, you may want to experiment with ArtResin’s epoxy resin for artists.

Another thing to consider is what a finish will look like as it ages. ArtResin includes a UV inhibitor and a hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS), which protects against yellowing.

While resin is crystal clear, you can add colour to the resin itself. ResinTint, made by ArtResin, was developed to be used with their resin. As a colorant, ResinTint is non-toxic and non-flammable, which means that you can use a flame torch to remove air bubbles from the tinted resin. (I explain later in this blog the process for preparing and applying resin.) You’ll need to mix the resin and hardener for three minutes before adding the ResinTint. To ensure the resin cures as expected, don’t add more than six per cent (6%) of colorant in the total volume of your mixed resin (resin and hardener).

ArtResin also makes coloured alcohol ink, which is used to create resin petri dish art. Unlike the ResinTint, this colorant is flammable. As a result, you don’t want to use a flame torch on resin that has alcohol ink added to it. You also want to avoid colouring the resin with alcohol ink if your project is meant to be non-toxic and food-safe once cured. 

If you like to add colour to your pyrography designs, you’ll appreciate knowing that resin can be used over watercolour, acrylic and ink that have thoroughly dried. If you’re using coloured pencils to add colour to your pyrography art, you may want to seal your artwork with a spray sealant or brush-on sealant before applying the resin. Resin can also be used over dried, organic material such as leaves, pressed flowers, butterfly wings, rocks and more. No matter what medium or material you’re inspired to use, you may want to test it out on a small project or scrap piece of wood.

In my blog on finishes, I discuss using food-safe finishes on items that will come into contact with food such as wooden spoons or charcuterie boards. The resin made by ArtResin is food-safe when cured. Adding colorants, other than ResinTint, may render the resin unsafe to use on products that will be in contact with food. As mentioned above, ResinTint is non-toxic and can be used as a food-safe colorant with resin.

It’s worth repeating that ArtResin is non-toxic, which means that you don’t need to wear a respirator when preparing or applying this resin. You do need to wear disposable nitrile gloves while handling resin or while cleaning your reusable stirrer, spreader and mixing cups. You may want to wear an apron if you want to protect your clothes from accidental spills.

How to apply resin

My first project with resin was applying it to a birch coaster that I had woodburned. I first placed a plastic tablecloth on my work surface. I then put painter’s tape along the live edge (the natural bark) of my birch coaster to protect it from the resin dripping over the edge. I should have taped the underside as well since I had a few drips harden on the back of the coaster. (I ended up putting plastic bumper pads to raise the coaster off the table once the resin had cured.)

Before pouring the resin over the coaster, I placed it atop three painter’s pyramids to allow any excess resin to drip off the coaster. I used a level to ensure that the coaster was completely horizontal. This step is essential to allow the resin to self-level.

I used ArtResin’s online calculator (artresin.com/calculator) to determine how much resin I needed to cover the coaster. You just need to enter the dimensions of your pyrography project in centimetres or inches. The result is the total combined volume you’ll need (50 percent resin plus 50 percent hardener).

The calculator indicated that I needed one ounce in total for my coaster. It was such a small amount that I doubled that to two ounces (one ounce resin plus one ounce hardener). I had some left over but one ounce would have left me scraping the bottom of my silicone cup.

With disposable nitrile gloves on, I measured one ounce of the resin in a silicone cup and one ounce of hardener in another silicone cup before combining the two into a bigger silicone cup. I then stirred the resin and hardener for three minutes, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom to thoroughly mix the two together. 

When the three minutes were up, I had about 45 minutes to pour the resin over my coaster before it started to thicken and cure. I poured the resin over the center of the coaster. Like thick honey, the resin was easy to spread. I used a reusable plastic spreader to nudge the resin to the coaster’s edges. ArtResin uses the term “doming” to describe this method. The other method would be to cover the sides of your project with resin. (You still need to protect the edges at the back of your project with painter’s tape to prevent any resin from seeping along the underside.) If you prefer to cover the vertical sides of your project with resin, you simply let the resin run over the sides and use a gloved hand to spread the resin evenly over the sides.

Once my artwork was covered with resin using the dome method, I used the Artist’s Studio Torch to eliminate the air bubbles from the resin. I held the torch a few inches above the resin surface and moved it across back and forth. The surface became smooth and even within seconds. You can use a toothpick at this stage to remove any dust or hair that may have fallen into the resin.

I then placed a cardboard box over the coaster to protect it from dust and left it to cure for the next 24 hours. Before removing my gloves, I wiped my reusable stirring stick, spreader and silicone cups with paper towels and then sprayed rubbing alcohol on them before wiping away any residue with more paper towels. Make sure you don’t pour any resin down the drain! Once the resin residue has been removed, you can rinse your reusable items with warm, soapy water.

When the 24 hours were up, I removed the cardboard box and painter’s tape. If you wait more than 24 hours to remove the tape, it might not come off easily. I then left the coaster to cure under the cardboard box for another 48 hours. It takes a total of 72 hours for the resin to cure and become food-safe.

I personally prefer to use either tung or walnut oil on my coasters. My blog on finishes describes the advantages of using an oil finish. Notwithstanding, I’m considering resin as a finish for a basswood serving tray with mixed media (pyrography, watercolour and dried flowers). The finish you use will no doubt vary depending on your project’s end use and the desired result.

I purchased my resin and equipment at my local art and hardware stores. Here’s a list of the basic material you’ll need to apply resin to any of your pyrography projects:

• Level

• Painter’s pyramids

• ArtResin resin

• ArtResin hardener

• Painter’s tape

• Plastic tablecloth

• Silicone measuring/mixing cups (two small ones and one large one)

• Silicone stirrer

• Silicone spreader

• Disposable nitrile gloves

• Rubbing alcohol (transfer the alcohol into a spray bottle to spray the alcohol on the reusable stirrer, spreader and cups and wipe away any residue with paper towels)

• Spray bottle (plant or garden sprayer)

• Paper towels

• Cardboard or plastic box

• Toothpicks

• Artist’s Studio Torch

• Butane to fill your torch

This blog summarizes my knowledge and nascent experience thus far with resin. It provides an insight into the process for pyrography artists who are contemplating using resin as a finish for their woodburning art.

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