Sealing Wood for Resin Art with Sanding Sealer (How To Stop Epoxy Resin Bleed)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 เม.ย. 2020
- Stopping resin bleeding into the end grain of wood after carving is an important step to get nice clean and sharp transition lines between your coloured epoxy resin and the wood substrate. In this video, I test the Feast Watson Grain Filling Sanding Sealer from Bunnings as a product to assist with this issue on a variety of wood types to see if it is worth the money for this application and how much it can improve your work.
I also do a quick hack check with PVA to see if this cheaper product can yield a similar result.
Find it Here: www.bunnings.com.au/feast-wat...
If you are in the USA you can pick up a similar product by Minwax - amzn.to/3goJc2i
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I promise you've just made my life easier, thank you!!! I've been searching and searching for the proper sealant an no one was as clear and as demonstrative as you!!! Thank you again!!!
Thanks Wendy! Yes I looked and looked before doing this test and couldn't find a clear answer so I'm glad my little experiment has helped 😊
Great tip. I’ve actually got a project coming up using resin this way, so your video couldn’t have come at a better time. Thanks James.
Cheers Chris, I'm intrigued now, I'll keep an eye on the notifications. 😃
Such an informative video! Didn’t know this product existed until now! Thanks for sharing!
I came across it by accident when researching staining for the first time. Then after seeing how it worked for stain I wondered if it could be applied to this resin issue I have. Glad the tip is coming in handy!
Another great video mate.
I've just got myself another can of feast Watson proof seal . I love this stuff and with a 20min dry time it's great as you don't have to wait and is made for resin work as well.
Yes you mentioned! I'll have to take a look as this stuff has a long (like 6 hour) dry time. Must be the grain-filling part. If I can get just as good results with the thinner/faster proof-seal that would be a good step up again.
Thanks for sharing this tips since I’ll start my resin project soon
Glad to help! It really makes a big difference. Good luck 👍
Thank you so much for the tip, this problem has ruined several of my pieces. Cant wait to give this a try. Great tests. Thanks Steve
Glad it was helpful Steve, any brand should do the same job. Good luck with your next pour.
you are the only vid I've found that helps with this! every other vid is about resin river tables or such which does not deal with this kind of resin bleading. this is sooooo helpful for my next project! thank you!
Thanks Kesna8! I had the exact same problem which is why I filmed this. I'd have thought it was a common issue but couldn't get a clear solution searching the tubes which doesn't happen often. Good luck!
@@FixitFingers right!!!! Glad it wasn't just me.
Huge difference, thanks for doing this comparison 👍
Pretty chuffed... shame the actual project was a bit of a flop due to the staining issues but some valuable lessons going forward so worth it ;)
Exactly the video I was looking for! Thanks
Cheers Matt, I honestly couldn't find too much info on this searching TH-cam so glad to add to the knowledge pool 😀
Great tests! I never knew that bleed would be an issue. Great to know.
In really dense wood you probably wouldn't notice much. Even Tassie Oak, though pretty hard, is still only a mid-range density by Australian standards. But if you are going to the trouble to make art it's a good step to ensure nice sharp lines.
What a difference sealing makes...great overall test.
I'm sure there are other ways too and I'd like to test the thinner FW Proof-seal as it dries a lot faster but this certainly surprised me how well it went.
It’s amazing how just taking that one extra step can make such a difference in the final product. Just a little bit of resin leak really makes a project look amateurish even if everything else is 💯
Learnt that the hard way first time I tried this! Nearly impossible to fix too once the colour leaks in.
Awe man, thanks for this video. Ive been having epoxy resin seap into a maple burl i have. Thankfully was just a little test piece. But now i know to go get some sanding sealer. Thanks man
Awesome, glad it helped. The best part with burl is you can apply a coat or two of sealer into the gaps and not bother sanding it back except on the surface. I'd still recommend another test with the sealer in case you need 2 coats ;)
@FixitFingers thanks again man
Good showing mate 🍻👍👍👍
Cheers Dirk. Nice little quick one. Big project up next so may be a while between drinks!
Just the information I was looking for, thanks. Subscribed!!
Cheers mate! It works well. Sometimes you need more than one coat on very open grain wood. My recent dice tower build I use this technique but because the cedar was so open grained I still got a little leak after only 1 seal.
Great video mate. I am in the process of building a recycled wood computer desk for my Son which will have a resin feature in it. I'm glad I watched this before starting the resin work. Good job, thank you. Subbed. All the best, Brian.
Good luck with the desk Brian. I struggled to find much on this topic on TH-cam which is why I did these tests. Happy it is being useful! - James
I’m gonna have to try this next time I do epoxy resin butcher block counter tops
It's worked great for me, much cleaner lines between wood and resin and easier than using resin to do a fill coat as no mixing required. Good luck!
Thank you for sharing Brilliant!
My pleasure Sonya! I couldn't find much info on this topic so I'm glad it worked.
Ha, 666 subscribers! 🤘😈🤘
Nice comparison video, mate. 👍🏽
Huge difference.
Just hit that an hour ago... there is an insta-post releasing the Beast 😂😈
@@FixitFingers
😆hahaha🤣
repent repent you blaspheming sinners....
Good tip, I've also seen people use clear epoxy for the same reason. I'm guessing sanding sealer would be the cheaper and easier option. Thanks for sharing 👍
Oh yeah, much faster, easier and cheaper than using the epoxy which you'd have to mix a small batch up, coat, let set, then go again. This takes seconds to apply and not too long to dry.
Given my experience with the vic ash, I'm not *overly* surprised there was still a tiny bit of bleed. Two coats might have helped it even further, but its still a good result with just one. Now to compare it against dewaxed shellac? :)
Im a Shellac virgin, only just learnt what it actually is via catching up on the Shop Stool Podcast this week! You'd need to be looking super close to see any bleed on any of the woods after the sealer, but yep two coats if you had the time would be rock solid.
This was exactly what I was looking for with my CNC epoxy projects. Do you find staining difficult after sealing or will the general sanding you do to remove the epoxy also remove the wood sealer?
The sanding sealer is actually designed to improve the application of stain. It's normal purpose is to treat the wood to remove the blotchy-ness you can sometimes get with unequal stain absorption, it's ability to help with epoxy is an added bonus ;) Part of the instructions on the tin is to sand it back after it has dried so this works well, but it is best to match sealer and stain brand as I have seen some people have issues staining the sealed wood (Probably due to using a water based stain over the oil based sealer before it was fully cured) but I've not have any issues with the Feast Watson products..
Great video, i see what you mean now. Will take this info moving foward. So if your painting a flat surface like my chess board table top would i apply sanding sealer then sand the top & paint or not sand. Sorry for the dumb question.
I'd sand back lightly, just 320 or 240 grit. It will fill the grain and help stop the bleed along the grain and make the tape stick better to help stop paint getting under it 👍
@@FixitFingers thanks mate
Would resin stick to the sealer on a table top pour if I was to seal the table with sanding sealer first
Most certainly, it is designed for this sort of thing and will help stop bubbles escaping the wood and ruining your finish too. In any case you sand most of it off after application before pouring your resin, it just fills the wood grain and tiny gaps. Your resin will be super smooth anyway but it can't hurt and will probably save you a bit of resin too.
Is the sealer laquer based and any way to prevent epoxy from yellowing?
It's turpentine based, but I'm unsure what the secret ingredients are, I think there is shellac in there. In terms of yellowing, I've only ever used coloured epoxy so sorry, not had to deal with clear going yellow.
Do you think there Is much difference between water based, acrylic or shellac based sanding sealers?
G'day Mate, honestly this is first one I've tried, however I've heard of folks using shellac based for the same purpose as this with success, I've just not tried it personally. Another mate of mine who is a wood turner swears by the Feast Watson "Proofseal". It is a non-grain-filling Sanding Sealer and dries a lot faster than the one I've used here. However he is sealing entire cups and bowls then covering them with clear resin . Im usually a fan of water based products for the smell and cleanup reductions. But for this application I was very happy with the oil based one. Hope that helps!
Should I sand the wood after using sanding sealer Thank you
Depends... for its intended purpose and by the instructions on the side of the tin, yes, as it is a film coating you should sand it back smooth before applying finish on the surfaces of your project. However, if you are using it to seal voids and carvings for resin work, there is no need as the resin will stick to it. Hope that helps!
Looking for the best way to seal wood before applying clear epoxy resin. Do you know if this product will produce a “layered” effect if clear epoxy resin is added on top? I want to capture the rough texture and fine grain of the wood in clear resin, but obviously without the bubbles and bleeding you’d get from applying the resin straight away. I’ve tried using UV resin first, but that tends to create a “shell” like effect once the final resin is applied. I’m currently testing varnish, but the results aren’t great. I want to try this, but I’m wary of the effect it will produce “inside” clear epoxy resin. Any tips for me?
G'day Brandon, this stuff should work well for what you want as it is designed to penetrate the wood then be sanded off the surface so there will be no film left to layer with your top coat. Having said that, when I use it for coloured inlay, I don't bother sanding it off as this is tricky and unnecessary. When I use it on a flat surface that will have a clear or oil finish over the top I take it back to 180grit as per the instructions on the tin. I've not actually tried it over a rough grain then clear epoxy as you'd like to do but as long as you don't use too much so that 90% soaks in to the timber I think this should work without sanding and allowing you to keep that texture. One thing to maybe try is the other version of this product. This one has a high solid % and is called "Grain Filling". There is a runnier version called "Proofseal" that you don't sand but I've not tested how good it is at stopping bubbles. Good luck!
Any issues with bonding to the wood? Any lift after a while?
I've kept only one of my resin peices and have no issues with it. The sealer soaks in and resin stick to pretty much everything. Not had a complaint yet! 😉
Does anyone know if there is a concern that there could be bonding issues with the sealer and the epoxy? Specifically when the sealer creates a barrier between the epoxy and the wood and isn’t scuffed/sanded?
I've not had any issues with bonding Tim and I think you are unlikely to. The sealer mostly soaks in, it's not a film finish, so even unsanded the epoxy is bonding to the wood
Hi iv just had this happen to me is there anyway to get rid of it
Sadly no, not usually. Even if you sand or plane it, the fibres deeper down will likely be just as affected. If you try again, use the sealer and do a tester first. One coat works on tighter grain wood but you may need two or three on very open grain.
Sanding sealer then you put in the epoxy and stain at the end? Or is my order off? I am confused when you applied the stain. Will the sanding sealer ruin my staining effort?
No the sanding sealer is specifically designed to help stain be applied more evenly and not have a blotchy look. For stain, use sanding sealer, sand back well, then apply stain. For helping limit resin bleed, apply sanding sealer, skip sanding, pour resin in 😊
With pine even the translucent epoxy bleeds into surrounding wood and leaves a stain. I have been searching for a solution for ages and tried masking, sanding, syringe. None work. All. bleed. Now I found this video and at last a solution Only problm I live in the UK and not sure which sanding sealer to use ! Any suggestions as Feast Watson not available ?
G'day mate... hmmm I've had a look around at brands I know. Liberon I generally trust, they make great stuff and are available in the UK. Now I've not tried it, but this Spirit Sanding Sealer looks very similar to the FW one I am using. Not too expensive, but I'd run a test with it first to make sure it is all good. Let me know your results. If it's a winner I'll add the link to the video for others to try. Good Luck! - James Amazon Link to Sealer - amzn.to/3FM7BKD
Apologies, TH-cam auto blocked the link you sent 😅 try James@Fixitfingers.com or DM me on my socials!
I keep getting end grain bubbling, I’ll try the sealer, ty for the heads up!!!
Good luck! Hasn't let me down so far on carvings, not tried it on large surface areas but in theory it should help 😀
Well, this is a great find! Do you happen to have any answers on how to get the epoxy stain out or covered up? I did a beautiful walnut live edge coffee table and now the color bleed is there, I'm just sick. I would love to know if the finish sealer (Rubio monocoat) will even out the staining color or is it there to stay? Please help!
Hey Wendy! Unfortunately you are a little classy there for me with Walnut and Rubio 😅 I've not used that finish. If the resin is on the surface, it can be sanded away but if it is in the grain and truely bleed through nothing you will do can remove it that I am aware of as the resin has physically penetrated along the fibres😥 I had a disaster trying to stain over resin and would never try it again (th-cam.com/video/xkGOw2xU0pg/w-d-xo.html) but a little walnut stain before sealing _might_ help even out the wood a litte. I'd definitely do a test or two before trying to save your workpiece though. If all else fails and there is still a bleed mark on the coffee table, just remember we as makers are our own worst critics. Others may not notice! Best of luck, let me know how you go.
@@FixitFingers Hi, one more question. I noticed in the video you put on the sanding sealer and then you sanded off. I see a few clips later that a white epoxy is in the design. Was the epoxy added before you sanded down the sealer and then you did finish sand overall? Or did you sand and then fill the void with epoxy, if this is the case were you not worried about flow over, this happens to me all the time.
Wendy
@@wendycurrenti6911 So the white epoxy one (which actually was a bit of a disaster, due to the staining, not the epoxy :P) I probably did sand to 180 grit on top before the pour, but as you have pointed out, as you are going to sand again afterwards before applying finish, it will probably only help to leave the sealer on, pour, then sand back after it cures :)
Well, a win for Rubio! The finish has blended the stains wood. Whew!🥵
@@wendycurrenti6911 awesome news! I'll keep that bit of info filed away. Got my next sign pour coming up this week, very light and open grain cedar, will be a real test for the sealer!
A thin coat of shellac does a great job too, and you only have to wait a day to pour epoxy
Haven't played with shellac yet! Anything that will seal those end grain bits will go a long way 😊
Bloody champion!!! Exactly what i needed to know before i pour my clients job. I tried using the resin with no pigment, but didn't quite work out as I'd hoped.
I am using birch plywood with a white resin inlay, and i intend for the resin to finish flush to the top veneer. Would i still just seal the carved out section and not the top face?
It's a good idea to do so. It shouldn't sink in via the top very much but is quick and as easy to seal so you might as well. If you were using a dark resin, I'd say definitely seal the top. The trickiest bit for you will be sanding the overflow as you wont want to destroy the thin top layer of ply. Using tape around your inlay sections before filling the resin can help. Good luck!
@@FixitFingers the top ply is around 1mm thick so have a bit to play with. Having said that, the sample piece i did, i went pretty close to going through it.
The job Im doing has a heap of cursive text, so tape might be a nightmare to apply.
@@tristo1987 argh cool. Well good luck, syringes will be your friend ;)
Does it work on bark and what's the set time
G'day Brandon. Can't say I've tried it on bark, but Im sure it would help, you just may find you use a bit as it will soak in like no tomorrow. Full cure is 8 hours.... but I never wait that long, 2 hours as long as the weather is warm is long enough for it to harden to a point you can sand it back. On something super pourous like bark I'd give it longer. With bark, I'd probably go a painted on thin coat of your epoxy over this product though, as it will do a similar job and also hold the bark together. Will take longer, but if you are not in a hurry that's the way I'd tackle it from what I've previously watched others do with good results.
Thanks man much appreciate
No worries, good luck!
Is Lacquer Sanding sealer okay??
Can't say I've tested laquer based but I can't see why not. Look for 'grain filling' on the label for best results. These have a high amount of solids which really clog up the end grain well 🙂
@@FixitFingers I have a couple cans left over and just need something to seal Wood flags before I apply thin coat (1/8”) of epoxy- I’ve read to stay away from lacquer under epoxy so wasn’t sure
@@josephromero1596 hmmmm, then you may wish to do a test first. We don't get laquer here in Oz often, so I'm not sure how it'll react with epoxy. I wouldn't think once cured it'll have much effect but you never know!
@@FixitFingers and it’s dries super fast for being oil based product- an hour and ready to paint- stain etc
Oil or water base sanding sealer?
This one is oil based Drew (one of the few oil based products I use).
@@FixitFingers Thanks for your response. Can water based be used as an ep[oxy sealer and do you sand after sealer application? Grit?
@@drewjohnson4673 Epoxy will stick to anything so no issues there using water based. Ive not tested it to see how effective it is blocking the colour running though. It should work (or at least help a lot). I sand off the sealer from the top surface of the piece with 180 or 240 grit, but I don't bother to sand it in the the cut-away sections where I will pour the epoxy. 👍
@@FixitFingers thanks mike
Why don't you seal it with a small amount of clear resin first to seal the wood?
No reason you couldn't! This stuff is just much easier to use, cheaper and faster. But if you don't have any on hand clear resin can do the same job