How To: Remove Resin Drips

Those that have been creating Epoxy Resin Artworks would know that when your piece is finished and dried, that there are small little drips on the bottom/ back of the board. If these don’t bother you, then you can definitely leave them there, however if you are wanting to sell your artworks and looking for a more ‘professional’ or clean finish to the artwork, then here are the best ways on how to remove resin drips from the art board surface.

1. Masking Tape – Tape can be used in a couple of different ways here. The first being, you can tape the entire boards edge, essentially creating a dam around the full surface. Similarly to image A displayed. You can then pour and create as you would, however the tape will remain on the board until the resin has completely cured. Once the resin has cured, the tape can be removed and will leave you with a clean/ smooth edge surface that can be painted or otherwise left.

Masking Tape can also be applied to the bottom of the board around the edges of the art board. Similarly to image B displayed. You can then pour your resin as you would, allowing the resin to run down the sides of the board. Once the resin is cured (approximately 24 hours), flip the board over onto a smooth/soft surface and begin removing the tape. The tape will help pull off any of the little drips on the base of the board. 

2. Sanding – This is probably the most common method of removing drips, however the one you will need to be most careful whilst doing. Sanding is a very easy method, however we would always suggest wearing a proper mask with dust specific filtration whilst also working in an open and well ventilated area. The small dust particles from the resin and/or timber can be damaging to inhale, so it is best to wear the correct PPE when using this method. After the resin has cured (we do recommend waiting at least 1 week) the resin artwork can be turned over onto a smooth/soft surface and the back of the board can be sanded, until a uniform/ even surface is achieved.

3. Heating – This is definitely our favourite and what we would consider the easiest method to remove resin drips from the bottom of a resin artwork. Once the resin has cured, flip over onto a smooth/soft surface, and using your Heat Gun, work in small sections and heat for 10-15 seconds. Then with a Paint Scraper, scrape the heated drip section, which should easily lift the drips off the board. Then continue your way around the board by heating a section and scraping the section.

Pro Tip: If you have a Heat Gun that comes with attachments or accessories, see if there is a flat scraper attachment.

(This attachment can be installed on the tip of the Heat Gun and used to scrape the drips off whilst heating at the same time. Rather than using a paint scraper or knife.)

We have a video on our YouTube Channel where we demonstrate this process here: https://youtu.be/RHsIi2rI4Wk

As you would have noticed we always recommend flipping the resin artwork onto a smooth or soft surface. For this, we would recommend using an old towel or blanket that would not be impressionable to the surface. By laying the resin artwork down on a towel or blanket, will avoid any contaminants that may be on your table surface.

However, using the Heating or Sanding method can lead to a very dirty or damaged towel/blanket, so ensure you use something old or something you don’t mind possibly getting ruined.

Once you have finished cleaning the boards, you can leave the surfaces as is, or if you are looking for a nicer finish, apply 1-2 coats of paint. Black or White are most commonly used to give a cleaner finish to the surface. This is also a nice added step if you are looking to sell your artworks. Then any branding, messages or dates can also be written/ printed on the back of the board surface.