Table of contents
- Which colors are suitable?
- Dye with what?
- Special epoxy hard paints
- acrylic paint
- ink
- airbrush paint
- watercolors
- chalk
- Other dry pigments
- how to mix
Whether model making or technical applications, epoxy resin, also known as resin, is used in many ways today. Instead of then laboriously painting components made of this material, the resin can also be given the desired color by coloring before processing. We will explain to you which fabrics are suitable for dyeing and how to proceed.
Which colors are suitable?
A wide variety of substances are suitable for giving resin the desired color. Which one is used depends heavily on the desired result. What all colors have in common, however, are the requirements that are to be placed on the colors:
- Good distribution in the viscous resin
- No negative influence on the setting behavior
- No negative impact on the technical properties of the hardened resin
- High dosage for good coloring properties with low water entry into the resin mixture
Even basically suitable paints can adversely affect the epoxy urine if they are dosed too high. As a rule, therefore, one assumes a color addition of no more than five percent. In individual cases, the proportion can even rise to 15 percent, although the manufacturer of the resin should specify the corresponding higher upper limits.
DANGER:
Irrespective of the colorant chosen, epoxy hard always retains a glassy impression with colors that are slightly translucent. In addition, it loses its coloring very quickly outdoors, since the resin is UB-permeable and the pigments are destroyed by UV light in a short time.
Dye with what?
The requirements mentioned can be found in a large number of different dyes. The most common for this purpose are these:
Special epoxy hard paints
Developed specifically for coloring epoxy resin, most resin manufacturers now offer color additives for their products. The colors are well compatible with the resin and easy to use processing. A wide range of possible shades also allows you to work quickly with little effort for additional mixing or tinting of colors.
acrylic paint
Created from pigments, synthetic resin and water, the base of this paint is very similar to epoxy resin. Mixing therefore results in very even distributions with good dyeing performance.
A NOTICE:
Translucent in the form of the colored epoxy resin, many acrylic paints cure with a slightly milky tint. This results from the acrylic binder used. Here, for a clear, unclouded coloration, make sure to use paint with a clear acrylic binder.
ink
Whether the ink is water-based or alcohol-based, it has an extreme high pigmentation, since it is supposed to produce legible writing on the paper, even in the smallest amounts. Therefore, just a few drops of ink are enough to color the resin strongly. Only the choice of colors is very limited.
airbrush paint
In the actual sense, airbrush paint does not refer to a type of paint, but to all water-based paints with strong flowing and extremely finely pigmented properties. Normally they need this to be able to be processed in the airbrush gun. In the epoxy resin, on the other hand, they ensure good distribution and an evenly intense coloration.
watercolors
The water-based basis of these well-known colors ensures very good distribution in the resin. The disadvantage is the comparatively low pigmentation, so that it is difficult to create intensive colors with water-based paints.
chalk
If you prefer a grainy, almost crystalline look instead of a homogeneous coloring, you should try chalk. Finely ground, the pigment spreads well in the resin without dissolving.
TIP:
Instead of laboriously grinding the well-known block form of chalk, the artists' supply offers ready-ground chalk as a fine, lump-free powder.
Other dry pigments
Finally, a wide variety of solid pigments are suitable for use with epoxy resin. Since they do not dissolve, they do not affect the chemical properties of the setting process, but at the same time always retain their grainy appearance. Today, new, high-gloss pigments even allow coloring with a metallic look.
DANGER:
Again and again one reads about oil paints for coloring resin. We expressly warn against this at this point! Since the basis of this dye is oil, even stirring for a long time does not create a real bond between the color and the resin. The paint droplets separate from the resin again and again and remain as small balls in the hardened resin. In addition to causing uneven staining, these bubbles can also compromise the static integrity of parts made from epoxy.
how to mix
When mixing paint and epoxy resin, it's best to go with your gut feeling. Because fixed sizes via the addition of the amount of paint etc. do not exist. It makes sense to consider the following basics when coloring the resin:
- If necessary, first mix the paint ready for use or prepare
- Mix the resin completely to ensure a sufficient bond between resin and hardener
- Only then combine the finished paint with the fully mixed resin
- Add color in small amounts and stir in completely
- If more color is required, add more color and work in completely again
- Pay attention to fine-grained pigment powders, eliminate lumps before stirring
- Do not exceed the manufacturer's maximum value with color addition
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