Thursday, April 2, 2020

How to Mix Resin Without Bubbles

One of the biggest challenges when working with resin is bubbles. Even experts have trouble with bubbles.

There are plenty of ways to deal with them if you have any in your project. If you're looking for tips on how to do that, here's a post that shows you 7 Ways to Eliminate Bubbles From Your Resin.

But what about eliminating them right from the outset?
Gloved hand holding a small plastic cup filled with clear, bubble-free resin

Is it possible to mix resin WITHOUT incorporating bubbles into the mix?

One surefire way to minimise bubbles is to mix the resin slowly. But even still, no matter how slowly you mix it, you're likely to end up with some bubbles.

But THERE IS A BETTER WAY!

Ditch the wooden stir stick! Yes, that's right... ditch it! 
Bundle of wooden popsicle sticks with a red circle and cross overlayed on top

You might know them as craft sticks, coffee stirrers, pop sticks or tongue depressors. 

It doesn't matter what name they go by; these stir sticks are a major cause of bubbles being introduced to the resin during mixing.

So instead of using a wooden stir stick to mix your resin, switch to a polypropylene (PP) mixing wand, aka, a plastic makeup spatula.

Packet of 5" pink plastic makeup spatulas


WHY USE PLASTIC SPATULAS FOR MIXING RESIN?

Your stirring technique definitely has an effect on the amount of bubbles that you get, but there's more to it than that.

Many of the bubbles that occur when you're mixing resin are caused by the rough surface and the cellular nature of the wooden stir stick. 

The resin penetrates the cells in the wood and displaces that air back into the resin. Plus, the slightly rough surface of the stick also causes bubbles to form as it's stirred through the resin.

When you use a makeup spatula, the smooth surface of the plastic glides through the resin and mixes it without introducing bubbles.
Stirring the resin with a plastic stirring wand

You still have to stir the resin slowly as you mix. But you'll notice a dramatic decrease in the number of bubbles you've stirred in.

The spatulas come in different shapes and sizes but I recommend you choose these 5-inch makeup spatulas.

  • They are EASY TO CLEAN so they can be used over and over (reducing landfill and saving you money!)
  • The longer handle makes it more comfortable to stir your resin than the 2.5-inch spatula
  • The ends are pointed and flat helping you can get into the corners of the cup so you don't leave any resin UNMIXED
  • They come in a gorgeous girly pink colour 😍.
    (They also come in white, but I like pink! 😉)
Pink makeup spatula sitting on top of a metal ruler, showing that it is 5" long. Text reads, 5 inches or 12.5cm.

So YES, you can mix resin without bubbles... the secret is in what you stir it with. Once you switch to plastic mixing wands, you'll never go back to wooden stir sticks!

Pin this for Later!
Mix resin without bubbles inspiration sheet


Happy Resining!


Subscribe to my email list and learn how to resin like an expert.


Would you like to comment?

  1. Small details, but that makes the difference. Thanks for the tip Dearest Myléne.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome, Luis. I hope you find that making the switch to PP stirrers makes a BIG difference to your resin mixing!

      Delete
    2. Where does one find the PP stirrers? I'm a Newby with much to learn.

      Delete
    3. Hi Barb, Welcome to the world of resin. We all start out at the beginning :)
      There's a link in the post that you can source PP stirrers from: https://amzn.to/307jwkR
      You'll find the 5" stirrers easier to use than the shorter version.

      Delete
  2. What a simple, yet incredible way to improve a task... thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello, may I ask can i use also silicone stick, does it also have some effect on bubbles? Thank you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Miriam, silicone stir sticks are good too. Some of them are super smooth and some have a bit of texture. Look for the smooth ones like this: https://amzn.to/3i9OtzW

      Delete

Thanks for stopping by today. Your comment is really appreciated.