You completed your epoxy art or resin tumbler. And you’re SO EXCITED — until you see dimples. Not on your face but on your resin surface. Whatever you call these resin dimples — divots, holes, voids, fish eyes, glazed glitter skittle — they don’t have to wreck your creativity. Here are three steps on how to fix dimples in epoxy resin.
Step 1: Figure out why the resin dimples happened.
Those who fail to learn from their resin dimples are doomed to repeat them. So you’ve got homework. Review the five answers to the question why does my epoxy have dimples.
Then, make sure you know what happened so you know how to avoid the fish eyes when you make your next piece of resin art.
Step 2: Figure out how deep your resin dimples are.
If your divots are one-sixteenth of an inch or less, mix and pour a new flood coat of resin. Make sure your resin surface is clean and that you use the right amount of a doming resin. Doming resin self-levels and evenly coats a surface. This epoxy resin type self-levels to a one-eighth-inch. It will even itself out over the entire surface if your holes are 1/16 inch or less.
💡 Pro tip: If you don’t know how much epoxy you need, this resin calculator does the math for you. It’s important that you use enough epoxy resin as a part of knowing how to fix dimples.
Step 3: Sand your surface if your dimples are one-eighth inch or deeper.
Since doming resin levels to one-eighth of an inch, you need to sand the epoxy resin surface so the dents are less than one-eighth of an inch deep. This allows the resin to cover the surface evenly when you apply another flood coat.
⭐️ BONUS: If you haven’t sanded resin before, here are my resin sanding tips.
💡 Pro tip: When pouring a second (or more) layer of resin, it may not fill to the edge as well as it did with the previous layer. Create a tape dam around the piece with masking tape or painter’s tape to make sure the resin gets to the edge.
Ta-da! You just learned how to fix dimples in epoxy resin.
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Katherine, I’ve got myself making a wood counter top for my kitchen counter. I’ve got the countertop resin, ready to go but I’m scared to death to do it for this very reason, fish eyes. It’s one solid piece of wood with sink hole cut out and I have to add on the molding around the edge. My question is, how do I keep the resin from going down in the crack where the counter and molding meet. I would also like the resin to flow over the edges bit. Should I just paint resin over the edge in thin layers and what kind of dam do a put around it? I’ve watched a million and one videos about this and I’m still scared to death. Do I just jump in and go with the flow(lol)? Lori
Hi Lori, this project sounds so exciting! Without seeing your set up it’s hard for me to say what you can do to keep the resin from going through the crack. This article should give you some ideas on some things you can try: https://resinobsession.com/resin-resin-resin/surfaces-resin-wont-stick-to/. Painter’s tape works great to make a dam for the edge. As for the edge side — I would say go with what you think you will like better!
When you say use tape to dam it up…
If I am using a 1.5” thick canvas, do I put the tape up high to keep the resin at the top? If so, what is proper for covering the sides? Thank you!
Hi Kathy, you only need to do the tape dam if you plan on doing a second pour. The height you make the tape is up to you, but an eight-inch height above the surface should be fine.
8 inch height? I’m not sure I know what you mean.
Can you see paint brush lines through epoxy?
Usually not.
Thank you 😊. Still learning how to fix my mistakes.
Hi Katherine, I’m using clear art resin on top of coloured Hexagons, I unfortunately have placed one on top of another. I now have some dents. The dents have a opaque look, if I do another resin coat will these opaque dents still show through?? Do I need to
Sand?? Thanks, Mitch
Hi Mitch, it’s hard to know, without seeing the coasters, whether or not the dents will show through. Sanding first will help with that. This article explains how to sand resin: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/how-to-sand-resin-smooth/
Hello Katherine, I was working with some epoxy on my outdoor concrete countertops and I painted it black with some gray to give it a marble look. After that I have it a clear coat and after the clear coat the fish eyes seemed to appear out of nowhere. So I sanded it down and gave it another coat but this time with glitter mixed in it, and still the same problem, more fish eyes! What is your recommendation for all these fish eyes, thank you.
Hi Felipe, it sounds like you need to identify what’s causing the fish eyes so you can know how to fix them. This article explains more: https://resinobsession.com/resin-art/why-are-there-dents-and-holes-in-my-resin-painting/
what can I use for mold release that I have at home?
You can use cooking spray like Pam- just don’t use too much.
Hi LM, it’s been my experience with Pam that it’s too greasy and can make the resin pit. I don’t recommend it as a resin mold release.
Yesterday I did a small table top that has several dimples. I used the last of my resin on that pour. I have more resin but it’s a different brand. Is it ok to pour a flood coat to correct with the new resin?
Hi Deborah, if they are both the same type of resin, you should be fine.
I just covered an outdoor bar with resin that was covered in pennies. We had a dam built with the trim of the bar. However, it leaked in the corners where the trim went together. This resulted in the epoxy being lower in the corners. Can I just pour more in the corners?
Hi Loretta, while you can do that, you are going to see a line between the old and new resin. If you want a completely even surface, you will need to recoat the entire bar.
Hello. I need help and would like to send you a pic of what I did. I think my surface was not cleaned and sanded enough, but I love it so much I really want to fix it and would love some advice pleae.
Hi Carol, we offer [free] advice in our resin forum. You can post here: https://resinobsession.com/forums/
Otherwise, I offer consulting appointments for a small fee. You can start that here: https://resinobsession.com/contact-us/
Your risen calculator is not correct.
I entered 44 in by 44 in by 125 in height equals 13.4 ft². At 6 oz per square foot I should need 80.44 ounces.
Your calculator says I need 134.10 oz. That’s over 60% more than necessary and will be wasted. I’ve been calculating my own resin for years but I check other calculators because I find quite often they cause new users to waste a lot of resin. I like to believe that it’s an honest mistake and not just one that sells more resin.
Hi Jennifer, thanks for checking behind us on the math. Wasting resin is something we don’t like to do either.
I put your measurements into https://www.calculator.net/volume-calculator.html. This is what I get:
Then, I went to google to convert cubic inches to ounces.
It shows the same answer as our resin calculator:
I think the problem is that you used our risen calculator and not our resin calculator. That risen calculator has a mind of its own sometimes.
I need help! I have done pour after pour of clear coat over an art piece and no matter how I follow every direction to a T it still continues to cure with little Poc marks all over the surface. When it’s wet it looks great but the next morning…uuhhggg! I sand, I clean, I mix thoroughly, Ive tried torching, then heat gun, I have a dust cover, I’ve tried a thin coat and a thick coat…nothing is working. 😖
I am having the same problem – I know the art piece (on board) was not quite even, but it all covered nicely – at first.
Help….. I have dimples in my resin, it was fine but then the rain came down for the rest of the day and it was just cold and windy and I think maybe I hold the hot gun to long on it I don’t no where I went wrong
I’m sorry this happened to you, Allison. This article explains how dimples happen: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/why-does-my-epoxy-have-dimples/
I am doing a table top when can you start pulling the tape dam off
After 12 hours you should be able to pull the tape off!