You’ve bought resin. Then you used it to make something cool like a candy necklace or flower pot stakes. And when you’re finished, you notice you didn’t use the entire resin kit. Now, you might be wondering how to store resin.
#1. Cap the lids securely and store them upright in their original containers.
You don’t want your liquids to leak and make a mess.
#2. Don’t store mixed resin.
Once it’s mixed, you have to use it or lose it. So while you can store mixed resin, you’ll have a hard block of cured resin when you go to use it.
#3. Store in a cool, dark place.
The bottom of an indoor closet works great to store resin. It keeps light from yellowing the resin. Plus, the closet stays at a stable temperature.
#4. Do not store in direct sunlight.
The UV light can speed up the yellowing of your resin.
#5. Store where the resin will not be subject to temperature swings.
That means NOT in a garage, attic, or freezer. The ideal resin temperature is in the low 70s F or low 20s C.
#6. Mark somewhere on your resin containers when you purchased the resin.
This will help you use it in a timely fashion.
#7. Store resin bottles in a plastic bag and/or larger plastic container.
If something does spill, it will be easier to contain the mess.
8. Familiarize yourself with the shelf life of the products you are using.
While most epoxy resins have a shelf life of a year, others, like polyesters and polyurethanes, have a much shorter useful life. Only buy the amount of resin you can comfortably use within half of the shelf lifetime.
If you have resin kits you no longer need, please specific guidelines on how to dispose of resin.
Once your resin bottles are open, here are a few other helpful resin tips:
- Only remove one cap at a time. Putting the hardener cap on the resin container (or vice versa) is all it takes to permanently close the bottles. I pour the contents from one bottle, then replace the cap before opening the next bottle.
- When I empty one container, even if I have some left in the other container, I always start a new kit. You want to use a fresh kit with new product instead of using an aged product from an old bottle.
- If the shelf life of resin has expired, don’t panic. You may still be able to use it for your resin projects. If you’ve stored it properly, it should cure, but may have an amber color.
Have more questions about creating with resin?
Confused by all the information out there? It’s enough to frustrate anyone! It’s why I wrote the ebook Resin Fundamentals. You don’t have time to spend hours learning resin. Instead, take an afternoon to read the PDF book and feel confident taking on your next resin project.
Unpublished Blog Posts of Resin Obsession, LLC © 2023 Resin Obsession, LLC
Thank you so much as I never did check if my Resin had an expiration date.. but will in the future.
I used some outdated resin to make a base for a votive candle. It turned dark amer when it cured. It looked very nice with the lit candle, so I didn’t mind, but it isn’t the effect I’d want with most of my jewelry.
I label the lids with marker, either R or H to help me be sure I’m not mixing them up.
Good idea!
Until recently it was necessary to heat resin prior to mixing it. That is no longer necessary (going by my last two purchases of resin). But the unheated resin is much less rigid than the old, heated kind.
For my pieces, I don’t want it to cure so comparably softly. Any ideas to make it cure harder?
What kind/brand of resin are you using?
Hi, I have recently started to use resin. I’m pouring it into a glass vase. I can’t seem to get rid of the bubbles. Unfortunately a huge bubble developed. Almost like an ice cube. It wasn’t there while it was in liquid form but as it started to set it appeared. I was just wondering why that might have happened and how to prevent that in future.
Hi Jo, I’m sorry to hear you had a problem with bubbles. Bubbles sometimes form later because as resin cures, it heats up, causing bubbles. You can avoid this on future castings by doing your pours in smaller batches. Allow one layer to partially cure before pouring the next layer.
Hi there, great site. I am using a 2 part filled casting epoxy. I’ve had three batches harden in the can. The only factor I can think of is that they are stored with a plastic pouring lid. The lid is sealed, but the can is metal, so is it possible the plastic lid is somehow reacting with the resin to set it off?
Thanks
I don’t think a plastic lid is the problem. What kind of resin — epoxy, polyurethane, polyester or something else?
Can I transfer my resin from the plastic bottle I got it in, to an empty & clean glass nail polish bottle?
..coz my plastic bottle lid & nozzle, keeps clogging.
Unmixed resin? The answer is yes — but I don’t know if there will be a reaction with the resin and unused nail polish that will cause it from curing later. It sounds like you are cleaning them. Make sure to do it well and you should be okay.
I use the half bubble mold(428) put a flower inside of it and fill with resin. I dry my flower first, do u need to do anything else to the flower before putting in resin?
thanks,sue
Hi! I have a refill bottle of Padico UV resin, can I buy any plastic bottles to fill em? Is there any special bottle I should buy? What should I use? Thank you.
I’m afraid I don’t have much experience with UV resin and cannot make a recommendation.
Ahh I see. Thank you though!
What’s the best way of storing it so you can’t smell it. I have it in an tub with a lid but it stinks still.
You can try sealing it in a zip top bag as well.
What type of resin do I use for acrylic paint pouring.Thank you
You want to mix it with acrylic or you want to cover an acrylic painting?
Pls I tried to use my polyester rasin and discovered a floating particles and so tick substance in it and its a drum of rasin I just opened
Hi, I’m sorry to hear you are experiencing this situation. Unfortunately, it sounds like something you need to speak to the manufacturer about.
Is there anything I can do about two part epoxy once the main epoxy goes jelly like from garage storage?
Hi Nick, I’m afraid your resin is no longer usable. Here are some tips on how to dispose of it: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/how-to-dispose-of-resin/
Hello sir,
We have some issue during grinding of polypropylene at pulverizer machine. Disk gap between two disk is 5.0 micrometer. Air cooled chiller also attached with pulverizer. But grinding is not sufficient. How can we get sufficient powder?
If we stored pp in a cooled box, temperature maybe 10oC. Then feed into hooper and grind it ??
Hi,
I ordered a large can of resin and the bottle does not have any nozzle to help me pour for smaller batches. Can I pour (unmixed) and keep it in a smaller glass/plastic bottle?
Thanks
Yes, you can.
Hi! I bought a gallon of epoxy esin, and was wondering if I could pour some of it, obviously in different Mason jars, labeled a and b, abd use a mason jar and pump? It’s hard to work with a gallon jug haha. Thank you!
Sure Jackie, I think that’s worth a try!
I use smaller plastic containers for my resins that I get by the gallon. I bought 2 ketchup mustard squeeze bottles and put them in there after washing and drying them out real well. My gardner’s got a green ring around it’s collar. I have to keep them upright at all times but it’s so easy this way to have them on my desk in a plastic lined tray (for spills). Thank you for bringing it to my attention about the shelf life.
You are welcome Stacy. 🙂
I need to store my resin in the basement, but the problem with that is it gets too cold in the summer with the air conditioning. How can I store it, so it won’t get too cold. I thought of putting in in an insulated bag, so the cold doesn’t affect it. I’m not even sure that would work. Do you have any suggestions for me? Thank you
Hi Michelle, do you have to store it in the basement? Do you have a closet on your main floor you can keep it in?
Question if you buy large amounts of resin and then put them in gallon bottles to pour from. Do you need to do anything to the gallon bottle first? I mean like to prevent contaminates from getting in the resin
Hi Alan, I like to use gallon bottles that haven’t been used for anything else. That way you know the surface is clean.
I mean like brand new jugs can they cause moisture contamination and is there anything you should be doing to prevent that before you put the resin in them