Step-by-Step Frame-In Resin Countertops

Measure the length and width of the cabinet that you’re using as a base for your countertop with a measuring tape. Add 1/2 inch to both the length and the width to create the overlapping countertop lip along the cabinet edge.

Transfer your modified measurements to a piece of 3/4-inch plywood. Mark the plywood with the measurements using a straightedge and a pencil to create straight cutting lines for guides. Cut the sheet of plywood to the marked measurements with a table saw.

Sand the edges of the plywood smooth with a piece of medium-grit sandpaper.

Cut two 1-by-1.5-inch wood strips to the width of the plywood, and two to the plywood length, adding 2 inches to the length boards so you can frame the width boards within them. Glue the strips to the plywood edges using wood glue so the pieces have the 1-inch edges facing upward. Make certain the sides of the wood strips are level using a carpenter’s level, then use a nail gun to nail the joints together, and to nail the base of the strip to the side of the plywood frame base.

Fill the joints of the board from the inside with black silicone caulking to prevent the resin from seeping through and creating a rough edge. Smooth the caulking flat with a wet fingertip.

Brush a layer of wood sealant over the inside of the frame to keep the resin from seeping into the wood pores and warping the material. Wait about two hours for the sealant to begin drying.

Place any objects that you’d like to embed into the resin onto the plywood base in the position that you want them to appear. If placing paper or wooden objects, seal them before setting them onto the plywood surface to prevent them from soaking in the resin.

Mix the two resin components in a bucket. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions to determine the necessary mixing ratio of resin to catalyst, then use that ratio to create the mixture. Create just enough gel to cover a 1/4-inch layer of your frame. Determine the needed amount by multiplying the width by the height of the frame, then multiplying the result by the 1/4-inch depth of the layer to determine the volume of that 1/4-inch layer. Consult the instructions for the resin to determine its coverage rate, then mix enough resin by coverage amount to fit the layer volume. Stir the two together in a small bucket using a wooden stirring stick. Add any tinting pigment to the mixture at this time to color the resin.

Pour the resin into the frame. Pour only a 1/4-inch layer, as thick pours will overheat and not cure properly. Allow the resin to cure for one hour until the mixture forms a gel within the frame. Mix a batch for the second 1/4-inch layer of resin. Reduce the amount of catalyst used by about 10 percent to account for the excess heat generated by the still-curing lower layer. Pour the second layer of resin over the gelled layer, also 1/4 inch thick, and wait for it to gel as well. Repeat the process for the third layer, and pour to the top of your wood frame. Allow the fully filled frame to cure for three days.

Mix a small batch of resin in the bucket and spread it over your surface in a thin layer using the stirring stick. Cover the top of the resin with a sheet of mylar. Wait three days for the resin to harden, then remove the sheet to leave a smooth surface on your countertop.

Remove the sides of the frame from the countertop.

Place a strip of masking tape over the surface of the countertop along the edges. Run a router containing a rounded bit over the edges of the countertop to create a nice, rounded countertop edge. Remove the masking tape, as it is no longer needed to prevent scratching the surface of the countertop with the router base.

Cover the top edges of your cabinets with construction cement. Place the plywood base onto the glue where you want it secured. Allow the cement to dry for two hours.

Buff the edges of the countertop where you rounded them off with a microfiber cloth and a low abrasive buffing liquid to give the edge the same level of glossy shine as the remaining surface.