Step-by-step to Make An Epoxy Ocean Table (with pics and videos)

For those who love the ocean with its beauty and resin art, we have decided to show how to match the water theme on a round epoxy resin table top. This step-by-step tutorial will teach you to create an epoxy ocean table professionally. Such an amazing tabletop is one of the popular epoxy art items people love to buy and create beach and summer-related interiors. It will always remind you of places you might have visited: beaches, islands, and much more that you want to last in memory for centuries. In addition, the table can be used as an epoxy coffee table, accent table, couch table, or even a computer table in your home. And our ultimate guide will help significantly those who love creating amazing beach and ocean-related epoxy art or want to create even a resin wood table as well. 

In this post, we will cover a step-by-step guide to craft an epoxy ocean table from scratch without any hassle.

 For the right and safe creation of your first resin table top you will need:

• Respirator mask
• Nitrile gloves
• Level
• Heat gun
• Mixing cups and stirring sticks 

Do not forget about supplies and safety precautions while crating this epoxy round ocean tabletop

TIPS 1

First, choose the picture of the best in your opinion ocean view and look through it carefully. Always plan your creative steps to avoid missing features on the final resin artwork and missing tools and supplies as well. After you have selected the best matching image or a picture of an ocean shore takes a look at the following features:

• Coast (use real sand or décor imitating it)
• Ocean shore. Use realistic shapes of seashore that can add a feeling of depth and motion: deep, beautiful ocean will contrast with white and foamy wave crests against shore with golden or white sand. Its unique and shiny finish will make you want to dive in. 
• Color grades. These are places where the ocean transforms from light blue into dark blue tones.   
• Waves. They are probably one of the most important parts of your epoxy artwork. Waves give character and beauty to your work, they add an effect of naturality. 

Look at the entire picture and try imitating something close to it. Whether you call it ocean art, beach art, or a seascape, chances are you have seen this gorgeous look before and wondered how it was done. For this purpose, we will demonstrate to you how easy it is to create your first unique and stunning ocean art, even if you are a beginner! Let’s get started. 

Epoxy Ocean Table Project Checklist

First, for all your epoxy projects we recommend having a checklist. In other words, write down all steps from the start to finish. Such a checklist will help you not only to define a productive timeline but will also help gather the necessary materials and tools for each step.

For this project you will need:

• Three colors
• Golden crushed glass or real sand
• Resin/epoxy 
• Blocks or stands popping your ready resin art up with

1. Assembling Materials

If you often overlook simple things that help you in the creation of your epoxy artwork, your project becomes much harder from the start. Gathering materials are the first and simple thing to do. It is part of your initial project planning. So, everything should be on hand before you begin. Also, do not forget about your dust cover.

2. Prepare Resin and Colors

Do not forget that you will create a realistic beach view. Therefore, you will need only three basic colors to work with white, blue or turquoise, and dark blue. The transition effect will be created with the help of resin while such an effect can be reached with the help of opaque.

Now, measure an equal amount of hardener and resin and mix them well not less than for 3-4 minutes. Then Try scraping the bottom of the mixing container and its sides. Divide the ready amount among cups and do not forget that each cup will have one color. 

It is better to start with less color than is needed and add more as necessary later than get the worst result. It is recommended to add no more than 6% of color from the total volume of hardener and resin together. Otherwise, it will not cure properly.

After you have added color let resin thicken and only then start to work. Do not pour resin right after you added color and mixed it. Otherwise, such a fast method will only make your artwork look dirty since liquid resin cannot provide a necessary effect. Let resin thicken for 15 minutes. In this case, we have prepared 3 colors: light blue or turquoise, dark blue, and extra dark blue to provide the bottom dark effect of the ocean. 

TIPS 2

When you add color to resin and mix it even in a transparent cup try testing the ready color by nudging a little bit of the cup. Therefore, you will see the true color. Since the colored resin in volume in the cup, it can often look darker. We recommend using this hack since it can be helpful, especially for beginners. 

For each project, we strongly recommend calculating resin, hardener and all other supplies. For the current project we used:

• Epoxy resin-800g. For the first layer we have taken only 100g. For the second layer we have used 400g and 300g for the third one.
• Resin error cannot be over 10g.

Please, keep in mind that every resin layer needs a day to cure. So, while creating a multi-layered project think about possible cure times beforehand. In particular, this resin project took 3 days since we have used three resin layers with various colors.

Are You Ready to Create Your Amazing Epoxy Ocean Table Now?

Now your resin has thickened and is ready to be poured. In order to create your coffee table with a beach, first, start with your sand. Some people love to use real white or even golden sand, others use décor. Now we will use décor that imitates sand and has an amazing golden. This is golden crushed glass that can replace real sand and give your resin works a gorgeous final look.   

Step 1  Create the First Layer

This is your first resin ocean table top project and for a successful start you need to follow step-by-step instructions. First, distribute your “sand” evenly across the “shore”. Then, fix it with a little amount of ready resin and let it cure. To avoid a muddy look, leave a little separation between the turquoise (the first line water) along the shoreline because it will help avoid color mixing.  

Step 2  Add Light Turquoise Color

For the creation of an ocean be careful with your prepared colors. However, keep in mind that you can change them anytime. Now it is time to create the ocean. Start with light turquoise colors while building your resin ocean if you remember all seashores have bright, turquoise views. Such a view will represent shallow water, which is usually closer to shore. Then, apply your ready-colored resin across the shore the side opposite to the sand. In the meantime, you can use a plastic knife or a spatula to spread it evenly by making a realistic shore.

Step 3  Pour Dark Blue Color

Along with spreading the light turquoise colors, it is time to add a little darker colors. You can blend dark with light colors to get an even transition between parts of the ocean in order to create a natural and ocean-like view blend in lines dark and light turquoise. By doing this you will get depth and even gradual color transition. Certainly, don't forget to use the heat gun to remove the bubbles.

Step 4  Adjust the Color Mix

At this stage, you are free to adjust any amount of color. For the best result are unafraid to mix resin with the help of your hands. However, keep in mind that you should use nitrile gloves. It is possible to use an air gun as well. This tool is perfect for the creation of a smooth transition of various blue tones. Similarly, air gun can help achieve such even transition in a more natural way.

Step 5  Create a White Shoreline

Create realistic waves and let us create a bit of magic. Drop a line of white resin into the gap between the ocean and sand if you want to create impressive and natural waves crashing against the shoreline. We recommend starting with a thin line. You can always add more white resin to transform your thin strip into rich white waves across the seashore. If you still think that it is necessary, then add more white lines to create realistic and sea foamy waves. 

Step 6  Create the Foamy Waves

Do you know how to create crashing waves on your epoxy resin table? With a low setting aim your air gun to the place you want to create crashing waves. Choose the white strip between the ocean and sand. Carefully move the air gun back and forth and stay close to the white resin line. Given these points, do it slowly to get a great result. 

Step 7  Form the Last Layer

Move to the second and third white resin lines if you have them and do the same thing. Imitate crashing and foamy waves going deep into the blue ocean. You can add as many white resin lines as wish. To get a more realistic view, try to use a toothpick that can elongate the waves with its help and look at the magic! Finally, you will get amazing seafoam coming and going back to the ocean.   

Step 8  Finish the Project

To give your resin project the final touch, remove any bubbles by all means with your torch. Also, protect your artwork with a dust cover, which can be a cardboard box, a plastic tote, or anything else. All things considered, let it dry for at least 24 hours.

Once you have mastered the new technique of creating epoxy ocean table, you will be able to use various embellishments: natural sand, rocks, shells, and much more. But for now, your first and one-of-a-kind absolutely amazing resin artwork is ready!

Source & Further Reading

More epoxy table ideas