Can You Cure Resin In The Oven? Is It Safe?

Resin is a liquid polymer with the inherent hardening ability when mixed with some selected agents and exposed to direct heat or sunlight. It is widely used in 3D printing, molding, or casting. But the true challenge of using resin for any DIY project appears when we think of the curing time. The ideal curing time of epoxy resin is between  12-36 hours which seems time-consuming and displeasing.

But what if the project needs to be completed in a rush? Can I rush the curing time too?

The answer is YES. In that case, your oven in the kitchen can be the savior if you know the effective mechanism of curing resin in the oven.

Is It Possible To Cure Resin In The Oven?

Yes. Following the perfect set of procedures allows you to cure resin using an oven faster than usual.

The curing process solely depends on the temperature. So if you want to fasten the curing process, you have to put your mixture of epoxy resin at an increased temperature setting. The higher the temperature, the faster the curing process ends.

But hold on before you know this- Increased temperature doesn’t allow you to set a temperature of your wish. The temperature should be in a state so that it doesn’t overheat the resin. In that case, a controlled temperature environment is necessary. And that’s where an oven comes in. You can easily manipulate the temperature of the oven as per the requirement.

How To Cure Resin In Oven- Simple And Effective Ways

Every resin comes with a hardener. After you mix the hardener with the epoxy in the right proportion, the chemical starts reacting and the mixture starts curing at room temperature itself. The ideal ratio of the resin and hardener is 2:1 or 1:1. The proportion of both elements depends on the type of resin you are using. You can go through the manufacturer’s guide to know the suggested ratio for curing your resin.

Now let’s see a detailed process of curing resin in the oven.

• Take an oven-friendly mold such as silicon or stainless steel.
• Mix the liquid resin and hardener in a 2:1 ratio. Stir the mix with popsicles until the mixture becomes homogeneous.
• Pour the mixture onto the mold.
• Use a blow dryer on top of the mixture to remove bubbles on the top.
• Set the oven temperature to its lowest and for most of the oven that will be 65 degrees C. Or 150 degrees F. Remember, any exception to the temperature setting can turn the mixture into a sticky mess and disrupt the curing process.
• Put the mold into the oven after the oven reaches its set temperature and wait for 5-8 minutes maximum.
• After that, take the mold out of the oven and let it dry for a bit.

And that’s it. You have saved your precious time and got rid of the disappointments that would face the natural curing process. Though the process seems simple and easy, there are some things that, if not remembered, can spoil the whole thing.

Curing Resin In The Oven- Things You Must Remember

• When you bring the mold out of the oven, don’t put it into the freezer immediately to cool down. The sudden change of uneven temperature will shock the mixture creating the mixture more sticky and bubbly.

• Cover up the mold with something so that no dust particles can accumulate on the surface. As the resin will still be a bit sticky before getting completely cold, it’s easy for dust and dirt to accumulate.

• Don’t use your fingers to check the thickness. You will end up burning your fingertip and spoil the surface of the resin. Rather you can give a poke very lightly with a toothpick or something like that.

How To Cure Resin With Uv Light?

Before I answer this question, let me tell you that epoxy resin and UV resin are two distinct types of resin. UV resin can be cured under UV rays, direct sunlight or any UV light. Unlike epoxy resin, it does not require any catalyst for hardening. To cure UV resin, you just need to keep it under UV light for 8-30 minutes and VOILA!

But if you are thinking of curing epoxy resin with UV light, then the process may get a bit complex and it’s not recommended. For any reason other than UV resin, an oven is a perfect solution for accelerating the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Heat Resin In The Oven?

You can heat resin in the oven to fasten the curing process. Epoxy resin starts curing naturally at room temperature after being mixed with the hardener that comes with it. An oven is just a tool used in the process to make the curing faster.

What Happens If I Overheat Resin?

When you overheat your resin, it will create a wave in your cured resin or make a yellow mark on the wet resin surface.  The smooth polished look will not be there on the final craft. There is also a possibility to thicken any of the two elements, resin, and hardener, to be thickened prematurely and drop some of its property. Simply put, overheating will literally ruin your artwork.

Can I Bake Epoxy Resin To Cure Faster?

When you don’t have a hardener yet need to cure your epoxy, baking can be a good solution for hardening. For that, you will have to put it in an oven at 200 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes. Make sure it’s fully dry when you bring the epoxy out of the oven.

Conclusion

The answer to the question “Can You Cure Resin In The Oven?” is affirmative. But you must keep a track of the temperature. Overheating will adversely affect the hardening process of epoxy resin. But if you want to cure epoxy resin faster naturally, it’s better to put your mold under direct sunlight.

Happy Crafting.