This post shares a tutorial for how to make DIY epoxy resin planters using a silicone mold. The silicone mold is perfect for resin and helps you make beautiful hexagon-shaped planters. I’m also sharing tips for using a heat gun to pop resin bubbles. This post is sponsored by Wagner Spray Tech; all opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links.
DIY epoxy resin planter using a silicone mold
Hey guys! I’m sharing a really fun and easy epoxy resin project today–DIY epoxy resin planters using a silicone mold. Ever since I made my galaxy-inspired epoxy resin paint pour art, I’ve wanted to try my hand at some more resin projects. Today’s planters took me a few tries to get perfect, and I’m sharing all of the tips you need to nail it the first time.
Using a Heat Gun for Resin Bubbles
I’m also going to share some bubble-popping tips. Resin can be tricky if you’re new to working with it. When you pour resin into a mold, air bubbles will rise to the surface. These bubbles can be larger and easy to pop by drawing them out with a toothpick.
However, they can also be really tiny and nearly impossible to get rid of manually. Using a heat gun for resin bubbles is an extremely effective and safe solution to this problem, and I’m working with Wagner Spray Tech to show you how the Wagner FURNO 500 can be the perfect solution for popping resin bubbles.
The FURNO 500 heat gun has a bunch of uses, so if you do only a handful of resin project per year, you’ll definitely find another use for this bad boy. It’s great for stripping paint, softening adhesives and caulk, removing bumper stickers, making candles and soap, restoring auto trim, shrink-wrapping presents, drying spackle, decorating cookies, refreshing faded plastic, and more. But today we’re talking about popping air bubbles in resin, so let’s jump in to the tutorial.
Supplies
- Silicone planter molds
- Two-part epoxy resin
- Wagner FURNO 500 heat gun
- Mica dye powders
- Black alcohol ink
- Silicone measuring cup
- Disposable mixing cups and stirrers (buy a kit here)
- Disposable gloves
- Workspace protection & paper towels
And here’s how I made my DIY epoxy resin planter using a silicone mold.
(Safety first! Make sure to work in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves. Don’t let the liquid resin epoxy come into contact with your skin, children, or pets. Read the manufacturer’s instructions on all materials and tools. See my full disclosure here. Thanks!)
Step 1: Prep workspace and mix two-part epoxy resin
First I covered my entire workspace using thick paper. I also set aside some paper towels. If you’re never worked with resin before, it’s messy! Cover everything, including your hands. Next I measured my two-part epoxy resin.
The easiest way to do this is with a silicone measuring cup because it’s super easy to clean out once the resin has cured, plus it’s reusable. However, I also like to use disposable cups. You can use a disposable cup as a measuring cup like this: Dump in an amount of water—say, a ½ cup—and mark where it hits.
Then dump in another ½ cup and mark where that hits. Dump out the water. You now know where to pour to get equal amounts of your two-part epoxy resin, and it’s already in the cup ready to stir. Less cleanup!
Step 2: Mix the epoxy resin and add mica dye powders
Once I’d poured equal parts of the two-part resin into the cup, I stirred thoroughly with a disposable stirrer. Then I added alcohol ink and mica dye powders to get my desired colors. For one set of planters, I used black alcohol ink and some green mica dye powders. For the other, I used black and silver mica dye powders.
These mica dye powders have a beautiful shimmer to them and color the epoxy very well. They are messy, though, so make sure to immediately shut the bag when you’re done working with each color. Feel free to mix and match until you get a color you like and remember that a little goes a long way. You can always add more.
Like DIY planters? You’re in luck! Check out my post with all of my DIY planters to help you decorate with plants, including some of my personal favorites—the hanging stainless steel bowl planters, the plywood planter with hairpin legs, and the tiny tea tin planters.
Step 3: Pour into the silicone molds and pop air bubbles
Once I’d finished mixing colors in, I poured the mixture into each planter mold and let it sit for a minute or two. As it settles, you’ll notice bubbles rising to the surface. These are just air bubbles escaping the mixture.
Some of the bubbles were big, while some of them were very small. I have tried different methods for popping bubbles in resin with mixed effectiveness: using a straw, dragging bubbles out with a toothpick, and using a hair dryer.
Dragging bubbles out with a toothpick is effective for larger bubbles. Using a straw and blowing can make a mess. A hair dryer works well if you want to blow colors around to mix them, but it has way too much force for smaller projects. A heat gun is the perfect solution.
The heat gun also has the added bonus of mixing the colors up really nicely and naturally. You can see a bit of that mixing in the pictures below, which created some really stunning patterns on my DIY epoxy resin planters. The first two are before I used the heat gun, and the second two are after.
Using the FURNO 500 heat gun for popping resin bubbles
I set my FURNO 500 on the lower of the two fan settings and adjusted the heat at 350 degrees F (the second-lowest heat option). Next I held the FURNO 500 about a foot away from the mold and slowly pointed it directly at each resin pour. Watching the bubbles pop was kind of mesmerizing. I tried to catch it in the video tutorial!
If you find you need to crease the heat or fan speed, you can do that. It’s better to start off with lower settings and adjust up as needed. You don’t want to blast your molds and then get uncured sticky resin everywhere!
Once all of the bubbles are gone, you’re done. The resin will begin to harden very quickly. As that is happening, using the heat gun can mess with the resin and create weird uneven patterns as some areas solidify before others. (This would be true with any heat source, not just a heat gun.)
Turn the FURNO 500 heat gun on cool-down mode by pressing the snowflake button. You’ll hear a fan. While you’re waiting for it to cool down, you can prop it up on its built-in stand. If you want to override cool-down mode, you can hold the snowflake button down for a few seconds.
Want to learn more about using resin? Check out my tips for using a shiny or matte resin silicone mold, and how to preserve leaves in resin for home decor.
You will also love my DIY epoxy resin coasters, this galaxy inspired resin paint pour art, how to make resin jewelry and my DIY resin and wood serving tray!
Step 4: Let cure and remove from the mold
I let mine cure for about 24 hours in my dining room under my ceiling fan. It’s so hot and humid right now here in Maryland, so I wanted to make sure I gave them plenty of time. Read your brand of resin’s instructions for more precise times.
Once 24 hours had passed, I popped these cuties out of the molds. If you have any rough spots, you can use a piece of very fine-grit sandpaper to sand them off by hand. What do you think?
Share my DIY epoxy resin planters using a silicone mold & my tips for using a heat gun to pop resin bubbles!
You can also learn more about the Wagner Spray Tech FURNO 500 heat gun on Wagner’s website!
Brittany is a seasoned DIY home and garden expert, running a creative brand since 2014 that inspires others with approachable plant care guides, woodworking tutorials, and decor projects. She is a certified project manager and has completed extensive coursework in the art and science of growing your own plants. Her work has been recognized by major publications, and she routinely collaborates with fellow DIY industry leaders—but her favorite thing to do is inspire you!
Leave a comment