Nov
How to Make Epoxy Resin Dry Faster? While it is not recommended to add heat to a Thermosetting Resin, the curing process can be speedup at a certain point. Once the epoxy has passed the exothermic peak and now cooling down, heat can be added to help close the molecular chain. The additional heat source will be absorbed by the open molecules still curing. This extra energy will be enough to speed up the curing process.
For example, if a river table is taking more time to fully cure because of colder temperature, the room temperature can be increased by a few degrees over 24C/74F to help the epoxy cure faster. The extra few degrees added for the next few days will give the epoxy a boost and help it reach full hardness faster. Never add heat to the epoxy while it is still very liquid or if the exothermic peak hasn’t occurred yet. Adding heat or increasing the room temperature at the wrong moment could result in the epoxy overheating.
Tips to Speedup the Dry Time of Epoxy Resin
- Increase the room temperature. A few degrees over the recommended temperature will help speedup the cure time. Epoxy is affected by temperature: warmer temperatures facilitate curing and colder temperatures slowdown the curing.
- For smaller projects a heat source like a heat lamp or small room heater can be used to cover the whole piece.
- Never use a torch or heat gun to speed up the process. The temperature doesn’t need to be that high and you risk to burn your project.
- Never add more hardener thinking it will speed up the curing process. It will actually modify the stoichiometry and the epoxy will stay soft.
- Never use another product hardener with a quicker pot life/cure time. Each system has been formulated to match a Resin + Hardener based on multiple factors.
- If you increase the room temperature, make sure to keep it constant for the next few days. Avoid temperature variation, especially during day and night.