You might be sealing a floor, or a wall, or maybe a piece of wood in your place. You might find yourself wondering, can I mix acrylic paint with resin to add some color?
The short answer is yes, but you’re lucky you found this guide to steer you in the right direction.
Here, you’ll learn how to safely mix acrylic paint in resin to color epoxy resin. But first, let’s firstly take a look at what acrylic paint and epoxy resin are.
Resin and Acrylic Resins have unique characteristics just as acrylic. They are resilient, strong, and give durable finish (glossy or matte finish).
Many construction workers and home DIYers will know of these liquid resin. The liquid resins are synthetic adhesives with different chemical hardener. Many resins will have their own uses and are unique in hardness, viscosity, and curing process.
In our experience, it's important to note that the lower the epoxy resin’s viscosity, the longer it takes to dry. Resins with higher viscosity levels are more suited to laminating and casting projects.
An advantage of using epoxy's resin on your projects is that it offers ultraviolet resistance; it's shatter-proof. It has a low susceptibility to weather elements and abrasion.
What Exactly Are Acrylic Paints?
Acrylic paint is made of pigments soaked in an acrylic polymer emulsion like mica powder. They are water-soluble and fast-drying. They offer the advantage of being water-resistant when dry, and stains can be washed off easily with water and soap.
Acrylic paints are also non-flammable, highly resistant to cracks, and give off little odor, so they are perfect for use in playrooms or on children's furniture.
The major advantage of acrylic paint materials is its versatility and compatibility with different compounds when it comes into contact with other mixtures. This means it can be safe to mix acrylic paint with resin, as long as it’s done correctly.
Can You Mix Acrylic Paint Together With Epoxy Resin?
As we mentioned, the short answer is yes.
As acrylic paints have a wide variety of colors, including neon, glitter, and glow in the dark, it’s no surprise that painters want to keep their surfaces safer for longer with a resin.
But there are some factors you need to take into consideration.
When mixing acrylic paint with resin, it's essential to pay attention to the ratio of each component. This is important so that you don't mess with the flow of the resin while mixing acrylic paint.
The recommended ratio is 1:10 (1 part of acrylic paint to 10 parts of clear epoxy resin). You’ll also need to consider the surfaces you intend to paint.
What type of surface can be painted with epoxy's resin mixed with acrylic paint? | |
|---|---|
Canvas | Use a spray bottle to mist water over your canvas. Allow it to dry completely. Be sure to use a wooden frame canvas, or else your artwork would twist because it isn't secured with the frame. |
Wood | Acrylic paints and epoxy resins can be applied to painted wood. It’s best paired with resins as water-based paints are fast-drying, so you can apply a high quality epoxy resin for wood after about 24 hours of drying time. |
Tiles | Painted tiles can be a fun and easy way to spruce up a room. You can use a glazed or unglazed tile with acrylic paint and epoxy's resin. Both will work well. |
Vinyl Records | Prime and paint over your old vinyl records, or you can also find inexpensive used vinyl records at a local Goodwill store. Just be sure to tape the hole in the center to prevent the epoxy's resin from dripping through to the other side. |
Now that you know the surfaces to paint, here are some other questions you may have on how much acrylic paint to mix with resin and what's the best way on each surface. Anything more makes the resin cloudy or not cured resin correctly.
How To Mix Acrylic Paint With Epoxy Resin
As we’ve stated above, it’s essential to mix your liquid acrylics or fluid acrylics paint with resin correctly. A good rule of thumb is using a ratio of 1:10 (1 part of acrylic paint to 10 parts of resin).
In addition, we advise staying within a 6% colorant volume to the total volume of the epoxy resins. If you go above this ratio/percentage, you'll have a chance that the liquid will become clumpy, and its pouring capacity will be affected if there is too much paint.
If you want consistency in your paint, prepare the mixture by stirring it with a plastic spoon or popsicle stick.
Rotate in a 360-degree manner until you get a smooth consistency. As for the colored paint, the surface material should be considered to avoid over saturation. This could ruin the project for you.
It’s also important to note that adding acrylic paint with resin can change the color, and it will fade the resin’s gloss. It is generally assumed the glossiness of resin is good as a sealer, but expect this as a possible result of mixing resin and paint.
What Happens To Epoxy Resins If You Don’t Mix Acrylic Paint Correctly?
Paints and acrylics are typically not recommended to be mixed with epoxy resins. Acrylic-based pigments, water-based pigments, and even some oil-based pigments were not created to be mixed with any epoxy resin.
If done incorrectly, clumps can form and make a weird film on your final piece of art or floorwork. It's also important for the surface to receive proper handling.
Will Epoxy Resin Still Stick To A Surface If Acrylic Paint Is Added To It?
If you are doing acrylic painting over a surface with epoxy resin on it, it's best to use latex paint. These two together do an adequate job of protecting a surface or floor. It's perfectly fine to mix an acrylic color with an epoxy resin and then paint. However, it should be done correctly.
What Else Can I Mix With Epoxy Resins?
So, we know that adding acrylic paints in epoxy resins with the right ratios and equipment, but what are the alternatives to acrylic paint when coloring epoxy resins?
Typically, any oil paints won’t blend too well with paint with resin. Mix oil paint with resin will result in being messy and, quite frankly, not worth the mess cleaning. However, there are three alternatives you can try.
Acrylic Paint & Epoxy Resin FAQs
Can you mix nail polish with epoxy resin?
Yes, but we don't recommend mixing nail polish with epoxy resin. Some artists use epoxy resin to seal a small surface covered in nail polish, and it does work. However, mixing both has not gone well for several DIYers.
Can you put epoxy over a painted surface?
Absolutely, you can put epoxy over painted surfaces but we don't recommend putting an epoxy resin over a latex-based paint (it can cause a wrinkling effect).
Will spray paint stick to resin?
If the spray paint you are using is acrylic-based, you can stick resin on top.
Conclusion
We know now mixing acrylic paint and epoxy resins work! But the ratio is important, and the glossiness of the resin will be affected.
Alternatively, you can use a resin tint to maintain glossiness and still get a good payoff in color. With all of this information, the choice is up to you.