Cloudy Resin – Why it happens and What to do About it
Whether you call it cloudy, milky, or foggy; you know something is off when your resin looks
this way and it can be concerning. Don’t worry, it is ok! We are going to tell you why it
happens and what you can do about it. First of all, know that cloudy resin is totally normal so
don’t worry! It can happen at different stages of use and for different reasons but most of the
time the cloudiness can be reversed.
Why it happens: Resin can look milky if its temperature is too low, there is any moisture in it,
or if there are a lot of air bubbles from over stirring. When you mix the two part resin together it
will often look cloudy in the beginning but will start to clear toward the end of mixing.
What to do: You’ll want to keep the resin at its desired temperature. It should be stored in a
temperature stable environment and then, before you use it, give it a nice warm water bath. Pour
the resin and hardener into separate dry cups (remember that any moisture introduced will cause
cloudiness so make sure all the equipment you use is completely dry), put the containers in the
warm water bath and let them soak for a few minutes. The resin will begin to thin out and will
lose its milky appearance. Resin also prefers room temps to be between 71-75 degrees F so you
may want to adjust your work space accordingly. We know this makes resin seem a bit needy but
a little pampering will go a long way towards the quality of your results.
Thoroughly mixing your resin is imperative because it removes streaks and prevents sticky spots
from forming after curing. However, stirring too quickly can produce those air bubbles that cause
a cloudy appearance. The solution: slow and steady mixing for 2 -5 minutes will thoroughly
combine the resin without adding those pesky air bubbles. Also, make sure you are mixing no
less than the minimum 2 ounces of resin because using less can cause the resin to not combine
properly, not set, or be sticky or soft.
If you’ve babied your resin and it still looks cloudy it’s ok, sometimes the resin will remain
cloudy until it is applied to artwork and torched which will clear it up. If you’ve used a mold that
has dull surface instead of a shiny one it will give a cloudy finish but that too can be fixed with
some post-cure love. You can buff and polish, recoat with a layer of resin and let it cure again, or
use a gloss sealer spray to shine your piece up.
Take heart friends! A bit of milky resin is normal and it is simple to avoid the causes of
excessive cloudiness. With a little bit of resin pampering you will achieve the beautiful results
you are looking for every time!