This stuff is awesome! Resin is commonly used in jewelry making but apparently it has several other uses too! I will admit it's a little tricky to work with. It takes a lot of time and patience.
It's also absolutely IMPERATIVE that you work in a dust & lint free environment when using resin otherwise you'll have those specks embedded on your tiles. The resin needs about 72 hours to fully cure but after 24 hours the resin hardens enough that you won't have to worry about dust or lint.
You'll need to prop up the coasters before applying the resin, I used plastic cups turned upside down. Even though this is a pour-on version I applied the resin using a foam brush. The surface of the tiles are small, about 4.25 x 4.25 inches, so pouring on the resin will cause it to drip down the edges forming puddles underneath the tile. Once it hardens it's difficult to remove them and you really need a flat surface to apply the cork pads. If the resin begins to drip down the sides while you're applying it, just use your foam brush to remove the excess.
Air bubbles may form in the resin after you apply it, you can use an embossing gun or blow dryer to remove them. You don't have to apply the heat long and you don't need to position the gun or blow dryer close to the surface. I applied a second coat of resin after 48hrs. The end result is a beautiful glossy coaster that is suitable for hot AND cold beverages! It looks store bought but you can be proud to say it's handmade! To clean it, you just wipe it with a damp cloth.
The resin I used to create these tiles is sold at Michaels in the adhesive & spray paint section. I've also seen it at Home Depot. It contains two bottles, one bottle of resin and one bottle of harder. For this brand you mix equal parts of both to create your resin mixture, then you just pour it on your project!
