Once a material has been cured, the curing process is almost complete, once the material has been cured, it is not going to change shortly; some curing agents will lose their potency over time and if you see signs of poor adhesion or poor performance of an old epoxy, it is probably time to replace old epoxy with new one; even if it still looks and smells fine, you should replace it; you lose adhesion to the next layer of wood and the surface it sits on and if you wait until the old epoxy has completely failed, you’ll be glad you did- replacing your old epoxy is a good way to extend its life and save money and here are a few key points to remember when replacing your old epoxy:
What is the cause of poor adhesion?
Poor adhesion can be caused by a variety of things, it could be a result of poor mixing, contamination, incorrect mixing ratios, or a lack of humidity and it is also possible that the material the wood is joined to is poor quality; poor mixing can be the result of a lack of ingredients, fatigue, improper mixing techniques or a lack of mixing equipment.
Poor mixing can also be the result of contamination- it can come from dirty mixing equipment, dirty hands, or a contaminated area, whatever the cause, poor adhesion is an indication that the material needs to be replaced, and if the old epoxy was good and the wood joints are still looking good, then you can assume that the wood is still good quality; poor adhesion can also be a result of a lack of humidity- it is important because it ensures that the mixing equipment is clean and that the ingredients are fresh.
How do you tell if it’s time to replace?
When it comes to replacing your old epoxy, the first thing to keep an eye out for is discoloration, if your old epoxy has started to discolor, it is most likely time to replace it; another clue to watch for is if the wood surface shows evidence of tension, it’s usually time to replace your old epoxy if the wood’s surface has started to crack or bow.
Always mix fresh resin and hardener
You should always use fresh resin and hardener when making a new epoxy; the liquid that will be blended with the hardener to make the epoxy is fresh resin- combine your hardener with the appropriate amount of water to generate fresh resin and the amount of water you need is determined on the epoxy type-it’s crucial to use the right amount of water, as wrong mixing might lead to a bad mix.
If you see any of these, it’s time to replace
- Cracks in the wood
- Stress on the wood surface
- Discoloration on the wood surface
- Poor performance of the wood surface
- A bad smell from the materials
Wrapping and curing the new epoxy
Loosely wrap your fresh epoxy while wrapping it, you could compress the fresh resin and make it harder to cure if you wrap it too tightly and you should keep your new epoxy in a warm, dark place to cure; a humidified environment is desirable and if your room isn’t too humid, employ a fan to create a breeze if you have a forced-air heating system and the air doesn’t need to be saturated with humidity; just above 70% will suffice.