How to Reuse Leftover Resin? 5 best creative ideas to avoid wastage!

Resin artists are familiar with the hustle to finish the decorations and pouring swiftly, all before it starts hardening up. But an even bigger challenge is when there's leftover resin from a project. The clock’s steadily ticking on its pot life, and there’s only so much time to find ways to put all that costly, useful material to good use.

Here are 5 easy and creative ideas that will rescue you the next time you find yourself racing against time to save leftover resin before it hardens:- 

( Please Note - Do not mix the leftover portion with a new batch of resin. This will result in an improper ratio, rendering the entire lot useless. ) 

1. Coating : 

Coating requires only a minimal amount of resin. So, the tiny amounts of leftover resin will suffice for coating needs of your woodcraft and furniture projects, as well as for lamination over paintings and sketches. 

Just a thin resin layer is enough to achieve a glossy and enhanced finish to your artwork!

 

2. Small projects with slim/sparse casting: 

Even though these are casting projects, earrings, pendants, and even small keychains require only a meagre amount of resin pour.  

3. Tiny Resin Charms: 

A mould with multi-shaped tiny cavities is always a good possession to have if you are a regular resin artist! 

Easy, quick, and adorable!-   

Buy Oytra's multipurpose DIY resin mould here. 

4. Unique Coasters: 

Unlike the regular coasters for which an entire mould needs to be filled up, you should give this alternative idea a try when you’re left with too little resin to suffice for the regular coasters. All you need is a palm-sized or slightly larger piece of a wooden disc or tile block -  pour a slim coating layer of resin over it and let it cure.  

5. Tiny glass bottle showpiece/ paperweight: 

Collect unused, empty tiny glass jars {medicine containers or art paint bottles}. Remove any labels so that it’s fully transparent.  

Pour the leftover pigmented resin into it and let it cure.

This requires no demoulding. When cured, the bottle transforms into a beautiful showpiece, which can also be used as a paperweight.

 

By having these few go-to projects in mind – whether it's a quick coating for another craft, pouring into small molds for earrings or charms, creating unique coasters on a wooden base, or even simply making a decorative paperweight in a glass bottle – you can make the most out of your resin without letting anything go vain.