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At Chemtops, we design and build custom lab furniture using the best and highest quality materials. We build lab furniture to be durable, long-lasting, and easy to clean, ideal for usage in labs of every type. Whether you run an educational lab or are working in a BSL-4 laboratory, our team can help you design and create an ideal solution for your unique needs.
Depending on what kind of work or research is being performed in your lab, you will need to select an appropriate surface material for your tables and workbenches. Though we offer a number of durable, high-quality surface materials, epoxy resin has become one of our most popular choices.
If you have been weighing the pros and cons of various surface materials, you have come to the right place. Here is your complete guide to the advantages and disadvantages of epoxy resin.
Favored for its versatility, epoxy resin is a thermoset
polymer that can be applied to a number of surface materials or mixed with a
variety of fillers. Epoxy resin can be poured and bonded to materials like
Formica, wood, concrete, metal, and so on to create a seamless, non-porous
surface. When mixed with fillers and substrates, the already strong epoxy resin
becomes even more durable and can be made to appear textured or patterned. Once
dry and cured, the epoxy resin becomes virtually indestructible, making it a
popular choice for labs in every industry.
Epoxy and phenolic resin are often mistaken for one another, both possessing similar properties and finished looks. Though both are durable, long-lasting, and easy to clean/care for, epoxy and phenolic resins do each have their own distinct advantages and disadvantages.
If you are choosing between epoxy vs phenolic, we can guide your decision. From a bird&#;s eye view, epoxy resin tends to do better under certain chemicals (acid dichromate, ammonium hydroxide, cresol, dichloracetic acid, methyl ethyl ketone, monochlorobenzene, and phenol (90%).
Phenolic resin on the other hand stands up better scratches and mars, and has a chemical advantage when working with most other chemicals and acids.
Epoxy resin has become a popular choice for lab furniture designers and manufacturers primarily for its incredible strength and durability. Once dry, epoxy resin is virtually impossible to break and can withstand regular heavy impact and pressure without splitting, splintering, or cracking.
The addition of fillers like natural fibers, silica, or metals can increase the already incredible strength of epoxy resin or can be used to add aesthetic value. Epoxy resin is comparable to heavy-duty materials like stainless steel in most lab environments.
Beyond immense tensile strength, epoxy resin is also durable and hardy against a number of corrosive chemicals, solvents, and liquids able to withstand regular and prolonged exposure to harsh agents without damage occurring. Because it is seamless and non-porous, epoxy resin does not absorb liquids like water and is highly resistant to spills and moisture exposure.
A few of the chemicals epoxy resin is resistant to include:
Love a glossy shine? You&#;re in luck: epoxy resin possesses a
natural high-gloss finish, one that is not easily dulled even after years of
use. Other materials require additional finishing steps or extensive routine
maintenance to achieve a similar glossy shine and often cost far more than
epoxy resin to use and install.
In laboratory and food prep settings, maintaining worksurface cleanliness is of the utmost importance. Seams, cracks, pits, and scratches on the surface of your workbench or lab table can easily accumulate chemicals, dust, pollutants, and bacteria, making it difficult to fully sanitize the work surface.
Epoxy resin is seamless, non-porous, and not prone to scratching, pitting, or denting, creating a smooth and easy to clean surface that won&#;t collect unwanted bacteria. Cleaning epoxy resin is an absolute breeze, making it a favorite for pharmaceutical labs, cannabis testing facilities, radiology, and so on.
Unlike natural materials like wood or stone, epoxy resin can be formed to fit any shape or configuration you need. Epoxy can be poured to be thick or thin, made into any size, and used in applications requiring specific cutout sizes and tabletop dimensions.
Especially popular are our epoxy resin lab sink countertops, made to perfectly accommodate drop-in sinks, faucets, and plumbing.
One of the most notable properties of epoxy resin is that it tends to scratch easily. This can be an issue in labs with lots of metal or glass equipment and in teaching settings where student graffiti can be an issue.
Phenolic, on the other hand, rarely scratches and provides an excellent deterrent to Mars.
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Though extremely durable and easy to care for, epoxy resin
tends to stain if exposed to a spill or staining substance for
an extended period. Spills cleaned up immediately will rarely result in
stains or noticeable changes to the countertop surface, but if left to sit and
soak in, epoxy resin can succumb to stains.
Epoxy resin is heat resistant, but only up to a point. Low
to moderate levels of heat exposure won&#;t do harm to the surface of your epoxy
countertops, but if left for too long or exposed to extreme temperatures, epoxy
can begin to melt, burn, and show evidence of heat damage. Because of this,
epoxy may not be the best choice in high-heat applications, and should instead
be reserved for labs working with temperatures under 400F.
Need a quote on square feet of epoxy resin or other lab countertops or lab furniture? Our sales reps can get you pricing on any configuration or specification.
Contact us by calling (866) 612- or filling out a contact form.
Resin-based countertops have become a trend among people looking for cheap countertops and who are not afraid of DIY projects. However, even if you embrace and love to do things yourself, it&#;s important to consider the disadvantages of epoxy countertops before you decide to use it in your kitchen.
How Are Epoxy Countertops Normally Used?
Epoxy is primarily used for refinishing. It&#;s possible to apply a coat of this material on top of old and worn countertops to revitalize them. It is generally used on top of the following materials:
It won&#;t ever be used on top of natural stone countertops, like granite and marble, since those can be easily restored with repolishing.
It&#;s also possible to create countertops fully made of epoxy, even though it&#;s less common.
The result is a solid surface countertop, that if created properly can actually look really nice for a very small price tag. Moreover, it resists scratches pretty well, and although it won&#;t last decades like a stone countertop it will endure for a few years.
How Are Epoxy Countertops Made?
You can&#;t really buy it in slabs like quartz or laminate, an epoxy countertop must be made at your kitchen.
The process involves mixing the resin with a hardener while both are in a liquid state, the mixture must then be applied to the location and it will solidify within a few minutes. The idea behind pouring epoxy is that it is self-leveling, which means you need to let it flow over where it&#;s supposed to solidify.
Although the endeavor is often tackled by brave DIYers, it&#;s also possible (and advisable) to hire a professional team to carry it out instead.
Disadvantages Of Epoxy Countertops
Although the results can be interesting there are a number of disadvantages in opting for epoxy countertops.
Complicated Process
Although some YouTubers and websites try to sell the process of making epoxy countertops as something easy and even enjoyable, reality begs to differ.
Epoxy requires a careful and even application to ensure the surface will be smooth and trap no air bubbles. It demands tons of preparation
Really Messy
Because of the &#;pouring until the resin flows over edges&#; aspect of the installation you can expect a lot of quick solidifying epoxy all over the place.
The best thing to do is to cover your entire kitchen with plastic canvas, but don&#;t expect any of your clothes and shoes to survive the day. They won&#;t. Don&#;t even try not wearing clothes. The resin is also really hard to remove from skin, so it&#;s something to watch out for.
Time Consuming
Thoroughly preparing the space, carrying out the installation, waiting for the 24 hours curing time, finishing off the surface and cleaning the whole mess your kitchen has become.
I guess you&#;ve caught up with what we mean by time-consuming at this point.
It&#;s Toxic
You better ensure that your kitchen has good ventilation and that you wear the right protective equipment.
The resin used emits toxic particles into the air while it&#;s wet. Which means that, if you&#;re not applying it the right way and using the right equipment, you&#;ll end up with some serious health problems down the line.
Not only that, but it can take as much as a week for it to fully stop emitting those particles. That&#;s one entire week in which you&#;ll have to completely avoid your kitchen and keep it well ventilated to avoid getting even more problems.
Not Sustainable
You will notice the insane amount of trash generated, mostly plastic. Nothing epoxy touches, from its own container to the brushes and scrapers used for the application, will survive.
That&#;s not what is worse, none of that is able to be recycled either. The resin just ruins it. It will just be trash, long-lasting slowly decomposing trash, forever on our planet.
Mimicking Natural Stones Is Not Easy
Much of the rush behind using Epoxy Countertops is that it&#;s possible, with creativity and handcraft, to mimic the appearance of stone countertops. However, achieving this kind of look is really much like creating art.
Colors need to be combined to recreate veins and patterns found in stones. Metallic powders can be added to help contrast. But there is so much that can go wrong and come out in an unexpected way. It doesn&#;t end on the chemistry of it all.
Hand techniques must be used to add swirls, veins, and patterns. Some results are really great, but it takes effort and a lot of artistic skill.
If It Goes Wrong&#;
There are no second chances.
That&#; right, there&#;s no fixing it, at least not in an easy way. You need to scrap what you&#;ve done or sand it down, and then try the same complicated, messy and time-consuming process again.
It Stains
If everything went right, great. But it doesn&#;t mean it will remain great for long. Epoxy countertops get spill stains easily.
Liquids must be cleaned right away, even water. Epoxy countertops are definitely not a good choice for a busy kitchen
Inconsistent Quality
The end result of installing epoxy countertops is always a surprise. And not only because it depends on how well the application was carried out.
Hard To Repair
If you end up scratching it too much, or damaging it in a way you can&#;t easily hide, you&#;ll have to redo many of the steps you took to make it.
You can&#;t just polish it up, seal it, and put it to use again like with natural stone. You have to sand it then apply the resin again, then wait a week for it to cure again.
It&#;s not really possible to just take the shortcut of applying resin directly on top of it. It won&#;t adhere, because the surface is too polished. You need to sand the entire surface before applying the resin. Meaning that the work never stops.
Invest In Long-Lasting Options
Some products are simply much better than the others presenting less heat resistance and a more brittle surface.
Resin products are definitely a cheap choice that can work, but we believe the disadvantages of epoxy countertops speak higher than what good they offer.
Going for a stone countertop isn&#;t a matter of being fancy. It&#;s an investment. They&#;ll last much longer and require less maintenance, being one less thing to worry about for the next few decades.
If you live near Sarasota, FL, and want to know more before you make your decision, be sure to contact us! We&#;ll send you a specialist to find you the best stones for your home and give you a free estimate!
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