Who has not had it before?
Ugly streaks in the resin artwork!
But what is the real reason for these strangely emitting lines that make the whole artwork suitable for garbage cans.
Hello and welcome to my blog, which is entirely about the subject of streaking in resin. My name is Steffi, aka MRS.COLORBERRY, and I have been working with resin for many years. Today I would like to tell you a few reasons for streaks, which unfortunately have nothing to do with your room humidity - because at high room humidity there are not really streaks in the resin. This is rather called wetting - but more about that in one of my next blog posts.
The appearance of streaks in resin can have several causes. Here are some possible reasons why streaks may appear in the resin:
Insufficient mixing:
Streaking can occur if the resin and hardener were not mixed thoroughly enough. Mixing of the resin should be done slowly and thoroughly to ensure even distribution of the components. If the resin is not mixed sufficiently, small lumps or areas of varying hardness may form and be visible as streaks.
So invest a little extra time in thorough mixing and don't rush things.
Pouring too quickly on an existing resin layer:
If the resin is poured into the mold too quickly, streaks may form. The flow of the resin can cause it to not adhere properly to the surface of the layers that have already been poured, resulting in visible streaks. It is important to pour the resin slowly and in a controlled manner to achieve an even result.
Use of unsuitable color pigments:
Sometimes streaks can be caused by the use of unsuitable color pigments. Some color pigments may not bond properly with the resin or may cause undesirable chemical reactions that result in streaking. Pigments that consist of a very high proportion of water are particularly noticeable here. It is best to use color pigments specifically designed for use with resin to avoid this problem.
Here, of course, I can only recommend COLORBERRY RESIN PRODUCTS such as.
1) PIGMENT PASTE
2) CARAT COLLECTION
are recommended.
These are pigments that are 100% made for use in resin and do not cause streaking.
Moisture:
And I am not talking about high room humidity now! If the resin comes in contact with damp materials, streaks can form. I'll give you 2 examples that you don't always think of right away:
1) You clean the silicone mold with a baby wipe and don't wait enough for the mold to dry completely.
2) You clean the stir stick again with a damp cloth before mixing resin & hardener.
One of the biggest enemies for resin is and remains simply water!
Chemical Reactions:
In some cases, chemical reactions between the resin and other materials can cause streaking. This can occur due to the use of unsuitable molds, release agents or other additives.
It is important to use high quality molds and suitable release agents to avoid unwanted chemical reactions.
Here is a small example again:
I ordered a silicone mold from aliexpress and found that it was sprayed with something and thus the surface in the silicone mold was very distorted. THIS is one of those reasons for example!
And last but not least, the classic: wrong mixing ratio!
Please urgently adhere to the manufacturer's instructions and do not simply mix by weight, even though the "instructions" say by volume. Also, do not mix different trips from different manufacturers with each other.
It is important to note that the occurrence of streaks in the resin depends on various factors and there is no universal solution. You can I really just work by the process of elimination and prepare as best you can with knowledge (like here on my blog).
However, by mixing carefully, pouring slowly, using appropriate color pigments, and following proper working methods, you can reduce the risk of streaking in the resin.
I hope you learned something from this blog post and I look forward to seeing you on my next blog!
Yours
MRS.C
