(Part I) How To Create Epoxy Resin Marble That You Can Backlight

(Part I) In this post, I will show you how to use Epoxy Resin on a translucent surface to create the look of marble.

(Part II) Then learn how to backlight your faux Marble in this post.

The Closet of My Dreams (A Bedroom Conversion)

In 2022, I was able to create the closet of my dreams. Actually, I should call it a dressing ROOM. Because I converted what used to be a small bedroom into an organized closet. You can see that full post here.

It was all DIY. So I was able to complete the entire project for about $2,600.

My Closet Island Needed a Proper Countertop

When I completed the closet in 2022, I had a beautiful new island with 16 glorious drawers. I created this island using (4) IKEA Malm dressers. There are 2 facing one direction and 2 facing the opposite direction. My total island is 38″ x 63.5″ x 39.5″ high. Glorious! And it looks great – except I didn’t want it to look like I had put 4 dressers together, lol.

I knew I would eventually put a solid countertop on this island. In the meantime, I covered it with a piece of faux leather.

This is what it used to look like.

My Inspo for My Closet Countertop

The first time I saw backlit Marble and Onyx I was smitten! It was very popular about 15 years ago. I saw it in the local showrooms. And then I saw it at a couple of bars.

This is what I’m talking about.

Decision to Do DIY Counter

I never went through the trouble of getting a bid from a countertop company. But I’d be willing to bet money that the cost would have been well over $3,000.

Since I saved so much doing everything else, I was very tempted. But then I started seeing Epoxy Resin Marble projects all over social. And the thought occurred! Perhaps I could do a faux version??

Some Research Was Needed

Most of the Epoxy Resin Marble projects I saw were either small items that were poured into a mold. Or countertop projects that had been poured over MDF or poured over existing laminate counters.

My idea was to use something transparent so that I could backlight it.

Then I found out that a chemical reaction occurs when you use Epoxy Resin. And the process generates heat.

But I couldn’t find a definitive answer regarding whether Plexiglass or Acrylic could handle the heat without warping or cracking.

I figured if I used a thick enough piece then surely it wouldn’t warp or crack. So I started researching prices of Plexi and Acrylic. I was going to need a 4’x8’ sheet to accommodate my dimensions.

But I couldn’t find a full ¼” thickness at the big box stores around me. The ones I could find were just shy of ¼” thick. They were .22 of an inch thick. And they cost between $300 to $500

So, I started looking on Facebook Marketplace. Bingo! I found the perfect size and thickness for $50. It was all scratched up. But that didn’t matter because I was going to cover it all up with a semi-translucent layer anyway.

The other thing I found in my research was the possibility that the Epoxy may not adhere well to the Plexi. The way I worked around that was to use spray paint as an initial scratch coat.

Not only did the spray paint create a rough surface for the Epoxy to adhere to. It also helped to create more depth and dimension in the final product. More on that later.

How To Cut Thick Plexiglass/Acrylic

I actually don’t know if I purchased Plexiglass or Acrylic since it was a used sheet from Facebook Marketplace. But I’m guessing the materials are very similar.

I was very hesitant to cut it at first. I had read so many different things. The biggest concern was that the saw blade would melt the plastic-like material and cause a rough edge.

But it was easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Seriously! Nothing to it – once I finally decided to just go for it.

Here it is propped up on 2x4s. And I clamped a straight edge to help guide my circular saw.

I used my 6.5” cordless, Metabo circular saw. Standard 24-tooth blade that is used for wood. It cut through the Plexi like a hot knife through butter. It didn’t hang up or stall. And it didn’t rip off the end piece of my Plexi like so many guys were warning about. Perhaps that’s because my material was ¼” thick???

Making An Epoxy Resin Marble Countertop: Steps At-A-Glance

Clean your surface. TSP or any other product that will not leave a residue. Make sure it’s dry and free of lint
Sand or use a Bonding Primer if the surface is smooth
Clean again
Some sites recommend sanding AND then Bonding Primer (below, I’ll explain what I did)
Protect the underneath of your project so it does not sag in the middle
Create a base layer with complimentary spray paints, let dry thoroughly)
Tape around work surface and protect all nearby surfaces from potential drips
If using multiple colors – do your MATH! (full details below)

HERE’S WHERE YOU NEED TO START WORKING MORE QUICKLY, YOU WILL ONLY HAVE ABOUT AN HOUR OF WORK TIME FOR POURING *

WEAR PROTECTIVE GLOVES FROM (STEP 9) TO (Step 17)

Mix clear epoxy first. Equal parts of A and B Epoxy Resin (do not skimp on the mixing – follow directions!) If using Stone Coat brand (like I did) they recommend that you start with B in your bucket first
Divide up your mixed clear epoxy into the various plastic cups
Add colorants to each cup and stir (colorants are HIGHLY pigmented – start with less and add more as needed)
Create veins on your project
Add your first thin layer of epoxy inside the veins
Create a “dirty pour” by randomly adding various cups of mixed colorants to a single bucket but don’t stir. Pour colors onto your surface in whatever pattern suits you (use your gloved hand to help spread product)
You can use a chip brush (to chop the surface) if resin seems to “stall” in some areas. This helps break up the surface tension
Apply heat and air movement to create more natural-looking results AND/OR slightly tilt your project to help create more depth and dimension. Watch for air bubbles and apply heat to remove them
After you have completed the pouring, wait about an hour, remove the tape from around the edges. Then run your gloved hand along the edges which allows the resin to come down and coat the sides.
Let your project sit overnight. But full cure takes about 7 days
You will need a protective topcoat to prevent scratching (be very aware of matte vs gloss top coats). The top coat can completely change the look of your counter!

*Some brands may vary. And if you choose to use a speed cure epoxy, that will definitely shorten your “work time”.

Choosing An Epoxy Resin Brand

There are sooooo many brands now. Of course, you will need to do your own research. I chose Stone Coat Countertops for three reasons.

They put out many helpful videos for the DIYer on their website.
They are the preferred brand of Artist Till Death. ATD creates amazing epoxy designs using colors I love.
And Stone Coat Countertops offers a version called “Art Coat Epoxy”. It is specifically formulated for light colored counters. Meaning it is UV resistant. And should not yellow as quickly as other epoxies**.

**Although epoxies are known for yellowing over time. That may not happen to you if your counters are not exposed to UV rays. Thankfully, UV rays do not come into my closet!

Setting Up Your Work Area

I watched several videos from various sources. But Erika at Artist Till Death YouTube channel was super helpful because she created a white and gold marble counter. See that specific video here.

One of the most important things she mentioned is to support the middle of your work, so it doesn’t sag in the middle. Good tip! Especially since Plexi is somewhat flexible and the Epoxy Resin can be a heavy layer.

I decided to lay my Plexi flat on our patio table. For this, we moved the patio table into the garage. It’s important to pour your Epoxy Resin in a closed environment. And not outside where anything could blow into your work.

A simple plastic drop cloth is all I needed to completely protect the patio table.

It’s also important to have a level surface since Epoxy Resin “self-levels”. I used my 4ft level to check that my patio table was level. I had to shim one end of the table. I put the shims under the table feet instead of putting the shims under the Plexi surface.

Since I purchased “used” Plexi, it came with drilled holes down one side. So an extra step for me was that I had to seal off these pre-drilled holes. Otherwise, the epoxy would have escaped through the holes. I simply used packing tape. Because I knew the tinted Epoxy Resin would cover up the tape in the end.

I also put some plastic on the ground (out of my way). That way I would have some place to put the drill and mixing paddle after I was done mixing the epoxy.

Gathering My Supplies

These are all the colorants I used for this particular white/gold marble effect (detailed list here). I purchased all of these from Artist Till Death website.

These are the supplies/tools I used (detailed list here).

I went with 3oz per square foot which gave me 3/16” thickness overall. My 38” x 63.5” counter required 1 TOTAL gallon (1/2 gallon Epoxy Part A and 1/2 gallon Epoxy Part B)

Epoxy Resin Marble: Necessary Base Layer (step 6)

In my initial research, I read a list of things that Epoxy Resin doesn’t adhere to. Silicone and plastics were on that list. So, I knew I would need to prep the surface of my Plexi.

I didn’t want to use a bonding primer because that could make the Plexi less translucent. I could have used my orbital sander to create a rough surface. But that seemed time-consuming.

Then I learned from Erika at ATD that you can use spray paint to create an initial “dimensional” layer. I realized this would be perfect. I could solve two problems with one solution. Here are the two spray paints I used.

Here is my first spray paint layer. I used the white first. And made sure to “dust” the entire surface. This would serve me well for adhesion (aka “scratch coat”). And when I sprayed the beige color, that created heavier “swirls”.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The swirls helped create more depth and dimension for my UNLIT application. But you’ll want to AVOID such heavy swirls if you’re going to backlight your project. See that post here.

I let these spray paints dry thoroughly.

Epoxy Resin Marble: Tape Around Your Surface (step 7)

You will need to tape all the edges of your project BEFORE you pour anything. Otherwise, all your resin will run right off your project onto the ground. Most of the sites I studied, used blue painter’s tape. I didn’t trust it. I went for OG masking tape.

You’ll have about an hour of “working time” to pour and “move” your resin. Then after another hour the resin should not be “runny” anymore. Which means you should then remove the tape and help the resin to coat the sides. You do this by running your gloved hand along the sides of the counter. (Details in step 17 below)

Epoxy Resin Marble: Important Step BEFORE You Start Mixing – MATH (step 8)

No one else talked about this. And perhaps it’s my accounting background that made me realize this important step. Of course, you don’t have to do this. But at least let me explain why this can be helpful 😊

In the video where Erika made the white and gold marble sample board. She said you don’t want to mix too much of any one color. Because you will then be tempted to use it all (to avoid wasting product). This made so much sense to me!

She also demonstrated how using various shades of the same color will provide more natural-looking depth and dimension. I had a hard time limiting my colors! I wanted everything with shimmer. But as you saw above, I finally settled on 8 colorants.

And since this was my FIRST Epoxy Resin project. I knew I needed to preplan what color(s) I wanted to see the most. Plus I was only going to use 1 gallon of epoxy. 1 gallon divided into 10 cups was going to get used up rather quickly.

By the way, it is SUPER helpful to use the cups that show measurements.

Here’s My Epoxy Resin MATH

1 gallon of clear, mixed epoxy is 128 oz. In the end, I wanted to see about 75% shades of white/beige (96 oz). And see about 25% shades of gold (32 oz).

You can stop here. But if you’re doing a white/gold marble (like I did) below is my specific math.

IMPORTANT NOTE: you don’t need to add very much of the colorants to the epoxy. They are HIGHLY pigmented! I put a stir stick into the colorants and scooped out a small amount. This was PLENTY for my project. It is better to start with less and add more as needed.

The detailed list of the colorants I used is here.

The math to divide up 96 oz of mixed, clear epoxy for my shades of white/beige

I knew I wanted Cell White to be dominant. But I wanted it in 3 opacities. So, I dedicated 60 oz to make whites

20 oz of epoxy for semi-opaque white

20 oz of epoxy for semi-opaque white with Bling crystals (I added Abalone Shell)

20 oz of epoxy for opaque white (twice as much white colorant)

Then 36 oz of mixed, clear epoxy would be divided to create different shades of beige

12 oz of epoxy for Beach Sand Luster

12 oz of epoxy for Golden Sands Shimmer

12 oz of epoxy for Crème Deluxe

The math to divide up the 32 oz of mixed, clear epoxy for my shades of gold

10 oz of epoxy for Rich Gold Paste

11 oz of epoxy for Rich Gold Shimmer

11 oz of epoxy for Old Gold Powder

HERE’S WHERE YOU NEED TO START WORKING MORE QUICKLY, YOU WILL ONLY HAVE ABOUT AN HOUR OF WORK TIME FOR POURING *

WEAR PROTECTIVE GLOVES FROM (STEP 9) TO (Step 17)

*Some brands may vary. And if you choose to use a speed cure epoxy, that will definitely shorten your “work time”.

Epoxy Resin Marble: Mixing Clear Epoxy (step 9)

I only needed a gallon of mixed epoxy to complete my 16 sq ft project. So, I used a 2 gal bucket for mixing Part A and Part B.

Since you need equal parts, I had a ½ gallon of Part A and ½ gallon of Part B. If using Stone Coat brand (like I did) they recommend that you start with Part B in your bucket first.

I used my cordless drill with a 1-gal Helix paint mixer paddle from Lowe’s. I had the drill at the highest speed and mixed for the full two minutes as directed. Making sure to scrape the sides and bottom often. Do NOT skimp on this. You run the risk of ruining your project because your epoxy may not cure correctly.

Epoxy Resin Marble: Dividing Up the Mixed, Clear Epoxy (step 10)

If you did the MATH step, this part will be easy. You simply use the measuring guides on your plastic cups and pour in the amount of epoxy you need for each color.

If you prefer to wing it, that’s OK too 😊 Just pour however much epoxy you want in each of your plastic cups.

Epoxy Resin Marble: Adding Colorants (step 11)

Depending on which colorants you’ve chosen and which brands, some come as powders, pastes or liquids. If what you have chosen is meant for epoxy, they are HIGHLY pigmented.

I used small wooden stir sticks and simply scooped whatever the tip of the stick would hold. That ended up being plenty for each of my colors. Then I put the stick and colorant right into the clear epoxy that I had divided into the individual cups.

Now you stir in the color and watch the magic happen. Since I chose shimmery colors, everything just came to life when I stirred the individual cups.

Epoxy Resin Marble: Creating Veins (step 12)

Of course you don’t need veins. But it’s very common for the look of marble. You can easily create veins by dipping a stick into the colored epoxy of your choice. Then start dripping it onto your surface. You can also drag the stick with colored epoxy.

I started my drips OFF the surface then continued moving my hand over the surface. That way some of the veins went all the way to the edges. Otherwise, it could look too contrived if all the veins start away from the edges.

I kept all the veins in the darkest color of gold. You could do whatever. Even use more than one color for veins.

It’s ok to have a lot of this color left over, you will include this same color in the dirty pour (step 14 below).

Epoxy Resin Marble: Adding The First Thin Layer (step 13)

For varying degrees of depth and dimension, I noted that Erika from ATD worked in layers.

This step is to create a “skim coat” on the entire surface. (Someone called it “greasing the board”). This is necessary because epoxy likes to go where epoxy has been. Meaning that additional layers will move more easily and naturally when the entire surface is already wet with epoxy.

The idea here is to pour small amounts in between the veins. Then using a gloved hand, you can help spread and manipulate the epoxy to cover the entire surface. Try not to disturb the veins in this step.

I used semi-opaque white for this step. That’s because I wanted to make sure my final counter would remain somewhat translucent. Had I used the opaque white in this step, I was concerned light would not be able to get through.

Epoxy Resin Marble: Dirty Pour (step 14)

A pouring technique where different colors are combined (but not mixed) into a single cup or bucket. This technique provides natural looking striations or marble-effects with the least amount of effort.

Using a 1 gal bucket, I randomly poured bits of color from my various cups. I was careful not to dump all of any one color because I wanted to create lots of “movement” in my pattern. So I alternated the amounts I poured from each cup. Ultimately, I used each cup of color at least 2 times in the dirty pour. I used some colors 3 times.

I saved some of the whitest epoxy and favorite gold so I could do more veining at the end. But the rest of the colors all went into the dirty pour bucket.

And I noticed Erika would empty her cups into the dirty pour bucket. Then she also set the “empty” cups upside down on the work surface. This ensures you’re getting every last bit of epoxy onto your surface. (Don’t worry, once it all starts moving and melding around, you won’t have “cup rings” on your surface 😊)

Now you can take your dirty pour bucket and start pouring it on your surface. I simply followed the dark veins that I had already created. There really is no right or wrong way to do this. It’s pretty cool to watch how it does its own thing and starts coming together.

Remove the upside cups (and keep them upside down on some plastic out of the way.) Then add final veins with the colors you’ve saved out.

Epoxy Resin Marble: Creating More Interesting Patterns (steps 15 and 16)

At this point all your epoxy should be on your surface. There should NOT be any areas that don’t have epoxy. If you do see some areas that are missing epoxy, use your fingers to move the product around and fill gaps.

You can also use a chip brush (to chop the surface) if epoxy seems to be stalled in some areas. This helps break up the surface tension.

Then the fun part. Apply heat and air movement to create more natural-looking results. My husband wanted to help and brought out our Metabo mini blower. It put out more air than my heat gun and created some great patterns.

In Erika’s video, she tilted her board to help create more depth and dimension and shadowing in the deepest layer. I didn’t tilt since my counter was laying flat on the table.

At this point, you will more than likely see a few air bubbles come to the surface. Use your heat gun to remove those. Here is mine after all the adjustments with heat and air.

Epoxy Resin Marble: Removing the Tape (step 17)

Your first hour is mixing, pouring, “moving” the resin and removing bubbles. Then after another hour the resin should not be “runny” anymore. Which means you can then remove the tape and help the resin to coat the sides.

You do this by running your gloved hand along the sides of the counter. Resin will slowly move on its own down the sides. Excess resin could more than likely drip at this point.

If you notice drips are starting to form under the edge, wipe those away with your gloved hand.

IMPORANT NOTE: Since I planned to add wood trim to the edges of my countertop, I decided NOT to remove the tape. I thought my edges would stay smooth. I was partly right ☹

Most of the edges stayed smooth, but the tape sort of morphed in some areas. Thus creating some “overhang” areas. And the resin pooled up next to the tape. Which created an up-turned lip all the way around.

After the counter dried for about 3 hours. I ended up using a box knife to shave off the edges all around.

Here’s an example of the “overhang” problem if you don’t remove the tape soon enough 🙁

And an example of the “up-turned” edge that I had to shave off, all the way around.

Epoxy Resin Marble: Curing and Top Coat (steps 18 and 19)

Let your project (and the empty, upside down cups) sit overnight. And limit what goes in or out of the work area. You don’t want to find unwanted things in your new work of art.

The dried epoxy will peel right out of the cups the next day. NOTE: Don’t peel dried epoxy from the exterior of your cups, because it will also peel off the measuring guides.

Full cure of your project takes about 7 days. So you’ll want to be careful about setting things on your counter even after it feels dry. I was able to move mine indoors by the second day. But I didn’t place anything on top of it for a week.

Since my faux marble counter is in my closet room, it doesn’t get any abuse. But a work surface for any other area would need a protective topcoat to prevent scratching.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The topcoat can completely change the look of your counter. Do your research and be very aware of matte vs gloss topcoats.

Here are some close ups of the beautiful shimmer. And it’s so shiny, that it reflects the ceiling fan and lights. I have to stop myself from taking pics, lol.

Colorants I Used

(all purchased from ArtistTillDeath.com)

Colour Obsession: Rich Gold Shimmer Epoxy Pigment Paste

Colour Obsession: Golden Sands Shimmer Epoxy Pigment Paste

Colour Passion: Old Gold Powder metal Series

Colour Passion: Passion Base Cell White Paste

Colour Passion: Crème Deluxe Powder

Colour Passion: Beach Sand Luster Paste

Rezin Arte; Abalone Shell Bling It Galaxy Diamond Mica Dry Paste

Just Resin: Rich Gold Metallic Epoxy Paste

Supplies/Materials Used

Art Coat Epoxy resin (Part A and Part B) (about 3oz per square foot yields about 3/16”-thick coverage; this one is for light colored surfaces)

Colorants (see full list in the section above)

Spray paints

Plastic drop cloths

Masking tape

Disposable gloves (multiple pairs)

Paper towels

Mixing bucket for the clear epoxy

Smaller mixing bucket for the dirty pour

Measuring/mixing cups

Mixing sticks

Chip brush (to break surface tension which will allow self-leveling to happen more easily

Tools Used

72″ Aluminum straight edge

Metabo 18V 6.5″ cordless circular saw

Metabo 18V cordless drill

Mixing paddle

Metabo 18V cordless compact blower (just because we already had it, you could also try a blow dryer)

Heat gun or propane torch

Take Away

It took me a while to overcome my apprehension about working with Epoxy Resin. So believe me, I get it! But at some point we have to get comfortable with uncertainty. And just move forward.

Even if something seems like a failure, we still end up learning something from the process. So I call that a WIN. And it’s very possible you may just LOVE IT. I love my new counter 😊

Here’s to overcoming the fear and Making it Fabulous!

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Feeling Motivated? Find Even More Inspiration…..

How to Backlight Faux Marble in this post

Check out this other post for converting a spare bedroom into a closet

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