Liquid Epoxy Dye

Stone Coat Countertops vibrant epoxy dyes are specifically designed to work with phenolic resin and hardener. You can use it to create realistic looking natural stone, artistic flairs, or mimic anything from your DIY dreams when making epoxy countertops. These dyes are perfect for exotic pours and many styles of epoxy marble, granite, and quartz countertops. Stone Coat Countertops liquid epoxy dyes are color fast and UV stable.

There are 17 different color options to choose from. You can also get one of each epoxy dye at a heavy discount. While some coloring agents don’t work well for epoxy, these are formulated to mix well without compromising the resin’s integrity.

Our assorted colors can make your creations brilliant while staying crystal clear (except black and white color dye). Simply blend them to achieve your own custom colors. All of our epoxy dyes are non-toxic, no harsh chemicals, and cruelty free.

Each bottle of epoxy dye is 1 fluid ounce and very concentrated. A single bottle can easily color an entire 1-gallon kit of Stone Coat countertop epoxy. That’s 1 ounce of dye per ½-gallon of resin and ½-gallon of hardener. If you’re using epoxy from another manufacturer, add the dye slowly to check the density to make sure the viscosities match after blending. 

Only a few drops are needed per project on smaller projects like tumblers or sample boards. Epoxy dye can be added up to 5% by weight. Still, you should always use the smallest amount to achieve the desired effect and check the color (we’ll show you how in the how-to section below).

Make sure you bring enough epoxy dye to complete your project! If you want dark colors, we recommend one bottle of dye per gallon of epoxy. So, a 2-gallon kit would require two bottles of dye, a 4-gallon kit would require four, and so on.

Epoxy Dye: What It Is and How to Use It

Epoxy resin is an incredible substance that works just as well for art pieces as it does for epoxy countertops, epoxy floors and epoxy shower walls. Normally, epoxy is transparent when nothing is added to it. Some people have done an epoxy project with photos, pennies, river rocks on surfaces and more embedded into the epoxy and sometimes with epoxy dye.

In this section, we’ll discuss a few other common epoxy additives. Each kind of additive, whether a dye, a metallic, a glitter, etc. will provide a different coloring effect. Check out alternatives and complementary additives to our epoxy dye below.

Keep in mind that not all epoxy additives work well. Some may keep your epoxy from hardening or bonding properly. Others may not color your resin well. Make sure that whatever you use to color epoxy is tested and approved. If you’re trying something new, us a practice board to test on a small scale first. Or skip the guesswork and use our approved additives below!

What Can I Use to Dye Epoxy?

If you want the best results, don’t worry—you still have options! Your DIY resin floor or countertop will hold up great with any of the following:

• Epoxy dye: Often called “epoxy dye” or “resin dye” these inks are specifically crafted to color resin. Epoxy dyes don’t alter your ratio of resin to hardener enough to matter. Ours can mimic the appearance of natural stone, shine bright neon, and anything in between. Plus, they all hold up well to UV light.
• Metallic powders: Metallic powders come in a variety of incredible, eye-catching colors. When mixed directly with resin, they can create a deep, granular look. Metallic powder can also be mixed with isopropyl alcohol to create a kind of alcohol ink that creates amazing surface patterns.
• Spray paint: Some of the best natural stone looks owe it all to spray paint. It can be added to the resin while mixing or just spray it on top of the epoxy. Both create different, impressive effects.
• Glitter: This is the one time that glitter won’t get everywhere during arts and crafts! Glitter actually looks surprisingly tasteful, and it’s an integral component in some marbles and quartzes.

So, if you’re wondering if you can add color to epoxy, the answer is yes! That is, if you’re still mixing and setting it. Painting on top of set epoxy won’t turn out as astounding.

And we recommend against using food coloring or other water-based epoxy additives. They throw off the ratio of resin to hardener, so the end result doesn’t turn out right. However, any of the above four products are completely safe to use as epoxy dye!

FAQs About Epoxy Dye

We’ve helped countless customers with their resin countertops, shower walls, epoxy flooring, and even art! And we’ve answered a lot of questions about the process. Here are a few of the most common:

1. What can I use to dye epoxy? For functional items like countertops, shower walls, and floors, you should use only the approved additives listed above. For art, you can use just about anything, including eye shadow, acrylic paint, and food coloring.
2. What is the best dye for epoxy resin? Any dye that is approved for or specifically created for epoxy use. Our Stone Coat Epoxy additives are all formulated for that specific purpose.
3. Can I use food coloring in epoxy resin? Yes, but we don’t recommend using it for anything but art. Food coloring will throw off the ratio of resin and hardener, and your epoxy won’t turn out well.
4. Can you mix paint with epoxy? Yes, you can. Paint is a key ingredient in many of our most popular recipes. However, acrylic paint shouldn’t be used for anything except for art projects.
5. Can you buy colored epoxy? You may be able to find colored epoxy on the market. However, you won’t be able to create the look of natural stone or make unique art with pre-dyed epoxy. It won’t have the same depth or variation of color that you’ll need.

Those are just a handful of the questions we usually get. If you have any others, we’re more than happy to answer them! Give us a call and we’ll be more than happy to chat. (We’re open from 6 AM – 4:30 PM Pacific, from Monday–Friday.)

How to Use Epoxy Additives for Coloring

Our epoxy dye can be mixed in thoroughly to create deep, uniform colors. But it can also be layered in and unmixed, giving a tie-dye or marbled effect. This technique works best if you add multiple dye colors on top of each other in the same bucket.

When it’s time to mix your liquid epoxy pigment, resin dye, glitter, or paint, go easy. You need only a small amount of pigment to completely alter the resin color tint. You can mix with a drill, then add your dye. And a little goes a long way—you don’t need much. But that’s not very specific…

Want to know how to dye epoxy resin? The answer—as with all artistic projects, is, “it depends.” It depends first on what your application is. Second, it depends on which look you’re trying to create. And third, it depends on your personal tastes. As we mentioned above, we recommend about 1oz of epoxy dye per gallon of mixed epoxy. Yet, you may want less—or more—to achieve the look you want.

To check the epoxy dye’s concentration, just use a stir stick or plastic spoon. As you mix the dye, pull out the stick or spoon to see how the color looks as it drips back into the mixing bucket.

For arts and crafts, you can color art coat epoxy resin with acrylic paint. But we wouldn’t recommend that for floors or countertops because it will affect the strength and durability of the epoxy. For durable marble, quartz, or other natural stone looks, use only the four epoxy additives we listed above like the epoxy dye, metallics, Rustoleum spray paint, or marble effects spray.

In order to create the incredible effects of natural stone, you’ll need to tint, color, or dye your epoxy. There are several ways to color your resin. For resin art with our art epoxy, you may be able to use just about anything with your epoxy dye. For example, you might try acrylic paint, food coloring, or powders like eyeshadow. But if you care about the structural integrity of your epoxy project, stick with approved additives that are tried and true on epoxy projects like the ones above.

Of course, different natural stone designs call for different amounts and applications of epoxy dye. And your taste may differ from someone else’s, so maybe you’ll go heavy on the metallics and light on the glitter… or vice versa. Each project will call for a slightly different color combination, recipe, and technique based on making it look more like quartz, marble, or some other kind of stone.

Getting Started on Your Epoxy Project

Before you use epoxy dye, you start by mixing your resin and hardener together. Ratios for different epoxy types vary, so read the label carefully. (Usually, the kit will contain liquids in the correct ratios—our countertop and Art Coat epoxy use 1:1 ratios of resin to hardener.)

And before you begin pouring epoxy, make sure you won’t stain anything! We always recommend putting something down for protecting against spilled epoxy dye or color additives, which could stain your kitchen. Plus, you’ll be thankful for the easier cleanup!

Always do a test or sample board to see that you can get the desired effect before you do a large piece. This helps ensure you love the look before you spend a few hundred dollars making a new creation.

Stone Coat Countertops is ready to support you through your home project. For the DIY enthusiast, we’ve created a library of step-by-step instructions and how-to guides as well as have phone support 5 days a week, Monday through Friday 6 AM – 4:30 PM. And, if you’d rather watch, our instructional videos offer a detailed look at how to create a final product you can’t wait to show off in the training center.

These epoxy dyes are ready to help you create your own dream kitchen, bathroom, or garage! They’ll also help you create fantastic works of art for your living room, den or bedroom. Plus, it’s cheap, it’s fun, and it looks incredible.

And always remember…

You got this!