John Haling · October 13, 2025
Epoxy tables have become one of the most popular ways to showcase live-edge hardwood slabs while adding vibrant or crystal-clear resin accents. At John's Urban Timber in Whitmore Lake, Michigan, we prepare hundreds of slabs specifically for river tables and epoxy pours.
### 1. Slab Selection & Moisture Balance Before pouring any resin, your wood must be properly kiln-dried to between 6% and 8% moisture content. Wet wood will release moisture into curing epoxy, causing cloudiness, bubbles, or structural failure. Our vacuum kiln drying process guarantees ideal stability.
### 2. Flattening & Bark Removal All loose bark, decay, and debris must be removed with draw knives or chisels. Wire brush the edges thoroughly to give the epoxy a solid surface to adhere to. Surfacing both faces flat with our wide planing or sanding equipment ensures an even form seal.
### 3. Sealing the Wood Always paint a thin seal coat of epoxy over all exposed wood edges 24 hours prior to your main pour. This prevents air pockets from escaping out of the wood grain into your deep pour.
### 4. Form Building & Pouring Construct a tight form using melamine or tuck tape, seal all seams with 100% silicone, and pour deep-pour epoxy in temperature-controlled conditions (70°F - 75°F).