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Can You Put Epoxy on Plastic Cups/Tumblers? (How To)

You may wonder if epoxy is good to put on plastic tumblers and cups. If you’re someone who enjoys being crafty and you want to decorate your own cup with glitter or something else that’s fun, you are in store for a great project. Read on to learn the answer to can you put epoxy on plastic cups/tumblers? (how to) and how this material works on plastic

Yes, it is possible to use epoxy on a plastic cup or tumbler. You’ll want to make sure that you are interested in permanently attaching something to your cup, yet aren’t worried it will peel or chip off at a later time. This isn’t necessarily the best option for use on plastic, and you should check that there are no scratches or cracks on the item first. 

Should You Put Epoxy on Plastic Cups/Tumblers? 

Is it a good idea to place epoxy on your plastic cups? This is a question many crafty people have and you might be surprised at the answer. 

Epoxy, which is a glue that’s meant to bond two things together, can work on plastic cups and tumblers. However, it’s not really going to be your best bet. Use caution and consider if another material will be ideal for this purpose instead. 

While it is alright to use epoxy on a cup, you’d do well to avoid placing anything you put epoxy on into the dishwasher. This is because it will cause the epoxy resin to melt and get deformed. It is actually toxic for you to use such a cup afterwards, since you’ll ingest the chemicals that have melted from the material.

You should be just fine washing your cup the old fashioned way with warm water and dish soap. You need to follow instructions carefully on how to prepare the epoxy resin and what amounts you’ll need for your specific size plastic tumbler in order to do a good job with this process. 

What Tools Do You Need to Put Epoxy on Plastic Cups/Tumblers? 

There are definitely a bunch of tools you need in order to be prepared to work with epoxy on your plastic cups or tumblers. Be sure to do your research and have all of this on hand before you get started with trying to do this project with your epoxy. 

It’s ideal to use plastic primer paint. Other supplies you need for a glitter tumbler crafting project include a cup turner (you can DIY this at home or buy a heavy duty one), tiny measurement cups, glitter, popsicle sticks, gloves, silicone brush and mat, heat gun, mod podge, and sandpaper.

It’s important to note that there are two types of epoxy resin. Regular epoxies are going to take longer to dry, but they won’t peel off with ease. Fast-curing epoxy is better for smaller projects when you’re not concerned with getting a precise application.

Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on November 19, 2022.

What Preparations Do You Need to Put Epoxy on Plastic Cups/Tumblers?

First off, you’ll need to make sure that your cup is entirely clean. You don’t want it to have any bits of food, drink, or any grease on the plastic tumbler. The rest of this preparation stage is going to be making sure you have your supplies readily available and mixing your epoxy. 

Some of the most important things to do as your prepare for putting epoxy on your cup include cleaning your cup, drying it with a towel, and applying a primer so that the resin adheres better and you’ll reduce the risk of having the plastic warp. 

Clean your cup out with water and soap so that there’s not any grease or dirt on it. This will ensure that the adhesives work better. You may need to dry it with a towel afterwards.

Then, apply a primer that will work as an intermediate layer between two types of plastic so there’s less chance they’ll misalign and you’ll have separation of these layers.

If you’re going this route, put the primer on both sides and allow them to dry so you won’t have bubbles that will make it difficult to do anything without sanding them down first. 

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on November 19, 2022.

How to Put Epoxy on Plastic Cups/Tumblers 

Now that you know you can use epoxy resin on plastic cups, you should know how this is going to look and what it will entail. You don’t want to get started and have any tricky surprises come up that will cause you to waste time and energy, getting frustrated with your craft project when you’ve only just gotten started. 

You want to be outdoors (or at least somewhere with great ventilation) and wear disposable gloves when you’re about to put on the epoxy. This will prevent you from breathing in toxic chemicals and getting a mess on your hands. 

Your first step is going to be to mix together the two parts of your adhesive. Mix about double the amount in volume that you’re going to want in thickness. It’s crucial that you ensure you’re somewhere that has proper ventilation, that you have gloves on while handling the resin, and that you’ve got your other supplies readily available.

A cup spinner is going to be your best friend during the application, as it makes it possible to evenly distribute the epoxy resin to the inside of the tumbler fast.

Take a brush or roller and dip it into your epoxy (which should be in a small measurement cup). Apply an even layer to the whole cup surface. The instructions should tell you how long to allow this to dry, probably 24 hours. 

It really is a fun and interesting process to make a DIY glitter cup or some other sort of crafting project with a tumbler and some epoxy. No matter how much prior experience you’ve had with epoxy resin, you should be able to figure it out and create a beautifully designed cup you can give as a gift or use yourself at home and while you’re on the go. 

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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on November 19, 2022.

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