All surfaces should be clean, dry and free of any debris prior to application. Apply to countertops with a 60-100 grit profile. Sand pre-cast countertop surfaces poured on a melamine mat before applying. Sand down or fill with slurry all “pinhole” air pockets or voids in the countertop surface prior to application. If pinholes persist, apply a DCI Water Based Sealer primer coat prior to the epoxy coating to reduce surface air bubbles.

The tinted concrete sealer primer/basecoat provides the necessary contrasting canvas for the translucent metallic pigments. Please note that the base coat color will influence the overall countertop appearance due to the translucency of the metallic coat. For example, a white or light base coat color will create a lighter final appearance than a black or darker base coat color regardless of the metallic finish chosen.

Using a 3/8” nap roller, apply two coats tinted concrete sealer base coats, allowing up to 12 hours drying time between applications.

Once the tinted concrete sealer coat is completely dry, the metallic epoxy coat can be applied. When properly applied to a smooth surface, the 100% Epoxy Countertop Sealer Mini Kit will cover 65-70 sq. ft. Coverage will vary with surface conditions.

Adding Metallic Pigment: Pour all or part of the contents of the 2oz. container metallic pigment into the resin and carefully fold the metallic into the resin using the wooden stir stick. Stir for at least 2 minutes until completely combined. Allow metallic pigment and resin mixture to rest for 5 to 10 minutes and stir again for good suspension before adding the hardener. Add the hardener to resin and thoroughly mix according to the 100% Epoxy Countertop Sealer mixing instructions.

DCI 100% Epoxy Mini Kit MUST be applied at a thickness of 10 mils with the included notched squeegee. This thickness will prevent an orange peel texture in the epoxy and ensure the metallics work their magic. A 4″ spiked roller is a helpful to tool to break up air bubbles on the countertop surface should they occur. Working with metallic pigment in epoxy is a creative process. Use more or less metallic pigment to create surface designs or expose more of the countertop base color. Once the epoxy is applied, the metallic pigments will start to move and create their patina.

Step-by-Step:

• Pour the desired amount of metallic pigment into the resin and stir in.  Allow metallic pigment and resin mixture to rest for 5 to 10 minutes and stir again for good suspension before adding the hardener.

• Add hardener to resin and thoroughly mix then pour a ribbon along the width of the countertop.

• Use a 10 mil notched squeegee to move the material across the surface and evenly distribute the epoxy. You will notice there will be track lines from the notched squeegee.

• To eliminate track lines from squeegee, wet a 3/8” nap roller in the sealer and give a light back-roll across the squeegee lines.

Once the coating evenly covers the surface, freely swirl the roller in a random patterns to create different looks. Denatured alcohol may also be lightly spritzed over the countertop surface to create other unique metallic effects. Be careful not to over apply.

For best results for metallic epoxy finishes, top coat using either a glossy DCI 550 Water-Based or a high gloss 500 Solvent-Based Polyurethane. Polyurethanes will need to be refinished after 5-10 years of use depending on wear conditions.

• Surfaces sealed with DCI 100% Epoxy should cure for a minimum of 16 hours at approximately 75F before applying a polyurethane protective coat. Apply within 24 hours of the epoxy coat or wet-sand the surface with a 600-grit pad prior application to ensure good adhesion.

• Apply either the 500 or 550 Polyurethane Sealer according to the how-to instructions.

• Select 550 Water Based Polyurethane for interior applications in occupied homes or businesses where chemical odor may be a problem.

For complete application polyurethane application instructions, visit our how to guides page.