Applying Kleer Kote

Getting a Smooth Finish When Using Kleer Kote

We plan to order the Kleer Kote kit to finish a round table with a beveled edge, but are new to this and have a question. We want the edges to have the same thickness as the top.

How do we do this and keep the solution from flowing away?

Thank you.

Lynda

Good question. I never thought of that. So I pulled out the plaques I had poured over 30 years ago to check the edges (which are lathed or beveled like your table). No problem.

But I was young and foolhardy then. Without my even considering the risk, the pours had dried evenly across the curved surfaces. I did have to clean around the edges after curing as there was a small amount of runoff.

I used the method described in my article on epoxy coatings of placing the plaques on a flat newspaper covered surface with waxed paper tucked under the edge.

After drying, the waxed paper is easily peeled off. Any dried runoff can be broken off (backwards) and/or sanded away.

If you can remove the table's legs, you can lay the top on the floor. If that is not possible, you'll need to create a lip to stop the epoxy at the base of the bevel.

Perhaps something rigid like plywood or even cardboard stapled to the bottom of the tabletop with waxed paper between the edge and rigid surface.

Be sure to start with a seal coat. I didn't use one on my plaques because they are relatively small and bubbles were easy to control.

The seal coat seals pores in the surface and prevents bubbles from settling in. I think the other key for your beveled edge is to do two or three thin pours (no thicker than 1/8 inch). A squeegee is good for spreading the epoxy toward the edges.

Just let the epoxy do its own thing once you get it to the edges.

Allow four to eight hours between pours and no sanding will be necessary. If you have to wait longer between pours, sand lightly with 220 or 320 grit sandpaper for a good bond.

For more details, e.g. methods for dissipating heat and resolving stubborn bubbles, read my article on epoxy coatings.