Suspending objects in epoxy resin comes down to timing your pours in layers and using the resin’s own curing process to hold items in place. The core technique is simple: pour resin in stages, let each layer partially cure until it thickens to a gel-like consistency, then place your object on that tacky surface before pouring the next layer on top. This traps the object exactly where you want it. The details, though, matter a lot for getting a clean, bubble-free result.
Why Objects Sink or Float
The reason you can’t just drop an object into a full pour of liquid resin and expect it to stay put is density. Heavy items like metal charms, coins, and stones sink straight to the bottom. Lightweight materials like dried flowers, wood, and plastic float to the top. Liquid epoxy has very little resistance, so gravity and buoyancy take over immediately. The only way to fight this is to either support the object mechanically or change the consistency of the resin around it.
The Layered Pour Method
This is the most reliable technique and the one most resin artists use. You pour your resin in two or more layers, using the partial cure of each layer to create a shelf that holds your object in place.
Start by pouring your first layer of resin into your mold, filling it to the depth where you want the bottom of your object to sit. Then wait. You’re looking for what’s called “gel time,” the point where the resin has thickened from a liquid into something with the consistency of soft gelatin. It should feel tacky and hold an impression when you touch it lightly, but not be fully hardened. Depending on your resin brand and room temperature, this can take anywhere from a few hours to overnight.
Once the first layer reaches that gel stage, press your object gently into the surface. The tackiness grips the object and prevents it from shifting. Then mix and pour your second layer over the top, covering the object completely. If you’re embedding something tall or want to position an object in the very center of a deep mold, you may need three or more layers, building up gradually.
Timing the second pour correctly also helps avoid a visible line between layers. Pouring while the first layer is still in that gel state, rather than fully cured, lets the two layers bond chemically and appear as one continuous piece of clear resin. If you wait too long and the first layer hardens completely, you’ll often see a faint seam where the layers meet.
Keeping Lightweight Objects From Floating
Dried flowers, feathers, glitter, and similar lightweight items tend to drift upward when you pour resin over them. The layered method helps here because the tacky gel surface holds them down, but some crafters add an extra step for security. Before your pour, use a small dot of white glue (like Elmer’s) to stick lightweight items to the base of the mold or to the cured first layer. The glue dries clear and keeps everything anchored while you pour over it.
Another approach is to use the resin itself as the adhesive. Apply a slightly thicker seal coat to your base surface, then press items into it before it cures. Let that seal coat cure for about 24 hours so the objects are locked in place, then continue with your main pour on top.
Holding Objects Mid-Air With Fishing Line
For objects that need to appear truly floating in the center of a resin block, with clear resin visible on all sides, fishing line offers a solution. Tie a tight knot around the object using thin (four-pound) monofilament line, then suspend it from a support structure (like a stick or dowel resting across the top of your mold) so the object hangs at the exact depth you want.
If the fishing line won’t grip the object well enough with a knot alone, anchor it with a drop of hot glue or gap-filling super glue. Spray the glue with compressed air from a duster can to speed up drying. Once the object is hanging in position, pour your resin around it. After the resin cures, trim the fishing line flush with the surface. Clear monofilament disappears almost completely inside cured resin, especially if you sand and polish the top surface afterward.
Sealing Porous Objects First
Porous materials like paper, fabric, dried flowers, and wood create a specific problem: they absorb liquid resin and release trapped air in the process, leaving you with clusters of tiny bubbles around the object. This can ruin an otherwise clean casting.
The fix is to seal the object before it ever touches your main resin pour. A clear-drying spray sealer, a coat of Mod Podge, or even a thin brush-on layer of resin will close up the pores and prevent air from escaping later. For photos and printed images, sealing is especially important because unsealed ink can bleed and smear on contact with resin. Mod Podge or clear laminating film both work well for this.
Let your sealant dry completely before embedding. If you’re using resin as the sealant, give it a full cure (typically 24 hours) before placing the item in your project mold.
Preventing Bubbles Around Embedded Objects
Even with sealed objects, bubbles can form in the crevices and undersides of items where resin struggles to flow. The best prevention is to pre-coat your object in a thin layer of mixed resin before placing it into the mold. Set the item on a silicone mat, brush or dip it in resin, and work the resin into any detailed areas, between flower petals, around textured surfaces, into engraved lettering. Let this coating partially cure until it’s no longer dripping, then place the coated object into your mold and pour around it.
This pre-coating step fills the tiny gaps where air would otherwise get trapped. For complex shapes like roses or figurines, take extra time to push resin into every fold and undercut. Some crafters let the pre-coat fully harden before embedding, which creates a bubble-free shell around the object. Others place it while still tacky so it bonds seamlessly with the surrounding pour.
If bubbles do appear on the surface after pouring, a quick pass with a heat gun or small kitchen torch pops them. Hold the heat source a few inches above the surface and move it constantly to avoid overheating the resin. This only works for surface bubbles, though. Bubbles trapped underneath an object are there to stay unless you used a pre-coat or a pressure pot during curing.
Working With Multiple Objects at Different Depths
If you want objects at several different levels within one piece, you simply add more layers. Pour and gel your first layer, place the deepest objects, pour a second layer up to the next level, wait for gel stage again, place the next set of objects, and repeat. Each cycle adds several hours to your project timeline, so plan for a multi-day process on complex pieces.
Keep track of your layer depths by marking the outside of your mold with a fine-tip marker or small pieces of tape. This helps you pour consistent amounts each time and position objects exactly where you want them in the finished piece. For clear molds, you can check your progress from the side as you build up layers.
Room temperature affects cure speed significantly. Warmer environments (around 75 to 80°F) speed up gel time, while cooler rooms slow it down. If you’re working in layers and want predictable timing, try to keep your workspace at a consistent temperature throughout the project.