In this project, Emmanuelle (@arts_decoblog on Instagram) brought new life to her kitchen by replacing her old melamine worktop with a unique piece made of solid wood coated in epoxy resin. A meticulous and creative project that combines artisanal craftsmanship with high-quality materials, perfectly illustrating what custom-made design can bring to an interior. Discover the steps of this transformation and why Emmanuelle chose Ilicut to bring her idea to life.
The manufacturing steps: from raw solid wood to a mirror-like epoxy finish
To achieve this perfectly smooth and glossy result, Emmanuelle followed a precise process, alternating resin, sanding and polishing.
1. Preparing the surface
- Cutting the worktop to integrate the sink, cooktop and faucet. (You can entrust this step to Ilicut through our configurator.)
- Sanding the entire solid wood surface to obtain a clean and adhesive base.
2. First resin layer: stabilising the wood
- Applying a thin coat of epoxy resin with a brush, allowing the wood to absorb it.
- This step helps prevent the formation of bubbles during the following pours.
- Drying time: 24 hours.
3. Successive pours of tinted resin
- First pour of tinted epoxy resin: removing micro-bubbles with a torch, then letting it dry for 48 hours.
- Second tinted pour: same process, followed by 72 hours of drying for optimal curing.
- Using two pours creates visual depth and the characteristic mirror-like epoxy effect.​
4. Finishing touches: precision and patience
- Sanding the resin droplets under the worktop.
- Progressive wet sanding with increasingly fine grits up to 5000 to achieve a perfectly smooth surface.
- Final polishing to reveal the shine of the resin.
- Installing the worktop: the kitchen instantly takes on a whole new character.
Why Emmanuelle chose Ilicut for this project
To carry out such a technical and aesthetic project, Emmanuelle needed a solid wood worktop with precise dimensions and compatible with an epoxy resin finish. She naturally turned to Ilicut and its expertise in custom wood cutting to order her acacia worktop. The careful delivery, the panel’s perfect conformity to her needs and the simplicity of online ordering allowed her to focus entirely on the creative process — with no technical issues!
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