Easy Epoxy Calc

How much resin for a 36 × 48 canvas?

Short answer

A 36 × 48 in canvas with its 1 1/2 inch sides coated needs about 151 fluid ounces of mixed resin — about 1.2 gallons — for a full 1/8 inch coat, including 10% extra. That is 4 batches at a 48 fl oz batch limit.

How to work it out

  1. Area: 48 in × 36 in = 1,728 sq in + sides 2 × (48 in + 36 in) × 1.5 in = 252 sq in, total 1,980 sq in
  2. 1,980 sq in × 1/8 in = 248 cu in = 137 fl oz; + 10% = 151 fl oz (≈ 165 oz on a scale)
  3. 151 fl oz ÷ 48 fl oz per batch = 4 batches of about 37.7 fl oz
  4. Mix ratio 1 : 1 by volume, SG A 1.15 / B 0.95 (typical, not published by the maker — type your data sheet’s SGs for exact weights) → Part A 75.4 fl oz (90.5 oz) + Part B 75.4 fl oz (74.8 oz)

At 12 sq ft plus 1.5 in sides, this is a statement piece and a big pour. Most people coat a canvas this large flat on a level table, with the drips caught on plastic underneath, and use a spreader to push resin to the edges quickly.

Adjust for your project

in
in
Most resin boxes’ coverage claims assume a thin coat — pick 1/16 in to match the box. 1/8 in is a full, glassy, self-levelled coat and uses about twice as much.
in
Common stretcher profiles are about 3/4 in (standard) and 1 1/2 in (gallery)
fl oz
Total of both bottles together, e.g. a 32 oz kit = 16 oz + 16 oz.
More options: waste · ratio · SG A …
%
Cup residue and drips
Only changes the Part A / Part B split — it’s printed on the kit. Tabletop and art resins are usually 1:1; deep pour often 2:1.
From the TDS, in g/ml. Leave blank for 1.15 (typical, not published by the maker).
From the TDS, in g/ml. Leave blank for 0.95 on 1:1 kits or 0.97 on other ratios (typical, not published by the maker).
fl oz
Your own limit per cup or bucket. Go smaller if your resin has a short working time.
Art resin to buy151 fl oz4,461 ml
Whole batch by weight, incl. waste (kitchen scale)
165 oz (4,684 g)
Kits to buy
5 kits
Mixing batches
4 batches
When mixing — Part A (resin)
75.4 fl oz (2,231 ml)
When mixing — Part B (hardener)
75.4 fl oz (2,231 ml)
Part A by weight
90.5 oz (2,565 g)
Part B by weight
74.8 oz (2,119 g)
Left over from the last kit
9.14 fl oz (270 ml)
  • What to buy: 5 × 32 fl oz art resin kits. Each kit has both bottles (resin + hardener) — you don’t buy them separately. Looking at a different kit size? Change Kit size above.
  • Mix it in 4 batches of about 37.7 fl oz — pour the first, then mix the next while you spread — so no cup sits long enough to heat up and start to thicken.
  • fl oz = measured in a cup; oz = weighed on a scale. Use whichever your resin label gives.

For this job · affiliate link
Clear art resin kitYou need 151 fl oz, so 5 × 32 fl oz kits — or price one bigger kit, which is often cheaper per ounce. A 1:1 art resin self-levels over a painting without needing a scale.
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Resin by side depth (36 × 48 at 1/8 in, sides coated)

Resin by side depth (36 × 48 at 1/8 in, sides coated)
Side depthArt resin to buyKits to buyMixing batches
3/4 in sides141 fl oz5 kits3 batches
1 1/2 in sides151 fl oz5 kits4 batches
2 1/2 in sides164 fl oz6 kits4 batches

What to know about a 36 × 48 canvas

The sides are about 15% of the coated area here — 252 square inches of edge against 1,728 of top — and about 19 fl oz of the total. Taping the edges instead brings it down to about 132 fl oz. On a canvas this size that is a real saving, but a wrapped glossy edge is often the point of a statement piece.

Kits: five 32 fl oz kits, or one gallon plus one quart, both hold 160 fl oz and leave about 9 fl oz spare. Two 1 gallon kits leave well over 100 fl oz — only worth it if you have another piece ready to pour.

Plan four batches of about 37.7 fl oz and at least one helper: one person mixes while the other pours and spreads, and the batches go down one after another across the canvas. Work from one short end to the other so each new batch meets a wet edge.

Handling is the other problem. The mixed resin alone weighs about 165 oz, over 10 lb, so pour where the piece will cure: you can’t carry a wet 36 × 48 across a room. Check the table is level at several points, not just the middle, and rig a dust cover — a sheet of plastic on a light frame — before you mix, because no cardboard box fits over it.

Smaller large formats: how much resin for a 30x40 canvas and how much resin for a 24x36 canvas.

Different size? Use the full Resin Art Calculator.

What you’ll need

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Frequently asked questions

How much resin for a 36x48 canvas without coating the sides?

About 132 fluid ounces for the top only at 1/8 inch with 10% extra — 3 batches at a 48 fl oz limit.

How much resin for a 36x48 canvas at 1/16 inch?

About 75.4 fluid ounces including the 1 1/2 inch sides and 10% extra — 2 batches, and 3 kits of 32 fl oz.

Other common sizes

Sources