PRO CASE STUDY
Epoxy Resin Coloured Pencil Worktop
Ruth and Guy Wimpory built The Vacationist Eco Cabin to challenge the idea that people have to compromise on style and comfort in order to reduce their holiday carbon-footprint.
The glamping cabin is full of eco-tech, from infrared and bioethanol heating to solar power and water saving measures, which means it can be used year-round. It focuses on the use of sustainable products, blending the work of companies who place sustainable design at the heart of their business alongside the creative repurposing of waste, tackling the idea of what happens to our things when we no longer want them, and that's where the use of epoxy came in!
Ruth wanted to tackle the 14 billion pencils that are made each year and draw awareness to the fact that the majority of them are not recyclable. Working with her local school she collected over 2000 coloured pencils that were no longer wanted and turned them into a kitchen countertop that now works as a major design feature of the build and has already been picked up by several interior features.
To create the worktop, Ruth and Guy decided to take some of the bulk out of the counter by using a 'filler' piece of MDF. They then placed 10mm pencil pieces on the top, then edged it with 50mm pencil pieces. This meant that the slab appeared to be made from a solid section of pencils but in fact used a fraction of the amount.
As all the pencils were used, they not only came in different shapes, they were different sizes. This was problematic because they did not tessellate (fit neatly together) and couldn't be batched for the cutting process. This also meant they couldn't be stuck together easily and had to be hand applied to the board! There were over 16,000 pieces to glue to the MDF sheet using PVA!
Ruth and Guy tested out the process on a sample piece before creating a mould form for the main countertop. The gaps between pencils differed and the porosity of the pencils caused lots of bubbles in the pour was something no-one could have predicted.
Pour one was made and straight away it was clear that the pencils were absorbing lots of the resin and Ruth knew that a 2nd fill pour would be required. Once the resin was cured the surfaces were sanded back - this revealed lots of imperfections left by the air bubbles. The surface was cleaned thoroughly before a 2nd fill pour was applied.
Once Ruth and Guy were happy the pencils were entirely covered and sealed, the sanding process was repeated and the front edge sanded to expose the coloured lead cores. After a thorough clean the glossy top-coat was applied using GlassCast 3. This was poured in a 2mm layer, following the countertop method, taping the edge and removing it part-way through the cure in order to get a rolled edge.
The end result is spectacular - check it out on their YouTube page by following the links below. Ruth and Guy were able to place a thank-you to their local school who supplied the pencils along the front edge too, which is a lovely touch.
Thanks so much for sharing another fantastic project - we can't wait to see what you create next!
ABOUT SKOOLIE STAYS
"Ruth and her husband Guy own Skoolie Stays, a converted American school bus based in West Sussex that is used for glamping. Ruth says "We converted an iconic American school bus following a year-long road-trip across the States with our kids in a similar dog-nose bus. We had an amazing year, covering 14,000 miles and driving the length and breadth of America, but of all the experiences we had, the part we loved best was the Skoolie. We decided to bring one back to the UK and built a stylish resin and penny countertop in the kitchen area.""
"Owners Ruth and Guy recently opened 'The Vacationist', an eco-cabin and their second glamping accommodation. This time recycling 2000 coloured pencils from their local school, set in clear GlassCast Resin to create an incredible feature pencil worktop!"
"This is another fantastic example of an epoxy resin worktop using GlassCast Resin. This time incorporating recycled coloured pencils to create a unique countertop project, it looks amazing!"
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USED IN THIS PROJECT
Want to buy the same materials and equipment used in this tutorial? We've got you!
Please find below a list of all the materials and equipment used in this project, all available to buy right here on the GlassCast website. Shown alongside each product is the approximate quantity used in the tutorial video, to the nearest full pack.
RESIN & PIGMENTS
ABOUT SKOOLIE STAYS
"Ruth and her husband Guy own Skoolie Stays, a converted American school bus based in West Sussex that is used for glamping. Ruth says "We converted an iconic American school bus following a year-long road-trip across the States with our kids in a similar dog-nose bus. We had an amazing year, covering 14,000 miles and driving the length and breadth of America, but of all the experiences we had, the part we loved best was the Skoolie. We decided to bring one back to the UK and built a stylish resin and penny countertop in the kitchen area.""
"Owners Ruth and Guy recently opened 'The Vacationist', an eco-cabin and their second glamping accommodation. This time recycling 2000 coloured pencils from their local school, set in clear GlassCast Resin to create an incredible feature pencil worktop!"
"This is another fantastic example of an epoxy resin worktop using GlassCast Resin. This time incorporating recycled coloured pencils to create a unique countertop project, it looks amazing!"
CONTACT INFORMATION
DISCUSSION (0)
Please share any questions or comments you may have about this video tutorial.
