ResinKriti Journal
How to Embed Objects in Resin
Photos, baby teeth, hospital wristbands, concert tickets, shells, coins, jewellery — almost anything meaningful can be preserved in resin. Here's how to embed objects so they stay clear, centered, and bubble-free.
Step 1 — Prep every object first
Resin reacts with moisture, oils and air pockets. Whatever you're casting needs to be dry, clean and sealed before it touches resin.
- Paper, photos, tickets: seal both sides with 2 coats of Mod Podge or matte spray, dry overnight.
- Organic items (flowers, leaves, feathers): fully dry first, then spray-seal.
- Metal (coins, charms, jewellery): clean with alcohol to remove oils.
- Fabric or thread: stiffen with diluted glue and let dry flat.
Step 2 — Choose the right resin
Use a two-part casting resin — not the thin "doming" resin sold for jewellery surfaces. Casting resin cures slower, generates less heat, and lets bubbles rise out before it sets.
- Look for "art casting", "non-yellowing", and "UV resistant".
- Mix by weight using a digital scale — eyeballing ratios is the #1 cause of sticky resin.
- Warm the bottles in lukewarm water for 10 minutes — warm resin pours clearer.
Step 3 — Pour in layers, never all at once
A single deep pour traps bubbles and overheats. The professional approach is a three-layer sandwich:
- Base layer: pour 5–10 mm of resin and let it cure to a tacky gel (~6 hours).
- Embed layer: place your object face-down on the tacky surface so it can't shift or float.
- Top layer: pour another thin layer to cover, then repeat until the mould is full.
Step 4 — Kill bubbles
Bubbles are the #1 reason embedded keepsakes look amateur. Three tools fix 95% of them:
- Heat gun or torch: wave 15 cm above the surface for 2–3 seconds — bubbles pop instantly.
- Toothpick: drag bubbles out from under the object before they cure.
- Pressure pot (advanced): the only way to guarantee zero bubbles for jewellery.
Step 5 — Stop objects from floating or sinking
Light items (dried flowers, paper) want to float; heavy items (coins, metal) want to sink. The layered cure in Step 3 fixes both — by the time you place the object, the base is firm enough to hold it in place.
For tall objects, support them with a toothpick or pin pushed into the soft layer until the surrounding resin sets.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the sealant — paper turns translucent and photos go cloudy.
- Pouring deeper than 2 cm at once — overheats and yellows.
- Using fresh flowers — see our guide on fresh flowers in resin.
- Curing in cold or humid rooms — keep 22–25°C and dust-free.
- Demoulding too early — wait the full 72 hours.
Want it done professionally?
Embedded keepsakes are wonderfully sentimental — and easy to ruin on a first attempt with an irreplaceable item. If you'd rather hand your photo, jewellery or bouquet to a specialist, ResinKriti casts custom resin keepsakes across India with sealed, bubble-free, UV-stable finishing.