how to Decoupage?

Question

Hello
I tried to decoupage a little end table that I had but I think that I totally messed it up. I began by gluing some pictures to it and then I put modpodge on it but I wanted it to have a really thick protective coat cause I want to be able to put hot tea cups on it w/o messing it so I poured clear polyuerathane stain on it. And now it is all messed up! There seems to be stain under the pics!
So what do I do? Should I scrap that whole thing and start again?
Please help.

Answer 1

I think for a table, you would build a little frame and pour on a layer of resin, or just go with the mod podge and then put a piece of plexiglas on top.
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Answer 2

You may not have waited for each layer of glue or ModPodge (which is just a thinned white glue) to thoroughly dry before adding the next layer.
Or you might have used pictures with ink which wasn't already waterproof (need to be sealed first, perhaps with several coats of an acrylic spray applied lightly).

As for "pouring" on "a clear polyurethane stain" on it, generally polyurethane is not poured (whether its' been tinted as a "stain" too or not).
But instead of pouring, you could have brushed on a number of coats (again drying well between each) to get a thick coating.

Or you could have gotten an even deeper (clear) coating in one go by *pouring* on some 2-part epoxy resin (not polyester resin, not polyurethane resin, and not polyurethane... all of which are different).

There are various brands of epoxy resin, but those are generally the type that you'd see on a "bar top." Epoxy resins have nough thickness and surface tension not to need walls around the edge of the item to hold them on, but one pour will be only about 1/8" thick (...though you could pour another layer if you wanted it even thicker --after waiting till after at least 24 hrs of curing time).

If you're interested in these epoxy resins, you can get more info as well as brand names and lessons, etc. on this page of my site:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/other_materials.htm
(... click on HARD-SURFACE EPOXY RESINS...)


Good luck!

Diane B.