Table Top Bar Top Epoxy –

Best Seller Scams

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

The on-line world of companies selling epoxy resins for table tops and bar tops is a frightening place of misleading and often completely wrong text written and promoted by marketing based companies with no knowledge of epoxy chemicals or an understanding of their often off-the-wall false claims.

Deal only with technical coating companies and coating professionals - not ex-Walmart clerks reading a script.

SECTION 2 - SCAMS

POURED EPOXY SCAM #1 -

The Fire Demo : The best epoxy scam of all! The Burning Counter-top demo.

The on-line epoxy salesperson pours rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) on an epoxy covered table and the table shows no damage.

Isopropyl alcohol comes in three concentrations, 70%, 91%, and 99%. The 91% and 99% can be used as not very good cooking fuel and is not sold at normal outlets. The 70% version is 30% water and is the common Walmart, Dollar Store version sold. While it will burn with an eye catching wild, dirty yellow flame it is never used as a burning fuel. It is actually used in hand sanitizers. This is the ‘fire’ used for epoxy table top demos. In reality epoxies, like most plastics, will burn and product a thick, nasty black smoke. So, if your potential epoxy vender shows you the ‘fire demo test" make a note that they don’t use a real fuel like gasoline. You have been scammed big time. Don’t buy from them!

POURED EPOXY SCAM #2 -

Misleading Coverage Rates - this is about as simple as things get, yet they all seem to get it wrong (and always to their advantage). Another case of dishonesty directed to you. One gallon of any liquid will cover 6.2 square feet at 1/4 inch thick (usually rounded down to 6 square feet to keep things simple). It doesn’t matter if the liquid is milk, fine wine, or epoxy - but do note that most epoxies are solvent free, so wet thickness will equal dry thickness. The real numbers are six square feet of coverage at 1/4 inch thick, 12 square feet at 1/8 of an inch thick, 1.5 square feet at one inch thick per gallon of liquid.

BIG SCAM #3 -

How Thick? How thick should each layer or epoxy pour be? Epoxies generate a lot of heat when they suddenly begin to set up – harden. If you pour a layer too thick, you will get at a minimum a wavy, non-level surface. Worst case is a foaming, smoking crisis on your hands.

Normal pours are generally around 1/4 of an inch thick. But some web vendors sell such low end epoxy with a huge set up heat kick that they try to tell you that 1/8 inch thick pours are the only way to go. They are trying to convince you that a bad thing is really a good thing.

BIG SCAM #4 -

Claims that their epoxy doesn’t yellow is the biggest lie of all (another "Best Lie" ). All epoxies amber and yellow in sunlight within a few days and even in the dark over a few months. This is common knowledge (Epoxy 101). It is the chemistry of epoxies and there is nothing that can be done to stop the yellowing. Don’t buy epoxy from these folks that knowing lie to you about epoxy yellowing just to get your money.

BIG SCAM #5 -

"Funny Terms" used in exploitive on-line epoxy web sites include: Prepolymer (or cellular pre-polymers), Poly Carbons or blends of polycarbons, chemically strengthened (HOW????), nano crystal technology (what the heck is that?), and on and on and on....

In 25 plus years in the coatings/epoxy industry I have never seen these terms used. No doubt they were lifted from a chemistry text book on epoxy resin systems. These terms aren’t used in the actual, real world, epoxy industry but these on-line, non coating professionals do not know this.

These same people also use terminology that is ‘off the wall". They talk about their product being ‘engineered’ for some special property. OK - give them the benefit of the doubt. The problem is that chemicals, coatings, resins etc. are ‘formulated’ not engineered. It is simply the wrong word, one not associated with epoxy production. And adjusting or ‘formulating’ requires that they have processing facilities and staff ($$$) and not just warehouse space.

SECTION 3 - MISSING INFORMATION

WHAT THEY DON’T TELL YOU OR SHARE WITH YOU #1 -

Epoxies are serious chemicals used in nuclear power plants, water treatment facilities, throughout the marine shipping industry and applied to drinking water containment tanks. They require a lot of paper work and documentation both to sell, ship and use. Product technical data sheets and government required material data safety sheets are always at hand as are special shipping requirements and labels. Batch numbers are listed and tracked in case of problems (they should have batch numbers on all their containers. Do they?). None of the online epoxy sellers address these issues or offer required access to these documents.

One reason for the required data safety sheets is that it tells the source of the epoxy, ingredients, shipping requirements - restrictions. These are things that these vendors don’t want you to know. Perhaps a cheap China source using lots of low end additives to keep the price down (and the yellowing up?).

Most of these sellers are probably not shipping their epoxy correctly, or legally with the proper labels etc. There are serious fines for illegal shipping of these ‘corrosive’ chemicals. You might point this out to them and let them respond by funding your retirement or your kids’ college education with"hush money." LOL.

WHAT THEY DON’T TELL YOU OR SHARE WITH YOU #2 -

One of the first clues that you are dealing with a sales - web site and not someone qualified to sell technical chemicals is the fancy web site, pictures of smiling, well dressed women sitting at an bar (stock photo bank rented images), and a lack of technical data and information.

Do you believe these companies can operate just selling one product in one flavor, with no options for different temperatures, size of surface to cover etc? I suspect these same companies have other different telephone numbers and web sites that sell things like tea, cookie cutters and sunglasses. Perhaps the different on-line epoxy table top resin vendors are actually just one company selling under different names and web sites. That would explain why they all appear to be selling the same epoxy resin.

There is a reason why you purchase your prescription medicines from a drug store (and not a dollar store) and prescription glasses from an optometrist. You should also get your epoxy chemicals from a technical coatings company. EPOXYPRODUCTS.COM

WHAT THEY DON’T TELL YOU OR SHARE WITH YOU #3 -

You cannot add UV and anti yellowing agents to epoxies, but there are other coating products (which we also sell) that do provide: 1) UV protection; 2) a scratch and stain resistant top coat; 3) an easy to refinish / refresh glossy top surface.

It is odd that the these on-line bar top epoxy sellers do not mention or sell these non-epoxy ‘upgrades."

SECTION 4 - ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? # 1 -

As mentioned above, I find it odd that all the online epoxy bar top vendors seem to sell an epoxy with a one to one mix ratio. Most epoxies have a two to one mix ratio. The 1:1 mix suggests they all get their epoxy from the same source. The ‘directions’ from the different vendors include the same mis-spellings and wild claims (like you can mix part A into part B but not the other way around, or that you need temperatures of 75 degrees to use the epoxies - - we sell different epoxies you can use at 30 degree and others at 90 degrees).

WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? # 2 -

THE MARINE EPOXY ANALOGY –

Epoxy resin systems used for boat building and boat repair are sold by two kinds of vendors. I suspect the same holds true for vendors selling table and bar top epoxies.

One group is known as ‘repackagers." They purchase drums of the raw epoxy resins and one type of epoxy curing agent (the Part B) from the handful of giant, international chemical companies that manufacture these chemicals. Repackagers simply pour these chemicals into small contains and sell them as inexpensive marine epoxy. The epoxy table top vendors I see online also appear to be simple repackages of cheap epoxy chemicals hiding behind slick web sites.

The second type of marine epoxy vendors are ‘formulators’ . The take the raw epoxy resins and curing agents (there are lots of different epoxy curing agents) and create or formulate an improved product for the marine market. This includes giving the epoxies more flexibility, different temperature pot life versions, and other more subtle properties from a result of blending different curing agents together. In other words, they start off with moonshine and upgrade it to Jack Daniels. These companies, unlike the repackagers, require their own blending and manufacturing facilities and coatings trained, professionally educated staff. This adds to the cost of the product. We (Progressive Epoxy Polymers, Inc) are one of a handful of marine epoxy formulators (we farm out the additional blending to 3^rd party companies).

I suspect we are the only epoxy formulator in the bar top, table top, penny floor marketplace.

SECTION 5 - FYI

This document is available as a standard web page:

and as an easy to print and share *.pdf file:

SECTION 6 - FINAL REMARKS

We have tried to provide you with the best epoxy information and a peek into the difference between a marketing company selling technical chemical products on-line and a professional coatings company selling the same on-line.

The honesty and integrity of your epoxy seller should be key in your epoxy purchase. Buy only the best quality, formulated epoxy from a well established epoxy coatings company.

Specific product information, links to prices and on-line purchasing can be found at: epoxyproducts.com/bartop.html

BUY ON-LINE NOW. Goto our 3^rd party on-line storefront at: epoxyusa.com to order our epoxy resins.

Paul Oman MS - MBA

owner: Progressive Epoxy Polymers, Inc.

Pittsfield, NH 03263

603 - 435 - 7199