Epoxy projects can be a major differentiator for contractors and specialty woodshops—river tables, waterfall countertops, and statement vanities can become the focal point of a home or commercial space. But as Dominic and Jake discuss in this episode, epoxy work is also where small production mistakes become very visible and very expensive.

Jake Latvala, owner of Olag & Sawmill and Olag & Epoxy, shares the most common production issues he gets calls about—and how foremen and owners can build an epoxy workflow that protects quality and keeps scheduling realistic.

1) Deep-Pour vs Low-Grade Epoxy: The “Cheap” Option Can Cost More Later

One of Jake’s clearest warnings is about product selection. Many epoxies sold for small home projects are designed for thin pours. When shops try to use them for deeper applications, they can:

• overheat and smoke,
  
  
• crack,
  
  
• yellow quickly,
  
  
• or fail in other ways.
  
  

For contractors and millwork shops, the takeaway is simple: deep pours require deep-pour epoxy designed to handle thermal reaction safely.

2) Wood Prep is Quality Control: Prevent Flaking and Reduce Microbubbles

Epoxy problems don’t only come from the resin—wood prep matters:

• Remove bark and anything that can flake into the epoxy.
  
  
• Sand properly before pouring.
  
  
• If doing a clear pour, seal edges to reduce microbubbles and air release.
  
  

Jake notes that pigment pours can “hide” some microbubbles visually—but clear pours demand stricter prep standards.

3) Finishing Choice: Flood Coat vs Oil (and Why Clients Care)

The episode also highlights a practical finishing decision:

• Flood coat epoxy creates a glossy protective surface and is easier to wipe down—ideal around sinks, vanities, and countertops.
  
  
• Oil finishes preserve a natural wood look, but they can develop water rings if clients don’t use coasters.
  
  

Foremen and estimators should treat this as a client expectation conversation, not just a finishing preference.

4) Temperature Controls Production Time (and the Risk of Yellowing)

One of the biggest production planning insights is how epoxy behaves differently through the seasons:

• Summer pours can cure fast (sometimes ~2 days), but overheating risk rises.
  
  
• Winter pours may take longer (sometimes ~5 days), but can be safer for larger pours.
  
  

Epoxy generates its own heat during curing. If you’re working in hot conditions, Jake recommends:

• cooling the shop (AC when possible),
  
  
• using multiple fans,
  
  
• and pouring in stages (for example, two 1-inch pours instead of a single 2-inch pour).
  
  

For business owners, this matters because cure time means occupied floor space and delayed throughput—your scheduling and pricing must reflect that.

5) Dust and Bug Control: Deep Pours vs Flood Coats

When epoxy enters production, dust management changes depending on the application:

• For deep pours, dust typically settles on the surface and gets removed during surfacing later.
  
  
• For flood coats, dust and bugs can get trapped in the finish—so protection is critical.
  
  

Jake mentions solutions shops use:

• a paint booth setup,
  
  
• or a sealed tent/mosquito-tent style enclosure around the project.
  
  

This is a practical workflow note foremen can implement immediately.

6) Pricing and Estimating: Epoxy is Custom Work

A key reminder for owners and estimators: epoxy is not standard work.
Jake notes epoxy can be significantly more expensive than wood, and pricing must reflect:

• material volume (how much epoxy a project needs),
  
  
• curing time and floor space,
  
  
• and the custom/art nature of the final product.
  
  

If your shop says “yes” to epoxy without accounting for these factors, the job can become profitable on paper but chaotic in production.

7) Training: A Shortcut to Fewer Callbacks

Jake also shares that they offer epoxy training courses and ongoing support—shops send team members to learn the process and then apply it back in production. For contractors adding epoxy work, this is a strong operational move: train the foreman and reduce the trial-and-error time that kills schedules.

Final Thoughts

Epoxy can be a premium add-on that elevates your shop and increases margins—but only if the workflow is treated like a production system: right materials, correct prep, temperature management, dust control, and schedule-aware estimating.

🎧 Listen to the full episode for the full breakdown, and subscribe for more shop-operator and foreman-focused conversations.

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