Handmade epoxy tables range from a few hundred dollars for a small side table to many thousands for a large live-edge dining table. If you’re comparing tables, it helps to know where the money goes, so you can tell a fair price from a poor-quality shortcut.
- The wood slab and the amount of resin are usually the biggest material costs.
- Finish quality takes many hours of sanding and polishing, and it’s where cheap tables cut corners.
- Ask about the resin type, the wood’s drying, the finish and the base before you buy.
1. The wood
Species matters: walnut and other dense, figured hardwoods cost more than common woods. So does size: wide, long slabs with dramatic live edges are rarer. The wood should be properly dried, because wet wood can move, crack or release moisture that affects the resin (see choosing wood for an epoxy table).
2. The resin
A deep “river” can take many gallons of deep-pour epoxy, and quality deep-pour resin is expensive. Tinted, layered or 3D designs use more resin and more labor. Our river table resin calculator guide shows how quickly volume adds up.
3. Labor and finish quality
A table that looks like glass has usually been flattened, sanded through many grits, and polished or coated, which can take days of work. Shortcuts show up as swirl marks, low spots, bubbles or a cloudy finish.
4. The base
Steel bases (custom-welded and powder-coated) and solid wood bases add cost. A heavy top needs a sturdy base that’s attached correctly.
5. Customization
Custom sizes, colors, inlays, embedded objects and rounded corners all add design and build time.
6. Shipping and delivery
Large tables are heavy and need crating or white-glove delivery. Always ask what’s included.
Questions to ask any maker
- What resin brand and type did you use, and is it rated for tabletops?
- How was the wood dried, and what species is it?
- What topcoat or finish is on the surface?
- How is the base attached, and what are the exact dimensions and weight?
- What’s the lead time, and what happens if it arrives damaged?
After you buy, our epoxy table care guide keeps it looking new.
Header image: Photo: “Natural Wood Furniture” by IndoGemstone, BY 2.0 (cropped).