The Best Alcohol Alternatives For Fracturing Effects
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Fracturing epoxy designs with spray paint is awesome, but which solvent is best? 70% alcohol? 99% alcohol? Acetone? In this video, we do a test of multiple solvents so you don't have to!
RK3 Designs is a learning studio focused on teaching how to create beautiful epoxy finishes using Stone Coat Countertop Epoxy. These tutorials include epoxy countertops for kitchens, bathrooms, and much more. This channel provides tutorials for DIYers, contractors, designers, or artists.
Rhonda Dracoulis Founder and Primary Instructor
RK3 Designs started as a way for Rhonda to showcase her creativity but has blossomed into a way to help others find theirs. Her obsession with painting led her to start refinishing furniture and kitchen cabinets. She found customers wanted a nicer option than laminate but more affordable and customizable than natural stone, which lead her to countertop epoxy! Since then, she’s helped thousands of students, from across the country (and even Canada eh?).
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This was awesome!!! As a newby I would LOVE more side by side comparisons of techniques JUST like this!! Simple black & white, side by side, to showcase actual techniques! What a way to learn! I just totally understood this one without getting sidetracked by design or color or someone else’s end goal on a project. This is teaching us how to cook, not just follow a recipe. 👍 Thank you Rhonda!
Thank you!!!! I’ll put more of these types of videos in the lineup!! Thanks for watching!!!
Ever clear by far. Try it next time with 2 colors like black & silver then use a eye dropper. Hold your hand higher & lower for different effects Thanks loved your video
EVERCLEAR HANDS HANDS DOWN!! Depending on the effect you are looking for , a combination of the alcohol and everclear may get some neat effects!!
I’m running out today to get some Everclear!!!!! That is gorgeous!
Thanks for the experiment Rhonda. My new fav is the everclear.
You're very welcome! 🙂
Love that you did this vid Rhonda! So cool to see options and their effects! Learning all I can, so thank you!
You’re most welcome!! Thanks for watching!! 😊
Ever clear turned out the prettiest. Thanks for doing this!
You bet! Thanks!
Nothing like a good excuse to get Everclear 🤣🤣🤣. Thanks for the great substitute options! 💜💜💜💜💜
😂😂 You’re more than welcome!!
I love this type of instructional video!!! Ever clear is my pick!
Cool. I’ll plan more. What would you like to see? ❤️
I like these side by side comparisons. Maybe trials of different colors/types of spray paint for fracturing, or vein with spray paint vs vein with colored epoxy, or 🤷♀️.
Thanks for the thorough testing and comparisons. Would anything good come out if we'd sprayed the alcohol before spreading the paint?
Thanks Rhonda! I needed that info.😁
You are very welcome!! ❤️
Thank you Rhonda, I REALLY like the Everclear...
Loved the Everclear fracturing. Thank you for the experiment!
❤️. Thanks for watching!!
99% alcohol !!?? At Walgreens or Safeway pharmacy. Spraying it can be toxic. Love your work.
Each of these might have a place in a project, I like the softness of the 70%. I really love the look of the Everclear. Thanks for sharing this.
You bet!! I totally agree!! Thanks for watching!
I am curious, Would you be able to do this same effect on a canvas- (with the exopy pour, spray paint and alcohol)
You're awesome for this. I just needed a little spot done and only had 70% but I do have plenty of acetone! Now I can finish.
Love the Everclear.❤
This video inspired me to try this technique on a wine glass! I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, and yesterday I shot a video of my attempt! I have some more experimenting to do, it I am overall happy with how they turned out. Would it be ok to tag you in my video, with credit, and link to this video?
Thank you so much for doing this!! I have been wanting to see something like this
You are more than welcome!!! Glad I could help. 😊
Very cool experiment!! ❤ Nice to see the comparison! 👏👏
Thanks! It was fun!
@@RK3Designs I bet!! You're welcome! 💙 Great science in action! 👏👏
Definitely love the Everclear fracturing!
Thank you Rhonda. My favorite would be Everclear.
Everclear looks great..😍
It was! LOL!!
Great video!
Thank you!!
Wow! I like them all but I gotta say the ever learning is prob my fave!!!
Me too!! ❤️
I really like this video and would love to see more like this and yes the everclear is the best but it also show us what the difference patterns the 70%, 99%, acetone and everclear
Thank you!! I’ll try to get more like this out!!
Thanks for the comparison, I like the 70% and the everclear.
That seem to be everyone’s favorite. Thanks for watching!!! 😊😊
Great, I use 70%,and I ordered everclear. My problem is that I can't do that nice fracture with alcohol, the cells are always closing, or as you said if I leave the resin to set , it doesn't do anything. My resin has 20 minutes working time. How long is the working time of your epoxy? Do you warm the resin in a 'hot water bath before use? I do, otherwise is too thick to mix, and has lots of bubbles. I want to try your resin.
Do you sell in the UK? Thank you, you are so lovely 🤗❤️
I use Stonecoat Countertop epoxy so I have at least an hour open time. I don’t believe they ship to the UK. 😢
@@RK3Designs thank you 😢
As for the acetone. It has a very fast evaporation rate. That's why it doesn't do well after the paint has set for a while. It doesn't sit "wet" on the surface for a long enough time to make the paint soften and move. It flashes off quickly.
Helpful video!
As mentioned elsewhere, would appreciate seeing them fully dry a day later. I think I'm going to try and combine two of your techniques to make a sink countertop: water bubbles around the sink area and fractured out in the open counter area! sounds fun. With some luck, maybe I can fade out the misting for the fracture gradually to create a smooth transition to the water bubbles area! But I like how both involve the spray paint which I can do in layers of colors, and then just mist the open area for the transition!
That sounds amazing. Would love to see the project when your done. You can also see additional photos of the projects on my website
www.rk3designs.com/tutorial-supplies
Great test! I’ll try the everclear
Have fun!!
The Everclear also goes well with fresh lemonade and strawberrys
Absolutely, one of the benefits 😂😂
Where do you purchase the acetone, please?
If you were keeping this piece would you put a clear coat on top?
This was really just a sample board but if I did this effect on a countertop, I would definitely but a clear flood coat. 😊
Thank you for this, very interesting. I’m from Australia, so bear with me. Did the Acetone section actually cure properly? Because you can use acetone to clean epoxy off your tools (prior to setting), and it removes nail varnish, so I’m curious about the end result. Your Everclear - is that moonshine (joking) - doubt we’d have access to anything like that here. Our Big Box stores sell Diggers which is 100% Isopropanol (for those who live in OZ). Thanks, love your videos Rhonda :)
Yes as long as you use very little you’ll be fine. 😊
Very nice Rhonda you put on a show!
Everclear for me
Thanks for doing this
You bet. Thanks for watching.
And thank you for this demo
You’re more than welcome!!! 😊
I liked the 99 with the large fracture..wonder if you couldn't then switch to everclear for a 2nd fracture.
That’s an idea!! I’ll have to try it!! 😊😊
My concern is how each may affect the setting process of the epoxy. When I asked stonecoat directly about using other products for the fracturing, they responded that in their tests, other products had made the epoxy have a soft set up. Like it would stay rubbery or sticky and not harden all the way. Did you notice that in any areas of your tests?
That’s a great question. When adding any product to get the fracture effect, I add VERY little. I’ve personally had no issues with it causing the epoxy to be soft. If there was however, once the flood coat is poured any softness would be taken care of. 😊
Wow!, I like the everclear.
Me too!! Thanks for your feedback!!
Have you ever tried denatured alcohol? It's also pretty readily available.
Yes but the water content is too high. I just haven’t had very good luck with it.
Thanks
The 99% refracture looked really awesome close to the camera. Like creepy spider webs, with depth tho
Lilly pads is better than elephant skin. 99 best.
i keep getting deep fisheye and cratering using iso, it dips in the places the biggest drops land, anyone know why that is?
What was your base piece made of?
Is Everclear similar to denatured alcohol?
I’ve really not had much luck with denatured alcohol. It reacts more like isopropyl alcohol.
@@RK3Designs Ok thanks! 🙂
The original Everclear is my favorite. I like the pattern it looks like flowers and it looks like marble. I'm not a pattern consistency person so Everclear gets my vote
Thanks for the feedback!! 😊😊😊
I would try the Acetone and the 99% Alcohol earlier in the time frame. They both flash off quite fast. 99% is too expensive, as I think it also comes with a hazardous shipping fee attached, if there isn't a local place that has it. If Acetone works better earlier, then that is great :)
Is %50 rubbing alcohol will work?
I love the ever clear
what happens when you torch them? aren’t a few of them flammable?
Yes. It’s very important that you are familiar with the products you use. I don’t torch until in know the alcohol had evaporated.
Everclear hands down!
Do you know of a way to dilute the 99.1% alcohol? I have 4 gallons of it. Watching all your video. Love it. Thanks for sharing.
I’m not sure exactly what you would want to cut it with. Good question, I’ll do some research.
Thank you. I was going to try water. Just a little.
Everclear for the win!
I like 70% and ever clear
I love the Alcohol 99%! 👏🖼What is Ever Clear? Im from Chile so here I dont know that product..🤔
It’s a alcohol for mixed drinks.
@@RK3Designs Thank you Rhonda, so everclear is a trade mark? I'm going to google! 🤩👏
mine too. 70% and everclear
Have you ever tried to just fracture the veins on a piece and keep the rest of it smooth?
Mmm good video, i'm using 99% isopropyl, in Argentina seems not have 91% or 70%, yo can find 99% for computer cleaning or PCB soldering cleaning. Don't know why is not refracturing your sample I tryed with 3 layers of spray and alcohol one up of another one and all three refractured very well, and refracturing the same paint layer in multiple times stamps also works well for me. I hear from you in many vids about everclear, now i decided to search in google what is everclear and hell yeah there is that cereal made alcohol here and also more cheap i mean, waaaay more cheap. There is some advice about if any brand works well of this alcohols? i mean the everclear type of alcohol? becuase of course here is not that brand but yes there is some called tri-destiled and food grade with no brand.
I’m not sure what brand I used. I threw away the bottle, but it was 190 proof. 😊
@@RK3Designs Okay thats is 95% alcohol per volume from my search. Will try it soon sure as it is cheap here.
At the hardware store, in the section with paint thinner you can find acetone and ethanol ( non drinkable everclear) should be between 92 and 98% ethanol. This type of ethanol is not meant for consumption, therefore it doesn't have such high taxes and should be cheaper than everclear.
I didn’t know that!!! Thanks so much for sharing!! I really appreciate it! 😊😊
Does it work well?
Everclear isn't always 190 proof. Depends on state laws. In Michigan, we had a liquor license and it is illegal to sell over 151 proof. The distributors don't even carry it for us to buy.
My old business utilized things like 190 proof Everclear and I had to pick it up when I visited family in other states.
Hello everyone what is Everclear exactly when I searched for it I got completely something else
Many thanks 🙏
Ever clear is an alcohol you make drinks out of. You can purchase at any liquor store.
Everclear, definitely
What about stove alcohol, which is ethanol with something that causes it to taste horrible. It is cheap and no age restriction.
I’ve never heard of that 🤔
Makes me wonder how Vodka would do. I may have to do some of my own comparisons.
Please share your finding!! And if you don’t like it, you can always add a little cranberry juice 😂😂.
@@RK3Designs brilliant idea!! Lol
Eveclear is better than everyone else, and at the end of your work you can celebrate how well it is
Awesome right!! 😂😂😂
Which Everclear % did you use? 60%, 75%...?
190 proof.
#1- Everclear, #2 - 70% alcohol
I wonder how “perfumers” alcohol would react?
I got Everclear and did an experiment today. It was an expensive one, because It still doesn't work for me. I have no idea anymore what I do wrong, maybe the resin gods hate me. If anyone have a helpful advice, please help me 😭😭😭
I’m so sorry!! Send me a video of you doing your fracturing and let me see if I can help you! Rk3designs@gmail.com
Why didn’t ya try Denatured Alcohol
With another product they don't torch but use denatured alcohol to get rid of the bubbles. The only problem with that is all I'm seeing in denatured alcohol has fuel on it is I'm thinking that won't work.
I’ve used denatured alcohol on a few of my finishes and it really didn’t do very well at all. I wish I would have tested it on this video, but didn’t have any on hand. 😩
@@karencole2454 it works. I use it for effects.
Everclear!
I got 91% on Amazon recently
Hopefully it will be more easily accessible soon. 😊
I found some at a local dollar store but paid almost 3 bucks for 16 ozs
99% has more flower effect, like Lilly pads!
99% alcohol at HD or Lowes?? Like the flower effect.
Lilly pads
Interesting. I wonder if denatured alcohol would give similar results to the Everclear (ethanol) without the price.
I’ve tried DA and didn’t have much luck.
@@RK3Designs Maybe needs 5% water like Everclear? It's technically 95% ethanol. That would be my last ditch test before giving up on it. It is just SO much cheaper, would be an awesome alternative if you got similar results!
The Everclear
Everclear
denatured alcohal
Nail supply store carries 90% alcohol
🤔
勉強になります！！(*'▽')
What % ever clear?
Everclear