Learn how to fix fisheyes in resin after curing with beginner-safe sanding, cleaning, spot filling, and clear coat steps for glossy resin art.
Learn how to fix fisheyes in resin after curing with beginner-safe sanding, cleaning, spot filling, and clear coat steps for glossy resin art.
Fisheyes can turn a glossy resin project into a frustrating mystery. One minute the surface looks smooth, and after curing you notice tiny round craters, bare-looking circles, or low spots where the resin seemed to pull away. The good news is that you can usually fix fisheyes in resin after curing without throwing away the whole piece.
Fisheyes are almost always a surface issue. Resin wants to level into a continuous glossy layer, but oils, silicone residue, dust, moisture, wax, polish, or late bubbles can interrupt that surface tension. Once the piece is hard, the repair is a matter of sanding, deep cleaning, and adding a fresh layer that has a clean surface to grip.
This guide walks you through how to diagnose fisheyes, choose the right repair method, recoat safely, and prevent the problem on your next pour. If you are still learning the basics of measuring and mixing epoxy, start with our Resin Art Beginner's Guide first. For a broader problem-solving reference, keep our Resin Art Troubleshooting Guide nearby while you work.
How to Fix Fisheyes in Resin After Curing
The simplest way to fix fisheyes in resin after curing is to let the project harden completely, wet-sand the affected surface, clean it thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol, and pour a thin fresh coat of clear resin. For deep craters, fill each fisheye with a small drop of mixed resin first, then add the final flood coat.
Use this quick repair sequence:
1. Confirm the resin is fully cured and not sticky.
2. Wash or wipe away surface dust and fingerprints.
3. Wet-sand the fisheyes with 400-800 grit sandpaper.
4. Rinse, dry, and clean with 91% isopropyl alcohol.
5. Avoid touching the top surface with bare hands.
6. Mix a small accurate batch of clear resin.
7. Fill deep fisheyes with a toothpick if needed.
8. Pour a thin clear coat over the full surface.
9. Pop bubbles gently, cover the piece, and cure it level.
Do not add fresh resin over a contaminated glossy surface. It may look clean, but resin can still pull away from invisible oils or silicone residue. Sanding and cleaning are what give the repair coat its best chance to cure smooth.
What Fisheyes Look Like in Resin Art
Fisheyes are small circular defects where resin pulls away from a spot instead of covering it evenly. They may look like tiny craters, rings, pinholes, clear circles, or low glossy bowls. On colored resin, they can reveal the layer underneath. On clear resin, they may appear only when light skims across the surface.
Fisheyes are easy to confuse with dimples, bubbles, or dust pits. A bubble is usually trapped under the surface or has a rounded edge. Dust pits often have a speck in the center. A fisheye usually has a clean round edge because the resin actively moved away from that spot during curing.
If your issue is more like shallow dents across the whole surface, our guide on how to fix resin dimples after curing may be the better match. If the surface is soft or gummy, read how to fix sticky resin after curing before sanding or recoating.
Why Fisheyes Happen After Resin Cures
Fisheyes happen when something repels the resin or breaks the surface tension before the resin has finished leveling. The resin may look fine at first, then slowly crawl away from the problem spot as it cures.
Oils from hands are one of the most common causes. A quick fingerprint on a coaster blank, mold, or cured layer can be enough to create a round area where resin refuses to settle.
Silicone residue is another frequent cause. Silicone molds are wonderful for resin, but old molds can hold residue from past pours, mold release sprays, glitter, mica, oils, or cleaning products. That residue can transfer to your fresh piece.
Dust and lint can interrupt the surface as resin levels. Even a tiny fiber can create a crater if it lands during the early curing window.
Wax, polish, or sealant residue can cause fisheyes when you pour over painted panels, wood blanks, stickers, dried flowers, or previous resin layers. Some sprays and varnishes need longer drying times than the label suggests.
Moisture can also create problems. Water left in a mold, wet sanding residue, damp flowers, or humid workspace conditions may interfere with a smooth finish.
Overheating with a torch can thin the resin unevenly and push it away from tiny spots. Heat is helpful for bubbles, but too much heat can create new surface flaws.
Supplies for Fixing Resin Fisheyes
You do not need expensive equipment to repair fisheyes. A small resin repair kit covers most beginner projects.
Recommended supplies:
- Nitrile gloves: $8-$15 per box
- Safety glasses: $5-$12
- Organic vapor respirator for regular resin work: $25-$45
- 91% isopropyl alcohol: $3-$8
- Lint-free cloths or microfiber towels: $5-$12
- Wet/dry sandpaper, 400-1000 grit: $6-$15
- Optional fine sanding set, 1500-3000 grit: $6-$15
- Clear UV-resistant art resin: $15-$45 for a small kit
- Graduated mixing cups: $6-$12
- Silicone stir sticks or disposable craft sticks: $4-$10
- Toothpicks or needle-tip applicator bottles: $3-$8
- Heat gun or small butane torch: $15-$35
- Clean storage bin or cardboard box for a dust cover: $5-$15
- Mini level: $5-$10
If you make resin often, the best upgrades are lint-free cloths, reliable sandpaper, and a dedicated dust cover. They cost less than replacing wasted resin and help prevent several other surface problems too. Our Resin Art Essential Tools guide covers a full beginner setup if you are building your kit gradually.
Step-by-Step Resin Fisheye Repair
Start only when the project is fully cured. Most epoxy resin needs 48-72 hours before sanding, even if it feels firm after one day. If the surface is tacky, rubbery, or smells strongly, wait longer and diagnose the cure issue first.
Step 1: Inspect the Fisheyes
Hold the piece under a bright lamp or near a window. Tilt it slowly so the light catches the surface. Look for round craters, low circles, bare spots, or places where the top coat pulled away. If there are only one or two deep fisheyes, you may be able to spot-fill them. If the whole surface is dotted, plan on sanding and recoating the entire face.
Step 2: Clean Before Sanding
Wipe the piece with a lint-free cloth lightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol. This removes surface dust and oils before you start sanding. Let the alcohol evaporate fully. Cleaning first matters because sanding can grind contaminants into the surface if they are left in place.
Step 3: Wet-Sand the Surface
Use 400 or 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper for visible fisheyes. Dip the paper in clean water and sand gently in small circles. Keep the surface wet so resin dust stays controlled. Sand until the glossy surface is evenly dulled and the edges of the fisheyes feel blended.
For shallow marks, move to 800 or 1000 grit after the first pass. For deep craters, you do not need to sand all the way to the bottom. You only need to roughen the surface and soften the crater edge so the repair resin can bond and level.
Step 4: Rinse, Dry, and Clean Again
Rinse away sanding residue or wipe it off with a damp cloth. Dry the piece completely, including edges, holes, hardware channels, and coaster feet. Then wipe once more with isopropyl alcohol and a fresh lint-free cloth. After this step, handle the piece only by the sides while wearing gloves.
Step 5: Fill Deep Fisheyes First
If any fisheyes are still deep, mix a very small batch of clear resin and place a tiny drop into each crater with a toothpick. Let the resin settle for a few minutes. This spot-filling step prevents deep craters from showing through the final coat.
For jewelry or small charms, use less resin than you think you need. A needle-tip bottle or toothpick gives more control than pouring from a cup. If you are repairing earrings, our tutorial on how to make resin earrings at home is a helpful reference for controlled doming.
Step 6: Add a Thin Clear Coat
Mix fresh resin according to your brand's directions. Measure accurately, stir slowly, and scrape the sides and bottom of the cup. Pour a thin layer over the surface and guide it toward the edges with a stir stick, silicone brush, or gloved fingertip.
For coasters and trays, raise the piece on small cups so drips can fall away. Tape the underside edge if you want easier cleanup. For flat art panels, check the surface with a mini level before pouring. A tilted surface can create thin spots that look like fisheyes later.
Step 7: Remove Bubbles and Cover the Piece
Use a heat gun or torch in quick sweeping passes from several inches away. One or two passes are enough. Do not linger over one area. Too much heat can create ripples, waves, or fresh separation.
Cover the project with a clean box or plastic storage bin and leave it alone while it cures. Resist the urge to check it repeatedly. Lifting the cover can invite dust right when the resin is most vulnerable.
Recoat or Polish: Which Fix Is Better?
A fresh clear coat is usually the best beginner repair for fisheyes because it restores the glossy finish quickly. Sanding and polishing can also work, but it takes more time and is less forgiving on uneven surfaces.
Choose a fresh resin coat when:
- Fisheyes are visible across a coaster, tray, bookmark, or panel
- The surface needs a glassy shine again
- You sanded with coarse grit and left a dull finish
- The piece can handle a little extra thickness
- You want the simplest beginner-friendly result
Choose sanding and polishing when:
- The item is too small for another layer
- Extra thickness would affect jewelry hardware
- The surface is curved, detailed, or textured
- The fisheyes are extremely shallow
- You already have polishing compound and buffing tools
For most beginner repairs, recoat first. It is cleaner, faster, and more likely to hide the problem completely.
How to Prevent Fisheyes in Your Next Resin Pour
Prevention is mostly about cleanliness and patience. Before you mix resin, think like a finisher: every surface that touches the pour should be clean, dry, and free of oils.
Wear gloves from the start. Do not touch molds, blanks, or cured resin layers with bare fingers after cleaning.
Clean molds carefully. Wash silicone molds with mild dish soap when needed, rinse well, and dry completely. Before pouring, use tape to lift dust from the mold surface. For mold care, see how to clean silicone resin molds after use.
Avoid silicone sprays unless necessary. Mold release can help with difficult shapes, but too much can cause surface separation. Use the smallest amount possible and let it dry fully.
Let sealants cure. If you seal paper, flowers, stickers, paint, or wood, give the sealant plenty of time to dry. When in doubt, wait overnight.
Use lint-free cloths. Paper towels can leave fibers behind. Microfiber or lint-free wipes are better for final cleaning.
Warm resin gently. Place closed bottles in warm water for 10-15 minutes before mixing. Warm resin flows better and releases bubbles more easily.
Mix slowly and accurately. Rushed stirring adds bubbles, and bad ratios create cure problems. Scrape the cup thoroughly and follow your resin brand's instructions.
Use heat lightly. Quick passes pop bubbles. Long passes can overheat the resin and disturb the surface.
Cover during cure. A clean dust cover is one of the cheapest ways to improve resin results.
Product Recommendations for Fisheye Repairs
For small repairs, you do not need a huge resin kit. Look for supplies that make cleaning and controlled recoating easier.
A small UV-resistant art resin kit in the 8-16 oz range usually costs $15-$30 and is enough for several jewelry, coaster, or tray repairs. Choose a 1:1 formula if you are new to resin because it is easier to measure accurately.
A wet/dry sandpaper variety pack costs about $6-$15. Look for 400, 600, 800, 1000, and 2000 grit sheets. Coarser grits level defects; finer grits smooth the surface before recoating or polishing.
A lint-free cleaning cloth pack costs around $5-$12 and is worth having. It helps avoid the paper towel fibers that can become new surface flaws.
A needle-tip applicator bottle set costs $4-$10 and is especially useful for jewelry, keychains, and tiny fisheye fills. Toothpicks work too, but applicator bottles give more control when you are repairing several small pieces.
A clear storage bin dust cover costs $5-$15 and may be the best low-cost upgrade in your resin setup. Turn it upside down over fresh pours so dust, lint, and pet hair stay away while the resin levels and cures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you fix fisheyes in resin after curing?
Yes. You can usually fix fisheyes in resin after curing by wet-sanding the affected surface, cleaning it thoroughly, and adding a thin fresh coat of clear resin. Deep fisheyes may need a tiny spot-fill before the final coat.
Why did my resin get fisheyes?
Resin gets fisheyes when something repels the resin or interrupts the surface tension. Common causes include fingerprints, silicone residue, dust, wax, polish, moisture, uncured sealant, or too much heat from a torch.
Can I pour resin over fisheyes without sanding?
It is not recommended. If the fisheyes came from contamination, a new layer may pull away in the same places. Sanding and cleaning remove residue, dull the glossy surface, and help the fresh resin bond properly.
Are fisheyes the same as bubbles in resin?
No. Bubbles are air pockets trapped in or under the resin. Fisheyes are surface craters where resin pulled away from a spot. A popped bubble can leave a pit that looks similar, but the cause and prevention may be different.
Will a heat gun fix fisheyes in wet resin?
Sometimes a quick heat pass can help fresh resin level, but heat will not fix contamination. If resin is actively pulling away from oily or silicone-contaminated spots, too much heat can make the problem worse.
Final Thoughts on Fixing Fisheyes in Resin After Curing
Learning how to fix fisheyes in resin after curing gives you a reliable way to rescue coasters, jewelry, trays, bookmarks, and small art panels. Let the piece cure fully, sand the surface, clean with care, fill deep craters if needed, and finish with a thin clear coat.
The bigger lesson is prevention. Clean your molds and blanks, wear gloves, let sealants dry, use heat gently, and cover every fresh pour. Once those habits become part of your resin routine, fisheyes become much less common, and your finished pieces look smoother, glossier, and more professional.