Can I apply a thin coat of epoxy, or is 1/8 inch the minimum?

1/8 inch is the minimum. UltraClear Bar & Table Top Epoxy self-levels to 1/8 inch, and that is its thickness per layer. The flood coat cannot be thinned, spread out, squeegeed or rolled to 1/16 inch; it has to be poured on and allowed to settle to its natural 1/8-inch depth to cure properly. That applies over painted countertops, glazed tile, Masonite and brush-marked finishes alike: the epoxy goes on like normal, levels to 1/8 inch and erases brush marks from the finish underneath. At that thickness it is our strongest, most scratch-resistant epoxy.

There is no thinner or brush-on version. Bar & Table Top Epoxy is the thinnest epoxy we make. UltraClear Art & Craft Epoxy pours in 1/8- or 1/4-inch layers, UltraClear Deep Pour Epoxy is for pours at least 1/4 inch deep, and we don't carry a flooring epoxy, so ours can't be squeegeed thin across a floor.

The only thinner application is the brushed-on seal coat, which is a primer for the flood coat, not a finish: it isn't smooth and isn't measured. (The one exception is a vertical backsplash, where the seal coat is the final coat.) For niche projects such as a pool cue, brushing on a coat is something you would have to test yourself.

Need more depth? Add another 1/8-inch layer every 4 to 6 hours. One 1/8-inch flood coat is all a standard surface needs, and a gallon covers about 16 square feet at that thickness. Coverage calculator: https://www.bestbartopepoxy.com/pages/epoxy-calculator