In using epoxy coatings for flooring solutions, facility managers often aim for performance gains that come from the strength and durability of epoxies. However, there is still a need to consider the economic costs of applying epoxy coatings, and determine if the cost benefits are greater than the spending.
Epoxy coatings floor applications cost from less than a dollar to about $4 per square foot of floor surface area. Epoxy coatings ranges from as low as $20 per gallon for low-grade epoxies to as much as $1,000 per gallon for high-end formulations. The marked price difference is because premium products contain high-grade raw materials that add more quality to the formulation, but are often more expensive. Epoxy coatings manufacturers also factor in the labor price in making and distributing their products, from worker salaries, research and development expenses, marketing costs, overhead costs and the like. In high-value epoxy coatings products, performance and quality is often assured. Facility managers get what they pay for. Conversely, cheaper epoxies contain poor-quality materials and even inexpensive solvents and material fillers, which in turn result to lower performance and quality.
When colored sand or quartz aggregates are added to epoxy coatings for decorative flooring solutions, they add to the costs of the flooring application. This is because sand and aggregates carry packaging and transportation costs.
When considering the cost of solvents in epoxy coatings, the thinner formulation affects the total area coverage. For example, a 50% solvent-based product may sell at half the price of a zero-solvent product, but due to the thinness of the formulation it may only cover half of the floor area that can be covered by the thicker 0%-solvent paint. This, on top of the non-monetary costs that solvents incur such as harmful toxic fumes and VOC emissions.
