The price of epoxy resins is usually around $40-$60 per gallon, and since they are sold in large quantities, costs can add up easily.
You can end up spending hundreds of dollars on your epoxy resin project just on this casting material alone.
So, what makes this adhesive so expensive? This is the question we will answer in this article, along with some other frequently asked questions about the epoxy cost and production.
Manufacturing
The manufacturing process of epoxy resin is one of the main reasons for its high price.
First of all, the starting materials that are required to make epoxy resin are expensive. The cost of raw materials alone is about can go as high as $30 per gallon! And the high-priced raw materials are only one of the few things that give the epoxy its hefty price tag.
Next, we have the actual manufacturing process of epoxy resin. It’s complex and requires not only advanced machinery but an educated and trained workforce and adequate protective equipment.
Since there is a certain level of experience required to work in epoxy resin manufacturing, not everyone can get this job. Salaries are much higher than what you would find in different industries.
To make an epoxy resin, the manufacturer has to use a number of solvents and apply them precisely, which again, lifts the costs of the workmen and the materials used for the production.
For polyester resin, the staff doesn’t need as much training and experience, the manufacturing process is easier, and the starting materials are much more affordable. This is the main reason why cheaper resins come with a lower price tag than epoxy resins.
Popularity
The popularity of epoxy resins has skyrocketed in recent years. Their unique properties allow you to create amazing designs that are durable and highly resistant.
There are millions of DIY and crafting videos online that provide a ton of ideas on how to make epoxy resin tables, countertops, flooring, and many other constructions and crafts.
The popularity of this material has created a large demand for it, which definitely reflects the final cost of the product.
There are millions of people wanting to make their own ocean tables or Pakkawood knife handles.
Since there is a constant and increasing influx of content around epoxy resins, we think that their price will continue to grow in the years to come.
Country Of Origin
The country of origin of the epoxy resin is definitely something that will affect the price.
An epoxy made in the US costs almost twice as much to manufacture than in China or Taiwan.
The manpower, the electricity, and the costs of some of the materials are much more affordable in those countries than in, for example, Germany or the US.
The quality between these resins may slightly differ, but the biggest difference is in the manufacturing costs that are specific to the country of origin.
Quantity
We can get a bit lost when looking at the seemingly high pricing of the epoxy resins, but we usually forget that we are actually buying massive amounts of this product.
For an ocean epoxy resin table, we need several gallons of epoxy resin to finish one table. That’s a massive amount of adhesive, and when we convert the cost to ounces, we get a more realistic price of epoxy resin.
The average epoxy resin costs only 0.4-$0.5 per ounce. That isn’t that expensive at all, but what makes it expensive is the copious amount that we need to purchase to achieve a certain design that we are looking for.
This is often overlooked, and while we might think that epoxies are super expensive, when we compare them ounce to ounce to other resins like it, they aren’t.
Are There Cheaper Alternatives To Epoxy Resins
The short answer to this question is, no, there aren’t any cheap alternatives to the epoxy resin that work as well as this material for casting.
There is no known substitute for epoxy resins that has the same features and properties that we all want.
The epoxies are clear, can be quick and slow setting, high or low strength, flexible or not. They have excellent water resistance and are ideal for casting as they can be shaped exactly like you want them to be.
There is no match for epoxies that has no drawbacks. They’ve been around for a lot of time and are available in a lot of different forms because of their unique properties that no other resin has.
Conclusion
Epoxies are special resins that have special properties that no other resin has. They have their price for a reason, and that price is well justified.
A lot of work goes into manufacturing epoxy resin, and the large quantity that we buy usually makes our judgment of its true value clouded.
