If you’ve been tempted to start making epoxy resin crafts you may have realized that epoxy resin is quite expensive. You also may be wondering what kind of price is fair to pay. In this post I am going to explain why epoxy resin is so expensive to buy. The answer may surprise you.
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Table of Contents
High Demand
The first factor that goes into the pricing of epoxy resin is of course the high demand for it. Things that are highly desired by retail customers often fetch a higher price than things no one cares about.
In recent years, people have been crafting and creating DIY projects more than ever using epoxy resin.
Epoxy resin serves many purposes and is relatively simple to use. In all honesty there is nothing else like it on the market.
What can epoxy resin be used for?
- Flooring – Used to create a seamless floor that is durable and long lasting.
- Boat Maintenance – Used to fix damage to hulls or reinforce them.
- Tabletops – Used to create a smooth surface that protects the table top and preserves it.
- Crafting – Used to create a wide variety of crafts using molds of all kinds.
As you can see, epoxy resin has many purposes. This material is virtually unbeatable when it comes to versatility and use.
Virtually anyone can work with epoxy resin.
Working with resin doesn’t require the ability to paint or draw. It doesn’t require a perfectly steady hand or much artistic ability to use. The fundamentals of resin are very basic and easy to figure out.
For this reason epoxy resin is a dream come true. Millions of people are using it and able to create real art without the headache.
From river tables to glass-like dioramas, resin is both versatile and aesthetic. In fact I have a blog post that features “20 Resin Crafts You Can Make And Sell Online” if you’d like to see some examples.
Manufacturing Process
So first you have the high demand for the product followed by the extremely expensive/dangerous manner in which it is manufactured.
Highly Trained Staff
First of all, only highly trained staff and chemists will be allowed to take part in the actual manufacturing process. The cost to employ that kind of staff is much higher than any entry level position.
With that taken into consideration you also have the expensive solvents that are used in the manufacturing process itself.
Extremely Dangerous Chemicals
Couple that with the fact that the solvents are extremely dangerous chemicals which require the most state of the art ventilation systems and safety equipment to work with.
Permits are required as the chemicals are volatile with vapors and require utmost care and finesse to handle. There is little to no tolerance for error in the production of epoxy resin.
Working with the solvents that result in epoxy resin require precise pouring and vacuum distillation.
Origin
The manufacturing process will vary from country to country based on their laws and requirements.
In a country with strict laws regarding hazardous chemicals the cost to manufacture would be significantly more than in a country that does not have the same laws.
The cost of labor, materials, and equipment will vary depending on the country of origin as well.
When you take into account the cost of electricity and labor, US rates are much higher than some other countries. You may also note a difference in the quality of the resin from other countries as well.
This is due to the slight variations in the manufacturing process that can occur. In short, you get what you pay for.
Amount of Epoxy Resin Needed
When you take into account the shear quantity needed to make a large or even moderate sized project it kind of puts things into perspective a bit.
You are literally buying gallons of a liquid that went through rigorous steps to be created in the first place.
A single bag of Bisphenal A, a crucial ingredient for epoxy resin, can cost upwards of $250 dollars a bag! Of course there are at least 4 ingredients to make epoxy resin and none of them are cheap.
Luckily most small resin crafts only take a few ounces so you can purchase much smaller containers of resin.
On the other hand if you have a large project like a huge floor you might be looking at thousands of dollars.
My Personal Takeaway
In most cases the cost of resin seems to be justifiable. When you consider the high demand followed by the extremely hazardous methods in which it is produced it all makes a bit more sense.
In my own experience I have noticed a slight difference between high priced resin and low priced resin.
A few times I purchased resin for a bargain price and my experience was less than satisfactory. I noticed that the resin yellowed almost immediately after it cured which is really disappointing.
I also noticed that the epoxy resin took much longer to cure than high quality resin and some didn’t cure at all. Perhaps it was my own error, but I have not had problems with higher priced resins so far.
Conclusion
There are multiple factors that contribute to why epoxy resin is so expensive. When you think about it there really is nothing else like resin on the market today.
Resin is valuable for a good reason and at a first glance it might not make much sense, but the price is necessary for anyone involved to make a profit.
If we are to expect people to risk their lives manufacturing the product in volatile conditions, why should the price be low?
Although I will agree that epoxy resin is expensive there is nothing out there that can replace it currently. I think the best thing to do is to look for deals on high quality resin from time to time or only purchase small amounts if you are on a tight budget.
What are your thoughts?
Do you think the price of resin is fair? Have you ever had a bad experience with expensive or cheaper epoxy resin? Let me know in the comments!
If you’d like to learn more about epoxy resin you can check out the following posts!
How Do I Know What Resin I Truly Need?
Click here for even more posts about resin!
