Epoxies are known for their toughness and chemical resistance. These characteristics make them the perfect choice when it comes to applying, durable coatings to paints, varnishes and enamels.
But why it’s so expensive?
Let’s find out in today’s post.
The Best Epoxy Products You Can Consider
- 16OZ Epoxy Resin – Crystal Clear Resin Kit
- J-B Weld 8257 KwikWood Wood Repair
- Clear Table Top Epoxy Resin That Self Levels
Why Is Epoxy So Expensive?
Producing Epoxy is a bit more complicated than other types of resin. In order to produce epoxy, the manufacturer needs two different types of raw materials and the process of producing it is more complex than other resins.
These raw items are epichlorohydrin (ECH) and bisphenol-A (BPA).
Epoxy accounts for a good percentage of all the resins used in the world. Both the raw materials and the manufacturing process are more expensive than other types of resin.
Epoxy requires a large amount of energy and the production process requires a lot of time. It is very important that the production process is controlled to within a very small tolerance, otherwise the quality of the end product will be adversely affected.
Here are the reasons in more details…
Reason #1: Complicated Process
Making epoxy resin is a complicated process. It involves a two-step reaction.
Epoxy resin is a thermosetting polymer that is used in a wide variety of applications that include construction, industrial, and consumer.
The resin is a two-part system that has an epoxy resin and an epoxy hardener. The epoxy resin is what hardens and when mixed with the hardener, the resin and hardener become a solid plastic once it dries.
Reason #2: Low Tolerance
Epoxy is a low tolerant item and any errors can cost the companies more. The tolerances are usually very small which makes it a difficult material to work with.
This makes it extremely important to be precise when you are mixing two raw parts of the epoxy resin.
If you are not precise, the epoxy will not be as strong and can cause it to behave in a different manner rather what’s intended.
Even the silly errors can cause companies to spend extra money to get it done the correct way by having to order new material and wasting time along the way waiting for the raw items to arrive.
Reason #3: Raw Materials Are Expensive
Both ECH and BPA are expensive.
Epoxy resins are made from raw materials like epichlorohydrin (ECH) and bisphenol-A (BPA) as talked about earlier.
Both of these items are very expensive, but it is the only way to make a strong, stable epoxy resin good enough to be used under construction projects.
Wrapping It Up
So these are the couple of reasons as to why epoxy is so expensive.
Being a greatly used material in the construction industry, one down side of it is that it can’t dry fast. A quick hack would be to apply heat to it because in contact of the heat epoxy actually dry fast.
Epoxy resin is used in a wide variety of applications that include construction, industrial, and consumer and is something that is required quite a lot.
Many of you might not know but it’s also used in the production of fiberglass.
