How to Calculate Epoxy Material Consumption?

Material consumption for epoxy flooring is the amount of material needed per unit of area, usually measured in kg/m². Knowing how to calculate consumption helps project owners and purchasing teams prepare realistic estimates, avoiding a shortage that stops work midway or a surplus that wastes money. This article explains the calculation method. It does not give Kadier-specific consumption figures, because those figures are only valid when checked against the official technical data sheet (TDS) of each system.

This article is also different from the article on coating thickness: choosing thickness answers the question “how thick is enough”, while consumption answers the question “at that thickness, how much material is needed”. The two articles complement each other; neither replaces the other.

The general formula for calculating consumption

In principle, the amount of material for one coat is calculated from three factors: the area to be coated, the coating thickness and the coverage factor of the material. The general formula is:

Material for one coat = area × coating thickness × material conversion factor × wastage factor.

Here, the material conversion factor reflects the density and solids content of the product — properties that differ between products and that only the manufacturer can publish accurately through the TDS. The wastage factor covers material left on tools, spilled during application and absorbed into the concrete substrate, especially a new or porous substrate.

Steps to calculate consumption for a project

Step 1: Measure the actual area to be coated

Measure the floor area zone by zone, subtracting areas that are not coated, such as fixed machine bases and technical pits that are not coated, and adding wall base area if skirting is required. The area on drawings and the actual area can differ, so re-measuring on site before finalising quantities is a step that should not be skipped.

Step 2: Determine the thickness and number of coats for each coat

An epoxy system usually consists of a primer, an intermediate coat and a topcoat, each with its own thickness and consumption. Consumption must therefore be calculated separately for each coat and then added together; a single figure cannot be applied to the whole system. The thickness of each coat is taken from the TDS of the chosen system; without a TDS, every figure is illustrative only and must be stated as such.

Step 3: Add the wastage factor and allowance

Wastage depends on the application method (roller, squeegee), the porosity of the substrate and the shape of the floor plan. A floor plan with many corners and column bases usually has higher wastage than a wide open floor. A reasonable allowance should be included and agreed in the quotation, rather than leaving each party to understand it differently.

Step 4: Convert to purchasing units

Once the total quantity is known for each component — coating and hardener usually come as a set with its own mixing ratio — it must be converted into the number of drums or sets according to the actual packaging of the supplier, and rounded up. Rounding up is necessary because work cannot stop just because half a drum of material is missing.

Common mistakes when calculating consumption

• Counting only the topcoat: forgetting the primer and intermediate coat leaves a substantial part out of the estimate.
• Using the consumption of a different product: each product has a different solids content and density; applying the consumption of another brand to a Kadier product is methodologically wrong.
• Ignoring wastage: a porous substrate, a complex floor plan or difficult site conditions all increase actual wastage.
• Not separating zones: heavy-load areas and light pedestrian areas may have different thicknesses, so a single combined consumption figure will distort the estimate for both zones.

When working with Kadier, you can refer to the four systems currently available — RollCoat, LevelFlow, StatGuard and AquaBase — to identify a suitable system before requesting a detailed consumption calculation according to the TDS of that system.

Note: The individual specifications of each Kadier system (thickness, consumption, chemical resistance) will be updated when the official technical data sheet (TDS) becomes available.

Conclusion

Consumption is not a single lookup figure for every project. It is the result of a calculation coat by coat and zone by zone, based on actual area, thickness according to the TDS and a reasonable wastage factor. With this method, a project owner can read quotations more critically and compare different quotations on the same basis.

To receive a consumption calculation for your specific area and system, send your information via the contact form, or start from the system selector to identify the system before calculating in detail.