Full broadcast uses 12 to 18 pounds of flake per 100 square feet, while partial broadcast uses 4 to 8 pounds. The difference drives your material cost, your labor time, and whether you're confident walking away from a job knowing you nailed the coverage.
Most contractors underbid the first time they promise full broadcast. They assume double the flake means double the cost, but labor and prep stay nearly identical. Understanding real coverage rates means you can upsell full broadcast without the guesswork that kills your margin.
What Full Broadcast and Partial Broadcast Actually Mean
Full broadcast means flake to rejection. You toss flake until the wet epoxy won't accept another chip. The floor looks like solid color with minimal base coat showing through.
Partial broadcast is controlled coverage. You're hitting maybe 50 to 70 percent of the floor, leaving visible base coat between flakes. It's faster, uses less material, and some customers prefer the look.
The epoxy garage floor installation cost changes significantly between the two. Not because of labor, but because flake is your single biggest material line item after resin.
Coverage by Flake Size
Size matters for broadcast rate. Quarter-inch flake covers more surface area per pound than 1/8-inch. Here's what we see contractors using in the field:
- 1/8-inch flake: 16 to 18 lb per 100 sq ft for full broadcast, 6 to 8 lb for partial
- 1/4-inch flake: 12 to 14 lb per 100 sq ft for full broadcast, 4 to 6 lb for partial
- Mixed sizes: 14 to 16 lb per 100 sq ft for full broadcast, 5 to 7 lb for partial
Your mileage varies with broadcast technique, epoxy viscosity, and temperature. Cold epoxy doesn't hold flake as well. A heavy hand wastes product.
Real Cost to Install Epoxy Floor with Different Broadcast Densities
Let's price a standard 400-square-foot two-car garage. Assume you're charging $6.50 per square foot installed, which is middle-of-the-road for most markets.
Your total revenue is $2,600. Now break down the material cost difference.
Partial Broadcast Material Cost
Partial broadcast on 400 square feet uses roughly 24 pounds of flake if you're running 1/4-inch chips at 6 lb per 100 sq ft. At $3.75 per pound (bulk pricing), that's $90 in flake cost. Add your base and topcoat resin, and you're around $425 in total material.
Full Broadcast Material Cost
Full broadcast on the same 400 square feet uses about 52 pounds of flake at 13 lb per 100 sq ft for 1/4-inch. That's $195 in flake. Total material cost climbs to around $530.
The difference is $105 in material for a job where you can charge an extra $400 to $600. Your cost to epoxy a garage floor goes up, but your margin improves if you price it right.
Most contractors add $1.50 to $2.50 per square foot for full broadcast. That's $600 to $1,000 more revenue on a two-car garage. Do the math and full broadcast is almost always the better bid for you.
How to Avoid Running Short on a Job
Nothing kills a Saturday install like running out of flake halfway through broadcast. You're wet, the customer's watching, and you're calling around for a same-day pickup.
Order 15 percent over your calculated coverage rate. If you need 50 pounds, order 58. Flake doesn't expire, and you'll use the extra on the next job. We ship in boxes that work with your coverage math: 40-pound boxes for 1/4-inch blends, 50-pound boxes for smaller chips.
Our Ranch blend is the workhorse for full broadcast jobs. It's 1/4-inch, hides base coat fast, and the color mix works in most garages without looking too busy.
Waste Factors You Can Control
Broadcast onto plastic sheeting around the edges of your workspace. Sweep up the rejected flake, sift out dirt and dried epoxy, and reuse it. You'll recover 10 to 20 percent of what you throw.
Don't broadcast in windy conditions. Exterior or open-door jobs waste flake. Close the garage door, even if it's warm.
Use a consistent tossing motion. Overhead broadcast gives better distribution than side-arm. You're not pitching a fastball.
Garage Floor Epoxy Installation Cost: What Customers Actually Pay
The average cost of epoxy garage floor installation runs $5 to $9 per square foot for residential work, depending on your market and the finish level. Partial broadcast jobs land on the lower end. Full broadcast with a solid topcoat system pushes toward $8 or $9.
Commercial jobs are different. You're usually bidding by the thousand square feet, and your flake cost per square foot drops because you're buying in bulk. But the labor and surface prep often eat more margin than residential.
If you're new to bidding this work, assume your flake cost is 8 to 12 percent of your total material budget on a full broadcast job. Resin is still the bigger number, but flake is where contractors guess wrong and lose money.
Why Full Broadcast Sells Easier Than You Think
Customers don't know what partial broadcast is. They see a garage floor with flake, and they assume that's the standard. When you show them full broadcast, they see more color, more texture, and a higher-end result.
The close is easy: "This is partial broadcast, about half coverage. Most customers go full broadcast because it hides imperfections better and the floor looks finished edge to edge. It's about a dollar seventy-five more per square foot."
They say yes because it sounds premium without sounding expensive. And you just added $700 to a job that costs you $105 more in flake.
Metapelite for High-End Full Broadcast
If you're chasing higher-ticket work, stock some Metapelite for accent jobs. It's reflective, metallic-looking, and works great as a feature strip or blended into a full broadcast for a custom look. Customers notice it, and it's an easy upsell on jobs over $4,000.
How to Use Our Flake Calculator
We built the calculator so you're not doing math on your phone in the customer's driveway. Plug in square footage, choose your broadcast density, and it spits out pounds of flake plus the box quantity to order.
It assumes 15 percent overage and rounds up to our standard box sizes. If you're ordering for multiple jobs, add the square footage together and order in bulk. You'll hit our volume pricing faster.
Most contractors keep 100 pounds of their go-to blend in the trailer and order specialty colors per job. That way you're never dead in the water on a standard two-car garage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pounds of flake do I need for a 500 square foot garage?
For partial broadcast, plan on 25 to 35 pounds depending on flake size. For full broadcast, you'll need 60 to 75 pounds. Order extra so you're not short.
Does full broadcast cost twice as much as partial?
No. Full broadcast uses about two to three times the flake, but flake is only part of your material cost. Total job cost goes up maybe 15 to 20 percent while you can charge 30 to 40 percent more.
Can I reuse flake that didn't stick during broadcast?
Yes. Sweep it up, sift out debris, and toss it back on the next coat or next job. You'll recover a decent amount if you're careful.
What's the best flake size for full broadcast?
Quarter-inch is the standard. It covers faster, uses less material per square foot, and gives a balanced look. Smaller flake takes longer to broadcast and costs more per hundred square feet of coverage.
How do I price full broadcast vs partial for a customer?
Charge $1.50 to $2.50 more per square foot for full broadcast. Position it as the premium option with better hide and a more finished look. Most customers pick it when you show them the difference.
If you're pricing jobs by coverage density and need reliable flake that ships fast from the Kansas City area, call us at 913-728-1200 or shop online. We stock the blends contractors actually use, and we'll help you figure out what to order for your next job.