Resin has two costs people tend to skip: molds that wear out a little with every pour, and pours that don't come out. This resin pricing calculator includes both, along with your sanding time and Etsy's fees, and gives you a price for one finished piece or set. It works for coasters, trays, keychains, bookmarks and boards.
How to price resin pieces
Start with the resin in one finished item, with part A and part B measured together. You can weigh a test pour or work it out from the mold: cubic inches times 0.554 gives fluid ounces. Enter what your kit costs and how many ounces it holds so the calculator can find the cost per ounce. Round your amount up a little, because some always stays in the cup and on the stir stick.
Next, add color and inclusions (mica, alcohol ink, glitter, dried flowers) and then the blanks and hardware: cork dots, keyrings, tassels, handles or a wood blank.
For the mold, enter its price and how many pours you expect from it. The calculator spreads the cost over each pour. A $19.99 coaster mold that lasts about 40 pours adds about $0.50 every time you fill it, which is small but adds up over a year.
Then your hands-on minutes for one item: mixing, pouring, torching bubbles, demolding, sanding edges, coating and packing. Waiting for a cure isn't hands-on time. Multiply by the hourly rate you want to pay yourself.
Last, the failure allowance. Bubbles, soft cures, warping and dust in the surface all waste resin and supplies, and the pieces you do sell have to cover that. Pick a sales channel and a target margin, and Etsy's fees are taken out of the price for you.
Worked example
Enter 7.5 oz of mixed resin for a set of four 4 in coasters, a $79.99 kit that holds 128 oz, $0.80 for mica and inclusions, a $19.99 mold that lasts 40 pours and $0.50 for cork and hardware. Add 25 minutes of hands-on time and $1.10 for a gift box. Set your labor rate to $25 an hour, the failure allowance to 7%, the channel to Etsy and the target margin to 40%. Leave shipping and your price at $0.
The resin costs about $4.69 and the mold adds about $0.50, so material cost shows as $6.49. The calculator shows $10.42 for labor, $1.10 for packaging and $1.26 for failed pours, so one set really costs $19.26.
The suggested price is $39.49. At that price, Etsy fees are $4.20, profit is $16.02 and margin is 41%. Displayed numbers are rounded, so a hand total from them can be a cent off.
The failed-pour line is $1.26 on a single set. Leave it out and every set you sell is underpriced by that much, whether or not that particular pour went wrong.
Commonly missed
- Resin left in the cup and on the stir stick
- Gloves, mixing cups, tape and sandpaper, which are small but used on every pour
- Molds tearing or clouding, so their price should be spread over the pours they actually last
- Failed pours, which waste resin and mold life on top of your evening
- Sanding and edge finishing, which often take longer than the pour (time it once and see)
- Gift boxes and shipping padding
- Etsy's fees on the shipping you collect
Your real hourly pay
Add profit and labor pay, then divide by your hands-on hours. In the example, $16.02 profit plus $10.42 labor pay over 25 minutes is about $63.46 an hour, using the calculator's unrounded values. It's a quick way to compare fast keychains with a tray that needs an hour of sanding. It doesn't mean every hour in your business pays that.
FAQ
How much should I charge for resin coasters?
Add resin, color, mold wear, cork, packaging, labor, failed pours and selling fees, then choose a margin. The example suggests $39.49 for a set of four sold on Etsy. Thicker coasters, extra layers or a nicer box need their own calculation.
How do I work out how much resin a mold uses?
Multiply the mold's length, width and depth in inches to get cubic inches, then multiply by 0.554 for fluid ounces. A 4 in round coaster 1/4 in thick holds about 1.75 oz. Add a little for what stays in the cup.
Should I charge more for custom resin orders?
Usually, yes. Custom colors, names and inclusions take extra design and hands-on time, and a one-off pour can't share setup with a batch. Price the extra minutes, or add a design fee.
Can I sell resin trays for food?
Check your resin maker's food-contact guidance before selling anything meant for food. Many makers sell trays and boards for dry foods or decor only, and finish wood with a food-safe oil.
The full Tidy Margin resin workbook costs every supply and mold line by line from your recipes, and checks wholesale for each product.