The arithmetic that matters
Coating thickness is measured in mils, thousandths of an inch. If a contractor applies a product at 20 wet mils and it is 100% solids, the cured film is 20 mils. If the same 20 wet mils is a 50% solids product, half of it evaporates and you have a 10 mil floor. Two quotes can describe identical application rates and deliver floors that differ by a factor of two in thickness, and solids content is the number that tells you which is which.
Why thickness is not just durability
Thicker film means more abrasion life, but it also means better crack bridging, better coverage over an uneven profile, and enough body to encapsulate a flake or quartz broadcast properly. A thin film over a full chip broadcast leaves chip edges standing proud of the resin, which is what makes some flake floors feel rough and shed chips at the edges. The build has to be there for the decorative layer to work.
The trade-offs of high solids
High solids products are thicker to work with, have shorter pot lives, and are less forgiving of a cold slab or a hurried crew. That is a real cost in skill and in scheduling, and it is part of why a properly built floor is not cheap. What you get in exchange is a floor that is nearly odourless during install, has no solvent entrapment risk and reaches its full designed thickness in fewer coats.
What to ask for in writing
Ask any quote for total cured film thickness in mils and the solids content of each product. A contractor building real floors will answer both immediately. If the answer is a product name and a promise, or if the total build is under about 15 mils on a garage, you are being quoted a thinner floor than the price suggests. Nothing else in a quote comparison is as informative as this pair of numbers.
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