How much does microcement cost?

What determines the price of microcement?
What are the typical rates for installers?

Festfloor Go! microcement floor, color FF7035 Light Grey, @polewdole

- The rates charged by microcement installers primarily depend on the total area. 

- Always check whether the chosen microcement is water-resistant. 

- The average price per square meter of a microcement floor is €65–€88. 

- The cost of finishing a flight of stairs with microcement is approximately €2,090-€3,020 per flight (from the ground floor to the first floor-typically about 17-19 steps).

 

Microcement is a thin-layer finishing system used to cover floors, walls, countertops, and even furniture. With a thickness of only around 3 mm, it is highly efficient-a single bucket is enough to cover an entire floor in a room or several walls.

 

A traditional microcement kit usually includes: primer, microcement (liquid component and dry mix), pigment, and lacquer. If you are working with a single-component microcement, the kit will contain a primer, lacquer, and a ready-to-use mix tinted with pigment according to the color chart. Sometimes installers prefer to purchase the individual components separately, so they can better match the quantities to their specific needs. However, for most customers, it is more convenient to buy a kit designed for a specific number of square meters.

Microcement price - a comparison of products on the market

When comparing prices, it is important to consider the following factors:

- whether the product is suitable for walls or floors, 

- whether the manufacturer offers a complete system-including a primer, material for 2–3 layers of microcement, and a high-quality protective sealer,

- whether the product is water-resistant and suitable for use in wet areas,

- what type of substrate the microcement will be applied to, and whether additional preparatory steps are required (e.g., applying a reinforcement layer), 

- where the microcement will be installed-indoors or outdoors, whether it will be exposed to heavy foot traffic and dirt (such as in commercial spaces), and whether additional surface protection is required.

All these factors influence the price of microcement. For example, microcement designed for floors will be more expensive than that for walls, as it must offer much better resistance to abrasion and scratches. 

 

Finishing a floor also requires slightly more material than a wall, for instance, if you need to apply an extra layer to match the height of adjacent parquet flooring (however, keep in mind that microcement is not a self-leveling screed).

 

For floors, it is recommended to apply two layers of lacquer, while for walls a single layer is usually sufficient.

Why is a high-quality sealer so important?

The quality of the sealer is extremely important, as it is the final layer that closes the entire system, gives it either a matte or glossy finish, and protects against dirt and moisture. It’s also essential to check whether the sealer is suitable for outdoor use. The sealers included in our kits have been carefully selected and tested in various conditions. The sealer is the most expensive component of the kit, but it’s not worth cutting costs on this element. 

 

If you are applying microcement in commercial spaces, where the surface will be exposed to more mechanical damage and staining, it’s worth considering additional products that prolong the lifespan of the sealer. Find out which sealer and complementary protective products to choose for your microcement. 

 

It’s also worth noting that a microcement kit for outdoor use will be more expensive than one for interiors, as it requires a stronger, solvent-based sealer and a substrate reinforcement layer.

Water-based, two-component polyurethane lacquer for surface protection, PU Fest 2K.

Which material is suitable for the bathroom?

Finally, you should always make sure that the product you choose to achieve a concrete effect is water-resistant. If it isn’t, it is most likely not microcement but another concrete-look product (decorative concrete), and we strongly advise against using it in the bathroom, no matter how attractive the price may be.

What is the price of microcement?
How much does 1 m² of microcement cost?

Although microcement looks very exclusive and is a specialized product, its price compared to other materials is quite affordable, typically ranging from €12–€23 per square meter, for example:

- Festfloor Life kit for 10 m² of flooring: from €99 – so the material cost per square meter of finished flooring is €10.

- Festwall kit for 15 m² of wall: €120 – so the material cost per square meter of finished wall is €8.

- Festfloor GO! – 10 m² BASIC kit: €135 – the cost of ready-to-use microcement (mixed and tinted), including sealer and primer, is €14/m². By paying a bit more for this product, you gain greater convenience and save time—this microcement can be applied immediately after opening the bucket.

- Festfloor GO! – 10 m² exterior kit: €255 – this kit includes not only primer and microcement, but also a primer for the sealer, solvent-based sealer for outdoor use, and substrate reinforcement products: base and mesh. The price for the complete exterior microcement system is €25.50/m².

- Substrate reinforcement kit: from €70 – an additional reinforcement layer recommended for weak or cracked substrates, underfloor heating, self-leveling screeds, or tiles. The price per square meter is €7 and should be added to the price of the microcement kit.

Festfloor Titan, custom color | Photo: LoungeStudio_Berlin

Microcement vs. Other Finishing Materials

When you compare these prices with the amounts you have to pay per square meter for attractive tiles (not including the cost of grout or tile adhesive), high-quality laminate flooring, or wooden parquet (not including maintenance costs such as regular oiling or sanding), microcement proves to be an extremely cost-effective solution.

What are the typical rates for microcement installers?

The rates charged by installers depend primarily on the total area. Naturally, larger projects are more profitable for the contractor than smaller ones. Smaller rooms usually have many corners and nooks that require more attention than a straight wall or a large floor area. The same applies to covering countertops, bathtubs, or furniture with microcement—the amount of work required is much greater, and so are the prices.

 

Some installers specialize only in larger projects, have the right equipment and a sufficiently large team, and can therefore complete the work quickly and efficiently. Others prefer smaller jobs and carry them out with great attention to detail.

Other factors influencing the price

The price also depends on whether you are dealing with a new screed or developer-grade wall, or if the microcement will be applied over an existing surface. The quality of the substrate is very important—is it even and load-bearing, or are there deep grout lines that require an additional bonding layer with fiberglass mesh or filling? The general rule is that microcement installers work on already prepared floors or walls and do not usually handle screeds or other preparatory work. If they do offer these services, they will add an appropriate fee.

 

It’s also important to note that the cost charged by the installer is not just the microcement itself. It also covers consumables and tools for microcement application such as sandpaper, tapes, rollers, trowels, masks, protective clothing, as well as expensive equipment like grinders, concrete saws, construction vacuums, and more. Installers who have invested in high-quality equipment and have a lot of experience usually charge higher rates.

 

A separate topic is concrete stairs finished with microcement. Stairs are priced much higher than floors because they always require careful leveling, repairs, and a great deal of precision during microcement application, sanding, and sealing.

 

In general, the price per square meter of a microcement floor (including labor and materials) starts from €60–€90, and the cost of finishing a single stair step (labor and materials) is about €100.

Festfloor Life microcement stairs in color GR6. Installer: Twoja Ściana

See how Borys from Pracownia Betonu installs a Festfloor GO! microcement floor