Dayton Superior: where EPDs could unlock specs
Dayton Superior is a familiar name on concrete jobsites, with a vast catalog that runs from forming hardware to chemical performance coatings. That breadth is a strength when project teams want one source. It is also a challenge when sustainability paperwork lags and buyers default to competitors that show their impacts with product‑specific EPDs. Here is how their portfolio lines up today, and where an EPD push would pay off fastest.
Who Dayton Superior is
Dayton Superior is a century‑old concrete construction supplier covering accessories, chemicals, and forming systems for non‑residential projects. The company promotes a large catalog and a nationwide service footprint, which makes them hard to ignore at bid time (Dayton Superior, 2025) (Dayton Superior, 2025).
What they sell, at a glance
The range spans forming and shoring hardware, tilt‑up braces, rebar supports, precast and anchoring inserts, and many chemical lines such as curing and sealing compounds, surface retarders, densifiers, grouts, repair mortars, and epoxies. That is dozens of product families and likely hundreds of SKUs, possibly into the thousands across sizes and formulations.
Current EPD coverage snapshot
As of December 20, 2025, we could not locate public, product‑specific EPDs for Dayton Superior in the major operator directories checked. If a very recent declaration was published and not yet indexed, this picture can change quickly. For sales teams, that gap means some project specs quietly filter out products without third‑party verified EPDs when the LEED EPD credit or corporate policies apply.
Why this matters commercially
LEED’s EPD credit counts product‑specific, Type III, externally verified EPDs as 1.5 products toward the Option 1 threshold. Teams typically need at least 20 qualifying products from five manufacturers, so each 1.5‑weighted EPD helps close the gap faster, which directly influences substitution decisions on fast‑moving jobs (USGBC Credit Library, 2024) (USGBC Credit Library, 2024). LEED v5, ratified on March 28, 2025, keeps disclosure but raises the bar on embodied‑carbon outcomes, so credible EPDs remain the basic ticket to compete while performance starts to differentiate (USGBC, 2025) (USGBC, 2025).
Where an EPD push would pay off first
Focus on products that stay in the building and appear repeatedly in submittal logs.
- Water‑based curing and sealing compounds used on slabs and exterior flatwork.
- Air barrier primers and membranes used in the envelope.
- Epoxy repair mortars, bonding agents, and protective coatings.
These categories are common across offices, healthcare, industrial and education projects. They map cleanly to well established PCRs that operators use daily for coatings and technical‑chemical products.
A likely bestseller without a public EPD today
Curing and sealing compounds are a core Dayton Superior line, widely distributed and frequently specified for floors and flatwork. We did not find a public EPD for a Dayton Superior curing and sealing compound. By contrast, W. R. MEADOWS publishes third‑party‑verified EPDs for the VOCOMP family with current validity through May 28, 2030, which gives their reps a quick compliance answer on LEED‑driven jobs (Sustainable Minds, 2025) (Sustainable Minds Transparency Report, 2025). That is a very real spec‑stage advantage.
Competitors Dayton Superior often meets
Chemicals and coatings: Sika, Master Builders Solutions, MAPEI, Euclid Chemical, W. R. MEADOWS. Anchoring and adhesives also cross with Hilti and Simpson Strong‑Tie. Forming and tilt‑up systems encounter Peri, Doka, EFCO, and Leviat in precast and connector details. Not all of these publish EPDs for every SKU, yet several have credible coverage in high‑traffic categories that specifiers filter on first.
What PCRs fit these categories
Coatings and sealers frequently use Architectural Coatings PCRs hosted by recognized program operators in North America. Technical‑chemical products like repair mortars, adhesives, or admixtures often follow EN 15804 or ISO 21930 aligned PCRs used by operators such as IBU, ASTM, or EPD International. A strong LCA partner will benchmark which PCRs competitors already use, then recommend the best fit that keeps verification straightforward and future renewals predictable.
The quick‑win EPD plan
Start with three SKUs that move volume and reappear in submittal templates. Pick one curing and sealing compound, one air‑barrier primer or membrane, and one epoxy repair or bonding product. Consolidate plant‑level data for a single reference year, document energy and packaging with invoices and utility pulls, and line up supplier EPDs for key inputs where available. That set can cover a surprising share of day‑to‑day spec checks and definately reduces last‑minute substitutions.
If you already market “low‑VOC” or “Earth Friendly”
Dayton Superior’s Earth Friendly page highlights low‑VOC formulations and LEED alignment language. That helps with emissions credits, yet buyers still ask for product‑specific EPDs to satisfy disclosure and embodied‑carbon accounting. Linking a low‑VOC positioning to verified EPDs is the simple way to turn a marketing claim into spec‑grade documentation (Earth Friendly, 2025).
What great execution looks like
The least painful path is a partner that shouldered data wrangling from production, purchasing, and finance, then publishes through the operator your customers already trust. Expect fast project management, clear requests for the exact evidence reviewers approve, and clean submittal packages you can hand to GCs without extra back‑and‑forth. That is what moves EPDs from “checklist” to revenue tool.
Bottom line for Dayton Superior watchers
Massive portfolio, strong distribution, and clear demand signals from LEED v5 projects. Publish a few product‑specific EPDs in high‑leverage chemical categories, then expand methodically. It will keep SKUs in the running on carbon‑scored projects and make substitution less likely when the schedule is tight and the spec needs proof, not promises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dayton Superior publish product-specific EPDs as of December 20, 2025?
We could not find public, product‑specific EPDs for Dayton Superior in the major operator directories checked. If a very recent declaration was published and not yet indexed, this can change quickly.
Which Dayton Superior product types should be prioritized for first EPDs?
Water‑based curing and sealing compounds, air‑barrier primers or membranes, and epoxy repair or bonding products. These appear on many submittals and align with common PCRs for coatings and technical‑chemical products.
Why do EPDs help win specs even before LEED v5 performance rules?
LEED’s EPD credit counts product‑specific Type III EPDs as 1.5 products toward Option 1. Meeting the threshold faster makes a project team more comfortable sticking with your SKU rather than swapping to a competitor with verified documentation (USGBC Credit Library, 2024).
About the Author
John brings a clear, research-driven perspective on the EPD, LCA and HPD space and keeps a close pulse on environmental trends and standards in North America, helping clients understand where the industry is heading and how to get there.
