What kind of paint is used for line striping?

Before starting any pavement, parking lot or road marking project be sure to always check with the local authorities for that city to be sure the paint you are choosing is compliant with their standards.  There are many different types of paints that can be used for parking lot and road marking.  Pavement marking paint may be oil based, solvent based, water based, thermoplastic or reflective. This article is meant only as a guide to help you in choosing which paint may best fit your specific project.

POPULAR PAVEMENT PAINT TYPES:

Acrylic Pavement Paint

Acrylic paints can typically washed with water so no special solvent is needed (cheaper clean-up). Acrylic emulsion paints are fast drying and form a water-resistant film after they dry. The acrylic emulsion is  an added process for the paint which improves abrasion resistance as well as added resistance to fungi and algae.  The emulsion process also helps to make it easier to clean.

Some acrylic pavement paints have an additional designation of ‘fast dry’. Fast dry are made to be dry to the touch in about 5 minutes and ready for traffic in about 15 minutes. With the added benefit of faster drying there is one drawback in that some equipment will not work well with ‘fast dry’ because the paint dries too quickly. So be sure check the paint requirements for the paint application device you are using.

Water based paints like acrylic paint are best applied in temperatures above 50 degrees.

Thermoplastic Paint

Thermoplastic paints have two different application methods: ‘hot’ and ‘cold’.  Thermoplastic paint actually contains plastic. The plastic in the paint makes it a very durable paint for intense traffic areas.  Thermoplastic paint is also more expensive than regular water based paints though. Typically thermoplastic paint requires a solvent for clean-up which is an added cost to consider.

Cold applied liquid thermoplastic marking paint can be applied with standard airless spray equipment. Hot applied thermoplastic requires either “Torch” or “Melter” application which requires special equipment and added cost.  The advantage to hot applied is that it that the finished coat can stand up to years of traffic.

Reflective Paint

Reflective paints generally refers to the addition of glass beads to the paint after it is sprayed.  This provides higher reflectivity at night. This process is usually used for striping road lines. The glass beads can be applied by hand by sprinkling the beads over the over wet paint by hand, or you can use a glass bead dispenser like the one below:

*Traffic Safety Warehouse does not sell glass beads.

There are several different kinds of paint that can be used in parking lot striping: oil/solvent-based paint, water-based paint, thermoplastic paint, and reflective paint. Let’s get a little more familiar with each of the paint types to help you figure out what type of paint would best suit your needs.

• Oil/solvent-based paint. The key ingredient to these types of paint is oil. This type of paint is desirable in climates that reach freezing temperatures because oil based paints won’t freeze. Water based paints tend to break down in colder climates and won’t last as long. Oil based paints are the most widely used because they offer the best durability for the cost. There are paints that are more durable, but they will cost more. There are varying qualities of oil-based paints you can choose, depending on the type of painting you need done. A highly trafficked parking lot may benefit from a higher-quality paint, so it won’t have to be re-done frequently.
• Water-based paint. Water-based paint is the cheapest type of paint on the market. It is also the least harmful to the environment, since water is its primary ingredient. Water based paint can dry very quickly and is a great paint choice for companies that strongly believe “time is money”. Water-based paints can be traffic ready 15 minutes after application, providing very limited interruption for your customers.
• Thermoplastic paint. Thermoplastic paint contains plastic, which makes it more durable than normal paints. It is an ideal choice for parking lot striping because it will last a long time and the striping won’t have to be redone very frequently. The downside is the cost. Thermoplastic paint is the most expensive type of paint used in parking lot striping.
• Reflective paint. Reflective paint has glass beads added to the paint, which makes it highly reflective at night. Generally, reflective paint is used for striping roads or informational road markings, but it is an option for parking lot striping if you feel that it would benefit your business.

At AAA Top Quality Asphalt, we are more than happy to answer any further questions you have about your parking lot striping job. Contact us today for more information.