Parking Lot Line Striping Basics
The Importance of Line Striping
When parking lot lines are well-marked on your pavement, drivers know how to move efficiently in the parking lot. That means more time in your place of business and less time in traffic jams.
Clearly showing traffic direction, areas where parking is not authorized, and which spots are designated for the handicapped help your customers navigate comfortably and safely around your property.
There are two ways to paint new parking lines:
- You can use a four-inch paint roller and paint by hand over a chalk line you’ve drawn. We recommend that you buy a high quality traffic paint to ensure your results will last.
- For a neater, less back-breaking technique, you can use a parking lot line machine to paint straight parking lines on any asphalt or concrete surface. These machines are available in a wide range of sizes depending on how much line striping you’re doing.
Things You’ll Need
- A chalk line
- A measuring tape
- Buckets of high-quality traffic paint
- A four-inch roller or a line striping equipment
- Your tool box
- Rolls of caution tape
- Traffic cones
- An assortment of parking lot stencils
Asphalt Striping Equipment
Line striping can be done easily with modern equipment that sprays paint in a fan pattern. The equipment in this case is called an asphalt striping machine (also known as a line stripers or striping machines). The machines vary in price, performance, and capacity, but the good news is all are simple enough to operate even for newbies.
Some stripers are designed for use by small businesses or estate-type homes with larger-than-average driveway parking areas.
Others, on the other hand, are designed for use by professionals and property managers, and can cost a few thousand dollars or more.
The difference is in what the machine can do for you in terms of quality, quantity, and efficiency.
Getting To Know Your Line Striper
Whether large or small, all line striping machines basically work the same way. In smaller systems, the machine is often equipped to hold a can or two of aerosol paint. Larger machines, on the other hand, have a bucket with hoses that lead to a sprayer.
Striping machines are equipped with wheels to make it easier for the operator to steer the unit, and by far, professional units are the easiest to steer. Where it is necessary to make sharp turns or gradual curves, these professional machines really shine and give you the best possible result.
When your striping requirements include more complex tasks than just straight lines, maneuverability can be one of the most important factors in choosing your equipment. Especially when it comes to a front wheel that can be locked in for radius lines as well as straight. Just imagine trying to do a curved line on your parking area or sports field without that option.
The units also make it possible to be sure that all the stripes are straight. That’s where locking the front wheel comes in, so there’s no danger of you wobbling and weaving your way through your asphalt jungle.
This is one of the keys to professional-looking parking lot paint striping. Without using some kind of parking lot striping machine, the lines are not going to be as straight. Just picture yourself trying to find a straight-edge long enough to guide your brush or roller without knocking it askew, or the wind blowing it away.
Sure, it can be done, but after doing a few stalls, that straight-edge is going to be covered in paint drips that mar the surface every time you move it. You’re much better off having the right equipment to do the job right, or hiring a professional to do the parking lot paint striping for you.
Contact Atlanta Paving Solutions for your Parking Lot Striping Needs!
