There are a surprising number of decisions to make when painting your parking lot. From the layout of the lot to the type of paint you use, your choices will impact the cost-effectiveness, longevity, and utility of your parking lot.
With several different types of parking lot paint available, it can take some research to know which option is right for you. To help, we’ve compiled this guide to the four most commonly used parking lot paints:
What is the right paint to use?
Oil/solvent-based paint
At one point in time, oil and solvent-based paints were the gold standard for traffic paints. One of the most significant advantages of these paints is that they don’t use water; as such, they don’t freeze. These paints were considered more durable than water-based paints and were heavily favoured.
Unfortunately, oil and solvent-based paints almost all have high levels of VOCs. Recently, the Government of Canada banned traffic and parking lot paint with VOC levels of 450 g/L or higher. This took many of the oil and solvent-based paints off the market. Today, the three other types of paint we’ll discuss below are far more commonly used.
Water-based paint
Water-based paints are both low-cost and environmentally friendly; for these reasons, they’re one of the most common forms of parking lot painting. Given the low levels of VOCs emitted by water-based paints, they’re also suitable for indoor and underground parking.
The main disadvantage of water-based parking lot paints is that they’re less durable than their solvent and thermoplastic-based cousins. For many parking lots, this isn’t a problem; you’ll need to repaint your parking lot every 18-36 months, no matter what type of paint you use. For areas that experience high levels of traffic—like airports—a sturdier paint may be a better option.
Thermoplastic paint
Thermoplastic paints are among the most durable paints available. These paints are applied after being heated to 200 degrees Celsius. They’re basically melted plastic mix—many types include glass beads to improve traction and create an anti-skid surface.This type of paint dries and cools quickly, allowing you to open your parking lot to traffic sooner.
Thermoplastic paints take more experience to learn to apply, and use more costly materials. As such, they’re more expensive than water-based or oil-based paints. Despite this extra cost, they’re quite popular, owing to their long lifespan; they’re the best option for high traffic areas.
Reflective paint
Reflective paint is any type of traffic paint that includes enough glass beads to reflect light. By reflecting light, the lines become visible, even late at night. There are two types of reflective traffic paint—wet reflective paint, which is visible even when conditions are wet, and non-wet reflective paint, which only reflects light properly in dry conditions.
The vast majority of parking lots do not use reflective paint. Most aren’t used frequently enough at night for the added cost to be worthwhile. You may, however, run an establishment that sees traffic 24/7—in these circumstances, the added cost of reflective paint might be worth it.
Tips For Long-Lasting Parking Lot Lines
Aside from choosing more durable paints, you can take several steps to improve the longevity of your parking lot lines. Consider:
- Using a professional line painting service. The pros will know exactly what temperature to apply the paint at, which paints to use, how to apply them, and more.
- Keeping your parking lot clean. Grit and debris can wear away at paint—by regularly cleaning your parking lot, you can reduce abrasion, and keep the paint around for longer.
- Allow the paint to dry. Different paints have different drying times, and those times vary based on conditions. Wait until the paint is fully dried before allowing any traffic onto your parking lot.
When you work with Infinity Asphalt, we’ll provide recommendations for the right type of paint for your project, as well as the time frame you’ll need for the paint to dry. We also offer regular parking lot maintenance, including power sweeping. Need to get your parking lot painted? Call us today.
Brent Schuldhaus is the founder and president of Infinity Asphalt. He grew up in Calgary, Alberta, played junior hockey for three years, graduated from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University in Ontario with a Bachelor of Commerce and went on to found Infinity Asphalt in 2019.
