Striping Process

This line paint application process that we use was invented by Graco in 1990. It results in a more consistent application, superior adhesion, sharper lines, and better line longevity.

Rough pavement is full of small divots, crevices, cracks and voids. This is exaggerated in older, weathered blacktop. This high pressure application is precise and can take the stripe through these imperfections while maintaining an edge. 

The decision to go with white or yellow lines is personal preference. Yellow doesn't show dirt or tracking on fresh sealcoat as much, and is more visible under light snow. White is better on concrete and old, or weathered asphalt for contrast. Both colors have about the same longevity, and cost the same. It is ok to change colors if you'd like to try the other.

Longevity: 

Line Striping is an asset, but also a consumable. Your parking stall and handicap paint, while specifically formulated for the job, is subjected to hellish abuse. It is scraped by snow plow blades in the winter, baked in the summer heat, and ground on by car and truck tires. It's amazing that it lasts as long as it does given these circumstances. How long will your new parking lot striping last? It depends on the degree and intensity of the aforementioned factors. In a high traffic area, such as in front of a UPS drop off location, they might last six months to a year. In a low use/traffic area, they could last for years. A one time application, such as in a new parking lot, a seal coat reseal, or where the lines have completely worn away,  won't last as long as when they are maintained and have two or three build coats. So it's important to keep line paint current for aesthetics and increased durability. 

Cost:

We generally adhere to a minimum charge for small parking lots. Some of our costs are constant. Mobilizing our equipment/staff, prepping paint, and cleaning the equipment are necessary no matter the job size. There are three basic categories of striping job; restripe, restripe over sealcoat and new layout. Some jobs can involve all three. Upon request, United Line Striping can provide an informal assessment of your parking lot, and a free estimate for desired work.

Restripe:

This job involves spraying new lines over the existing lines; filling in worn or missing areas. Handicap backgrounds and logos are reapplied with stencils, as well as any wording, like stop and directional arrows. The new paint makes all colors bright and vibrant again. If the existing lines are straight and usable without major changes to configuration, this is the least expensive striping line job. This work is good property maintenance.

Restripe over sealcoat:

This level of line striping involves putting new lines down when a parking lot is resealed with sealcoat. This is more difficult. If the original lines were worn, or missing and couldn't be seen in the first place, they won't show up under the sealcoat and so this job becomes a new layout, the most expensive type of joib. However, if the lot lines have been well maintained, they will be visible under the sealcoat and we can see them to copy the original layout saving time and money. If the lines are visible, they generally must be followed as the sealcoat will eventually wear away, exposing the old lines and the newer lines, and this looks like a mess. I call it line salad, and we don't want that. A benefit: If the original lines weren't straight, or measured properly, or re configuring is desired, this is a great opportunity to fix that, make any changes. or start over with a new layout.

New Layout:

As the name implies, a new or old parking lot, a reseal or overlay, there are no lines to follow.  This is the most expensive line striping job as it requires more time, labor, knowledge and skill. On a new lot, we're starting with a plan that has measurements, but no markings on the asphalt. On old lots, we're going off of our experience, your ideas, and maybe an old satellite image. If done properly, with or without plans, every space and line must be measured, figured out, centered, and then translated into chalk on the ground. With this method, we assure that the new parking lines will be straight, parallel, centered, and squared. On some jobs, with nothing else to go off of, we pull string lines on buildings, or structures to develop a bench mark and then everything else follows that. We sometimes use lasers to facilitate, and accurize this process. With line striping, it must be done right the first time. This paint is permanent and once it goes down, that's it.

Crooked lines:

Can we straighten curved or crooked lines? Most of the time, we can, or make them better. In this case, please remember, we're picking up the pieces of sloppy prior work. A little deviation is normal in the industry and ok, but lines that consistently curve to the left or right dramatically are a mistake. If I copy those lines, then it becomes my mistake and that won't fly. If the line is not excessively wide, I can pull a chalk line on the side that makes sense, then widen the line and spray by the chalk line as the guide in lieu of the curved line. This process requires extra time, and cost, especially when multiplied by several lines.

This technique works as long as the prior lines are not too wide. If the lines are wide and crooked, the best approach is to make the new lines as straight as possible using a chalk line, leaving a sliver of the old lines exposed to eventually wear away, and erase the problem. The worst scenario is when someone exactly follows the prior, crooked lines with a new wide line.  This leaves us no where to go. In some cases, the old lines can be sand blasted, or ground off with a scarifier, but these are expensive, time consuming methods that leave the asphalt scarred and can be avoided by hiring a skilled striper.

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