How to Avoid Some Common DIY Road Line Marking Mistakes
When you own a commercial facility, you may want to manage your own road line marking, meaning creating lines for parking lots and to direct traffic in and out of your facility. You can usually do this on your own as there is equipment you can buy or rent to make the job easy, but note that road line marking is not always as simple as you think. You want to ensure you take the time to plan the work and do it right, and avoid some common mistakes. Note a few of those here.
1. Map out and clear the path
Before you start putting down any marks, you want to map out the path and ensure it's clear. Remove any branches, litter, twigs, and even gum wrappers that might interfere with the even coating of the paint. The path should also be cleaned thoroughly, and this should be done not long before you are ready to paint. This is because you might clear the path and give it a good sweeping, but even overnight there might be leaves or a branch that falls in the way. You might also have someone else walk ahead of you as you do the marking to note if anything would be in the way and ensure the path is clear; you might be so wrapped up in controlling the equipment that you get distracted and miss some debris, and your markings then look very poor-quality.
2. Use the right paint
Line marking paint is not all alike, and it will vary according to the surface you're marking and how permanent you want the marks. Thermoplastic paint is actually applied and then melted onto the surface for a very durable, permanent mark; if you know you might need to change the lines around according to different seasons or use of your lot, this might not be the right choice. Oil-based paints may not be recommended for asphalt, as asphalt has a petroleum base that may be damaged by oil.
3. Check your spelling
It may seem obvious, but many road marking jobs are ruined by someone with few spelling skills or who gets distracted when using the equipment and doesn't consider how they're putting down lettering stencils. Always take a few extra seconds to check the spelling of words before you paint over stencils, and ask a second opinion of someone else as well, just to ensure you're not overlooking anything.