Are Thermoplastic Pavement Markings Right For Your Project?

Thermoplastic pavement markings represent the strongest alternative to simply painting roads, streets, and parking lots. Is a thermoplastic product ideal for your project, though? Here are 5 things customers should know about these products so they can decide.

What Is a Thermoplastic Material?

A thermoplastic material is one that becomes flexible when heated to a certain temperature. Likewise, it will cool down in a reasonable timeframe and bond with the surface in the process. This allows contractors to put down very precise markings.

Visibility

One of the strongest arguments for using thermoplastic materials rather than paint for markings is the high visibility of the products. This is because it's easy to produce thermoplastics in bright and vibrant colors. If you need to clearly mark surfaces with indicators for things like school zones, crossing areas, and handicapped parking spaces, for example, a thermoplastic product will do an excellent job of informing drivers and pedestrians. You can also obtain them in reflective versions, improving visibility at night and in bad weather.

Durability

Another reason to use thermoplastics is their durability. Thermoplastic pavement striping is excellent for parking lots in high-traffic areas. The material resists friction, and it doesn't react easily to UV rays, either. In testing, thermoplastics have usually lasted around 5 years in regular road environments and two years in intersections.

You can expect less performance in settings with heavy vehicles and aggressive tire types, though. Also, aggressive snow plowing can damage thermoplastics due to the raised surface so ask drivers to be careful if you need to contract third-party plowing services. Near in mind, though, that paint can take a beating in these scenarios, too.

Notably, thermoplastics retain their reflective beads very well. If you need reflective markings in a parking lot or along a road, thermoplastics will generally perform better than the alternatives.

Preparation

Good surface preparation is critical for maximizing durability. You want the surface to be clear of any minor debris, such as loose asphalt or gravel. Likewise, it should be completely dry. Investing in a small cleanup effort will improve the odds that your thermoplastic pavement markings will last longer.

You should also consider scheduling application projects for reasonably warm days. Thermoplastics usually bond better in middle-range temperatures versus cold or hot periods.

Speed of Application

Once the heat is off, thermoplastic pavement markings will cool and bond quickly. This makes it an appealing option at locations where businesses and organizations need to get traffic moving again as soon as possible.

For more information, contact a company like Alvarez Striping.