Concrete is the most popular form of road material in the U.S. with about 30% of highways being paved with it. While concrete is designed to eventually wear out, you can extend the life as much as 25 by ensuring that it is smooth and free of holes or cracks. While this can help extend the life of the concrete, there are other things that will wear out despite how smooth it is. Things like striping on the road or in your parking lot will eventually wear and become harder to see. When this becomes a problem on roadways the city or county typically handle the problem, but in your parking lot typically you are responsible. When you realize that your stripes are becoming less visible and harder to see consider these prepping steps before restriping, striping your pavement, striping your surface or striping parking lots.
Inspect
Before you begin the process you want to visually inspect the area to make sure that there are no pot holes, or larger holes. These will not allows the process to go smoothly and will not give you the desired look. Before you proceed with restriping your parking lot perform a thorough visual inspection and correct and remedy any holes that you see or suspect. This will also allow the concrete to last longer meaning that the stripes will last longer as well.
Sweeping
Just before the process you should hire a cleaning company to come out and sweep the parking lot. This removes smaller debris and dirt which can keep the stripes from sticking to the ground. Clearing the debris and sweeping the parking lot before hand ensures that the stripes are solid and that they adhere so that they can properly dry and look nice afterwards.
Sprinklers
This is an important step that if you forget it, you may end up regretting it. The sprinkler system can wreak havoc and ultimately destroy a striping job. Forgetting to turn off the sprinklers usually means that they will run early in the morning when there is probably no one there. This can cause an ultimate mess in your parking lot with running paint draining along with the water. Make sure to turn sprinklers off a couple of days before just to ensure that there is no override and they will not end up coming on.
Quality
Ensure that whether you are doing the job yourself, or you are having someone come in, that you get the quality you want for your parking lot. If you are going to paint the stripes yourself, then consider an excellent quality paint. One that is durable and will last. Use chalk to make your lines so they are straight. If you call in professionals then make sure you get references. Ask around to see who other businesses recommend. Ask to see some of their finished products. Ensure that they can perform what you want for the price that you are looking for.
Knowing what you can do to make restriping of your parking lot easier will help ensure the outcome is exactly what you want. Following certain precautions before the process will help ensure that proper drying occurs so that the process doesn’t have to be repeated. If you are hiring a professional company ask them what you can do to make the process go smoothly and end up looking great. Take notes and follow these tips and you are sure to end up with a product that you are satisfied with.
