For high traffic parking lots or industrial pavement, markings painted with traditional traffic paint can wear away too quickly, but new thermoplastic asphalt paint can provide a long-lasting solution. Thermoplastic pavement markings are applied with heat so that they fuse with the asphalt surface, lasting over 5 times as long as paint. This also means you need an experienced asphalt paving company to apply thermoplastic paint.
Tacoma WA’s Premier Commercial Thermoplastic Company
Rainier Asphalt & Concrete is the Seattle WA area’s most trusted paving company, and they’re bringing their paving expertise to Tacoma WA, including new technologies like thermoplastic parking lot striping.
What is Thermoplastic?
Thermoplastic pavement markings are preformed polymer material designed for high traffic areas like roadways and drive throughs. The material is laid down in arrows, parking stripes, symbols, and letters. It can be applied cold and then heated or applied while hot, so that it melts into the asphalt surface, fusing with the asphalt for a permanent application.
Thermoplastic vs Traffic Paint
Because thermoplastic pavement markings are fused with the asphalt instead of just sitting on top, they are less likely to crack or shift. Thermoplastic paving materials are also thicker than traffic paint, available in both 90 mil and 125 mil thicknesses, so it takes longer for tires to physically wear them down. Special reflective additives can also make thermoplastic paint brighter than traditional traffic paints.
Because of these qualities, thermoplastic pavement materials are used in lots of different high traffic applications, including:
- Roadways
- Intersections
- Industrial loading zones
- Busy parking lots
- Drive-Throughs
The Thermoplastic Line Striping Process
First, our experienced paving contractors heat the pavement surface to a temperature of around 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, they place the thermoplastic material over the heated area and heated from above with a torch. Using a circular motion, they start from the edges and work inward to consistently and thoroughly melt the material so that it fully conforms to the pavement structure underneath. Once it cools, it is completely adhered to the asphalt.
Rainier Asphalt & Concrete, Tacoma WA’s parking lot experts, are ready to help our local commercial property owners finish their asphalt parking lots with concrete installations, pavement repair, and durable thermoplastic pavement markings.
