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Inland Empire Palm Desert San Diego

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Let’s Get Social! Follow us @amspaving

Let’s Get Social! Follow us @amspaving

Serving all of Southern California

Inland Empire Palm Desert San Diego

Let’s Get Social! Follow us @amspaving

Serving all of Southern California

Inland Empire Palm Desert San Diego

What is Striping

by | Oct 4, 2022 | Blog

What is it?

Striping is the industry term used for any paint applied to an asphalt surface, whether it be a simple line or a more complex image, like that of a wheelchair to indicate accessible parking spaces. Striping material is either paint or thermoplastic (a material made of pigments, binder, filler, and glass beads). We use a specialty paint that is formulated specifically to adhere to the asphalt’s surface and will not peel off over time as a standard household paint would. Thermoplastic is more complicated in that it has to be heated to the proper temperature and applied in a very precise way, but the benefit is that thermoplastic dries almost instantly and its glass beads are highly reflective and make the markings very easy to see in low light or at night.

Why is it important?

Striping is an essential safety tool that is rarely ever thought of as a “safety tool.” Asphalt markings guide the flow of traffic and pedestrians and indicate where to drive, walk, and (most importantly) stop – preventing countless accidents. In parking lots, striping maximizes the amount of parking available by directing drivers into specifically-sized spaces and indicating the areas that are to be utilized by individuals who need access accommodations or electric vehicle parking.

Aside from the safety aspect, fresh and crisp markings make your asphalt just look more appealing. And we don’t just stripe parking lots and streets either. We have been known to create some sleek basketball courts, whimsical playgrounds, and colorful crosswalks as well.

What do I need to know?

Like seal coat, striping is applied to the asphalt’s surface and must play by the same rules. A damaged and deteriorating base layer of asphalt cannot be hidden or repaired by striping over it, and anything added over these bumps or cracks will only highlight the problems underneath.

Want to learn more about this topic and paving in general? AMS Paving is proud to offer educational opportunities for you and your team. Our course Asphalt Maintenance, Realistic Expectations is approved by Community Association Managers International Certification Board (CAMICB) to fulfill continuing education requirements for the CMCA® certification.

Contact Bevan Worsham at bevan@amspaving.com today to schedule a lunch-and-learn for your office.

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