Things to Look Out for When Choosing Thermoplastic Line Marking Paint
If you've decided to mark your concrete and asphalt pavements, then that's a great idea. It is the easiest and most convenient way of ensuring order and controlling pedestrian and vehicular traffic on your premises. Line marking will ensure that people respect the boundaries you set for them, ensuring vehicles are parked appropriately and that pedestrians can walk across pavements at points considered safe for them. Certainly, the quality of paint that you choose for marking your premises determines elementary features like visibility and durability of the lines. Therefore, look out for the following elements when choosing paint for marking your premises:
Synthetic Resin
Synthetic resins are the first thing you should look out for when choosing paint for line marking on your property. They are the elements that separate your line marking paint from ordinary paint that cannot stand up to the rigours of line marking. Essentially, synthetic resins are viscous liquid materials that harden permanently after a short period. They are different from natural resin compounds exuded by plants because they are manufactured using industrial procedures such as esterification and organic compound soaping. Good examples of synthetic resins are methyl methacrylate and polyurethane. Their role is to fast dry the hot melt of paint and make it stick firmly on the pavement's surface.
Additives
The name itself gives an idea of what additives are. Primarily, they are not part of the chemical composition of the line marking paints, but they are added to bring in unique attributes to the paint. The first additives are water or solvents used to lower the viscosity of the paints so that it is easy to apply on the pavement. Getting a ready-to-apply mixture is the best way to go, as it has the right amount of solvent or water required to balance the viscosity of the paint. Secondly, pay attention extenders on the product labelling. They strengthen the bond between the surface and the road, enabling the paint to stand up to extreme temperature fluctuations and moisture.
Pigments
Pigments are another thing you must look out for when buying line-marking paint. The essence of marking pavements is for the lines to be seen so that they can direct your visitors in the absence of other traffic controllers. White and yellow are the most preferable colours because of the deep contrast that they have with the concrete or asphalt. Zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and lithophone are the common white pigments to go for. On the other hand, lead pigment primarily comes as heat-resistant yellow lead.