Painting is an important home improvement project and enhances the look of your home. Although you may want to spruce your walls and home interiors using bright paint, your driveway should form part of your project. You may want to mark your driveway, pathways and parking lots. This will help prevent guests from driving into your cub or lawn. The marking stands out from different angles, even in harsh weather conditions.
Check out tips to painting and marking your driveway?
There are various steps to follow before embarking on the project. You also need to prepare your driveway to achieve excellent results. Clean the driveway, and ensure that the surface is clean. Apply a fresh coat of paint and allow to dry. Also, examine your driveway for cracks and any issues with the paint. Once the driveway is clean, fix the cracks using caulk and fill all the holes to ensure a smooth finish.
- Plan the layout
Any painting project begins with planning. Think of your driveway, its dimensions and draw a layout. Use CAD software to adapt the plans if possible. Also, chalk out the area to allow space for maneuvering vehicles and openings.
- Choose the colors
With driveway marking, you can’t use any colors as you would with your home interiors and exteriors. Choose high-quality paint for marking lines, but follow the guidelines on the accepted color shades.
For instance;
- Yellow- is ideal for walkways, aisles and traffic lanes and it means proceed with caution.
- Red – signals a no go zone or stop before proceeding.
- White – display areas like floor stand displays and work areas
- White stripes/ chevrons – keep area clear
- Blue- Shows Information, components and work in progress spaces.
- Choose a suitable time.
Line making is like any other painting task, and preparation goes a long way. Plan for ample time to undertake the line making, and this works best when there are people at home. This will avoid footprints or loved ones wanting to use the driveway.
- Choose a line making paint.
There are different paints in the market. Water-based polyurethane line paints are good for sports halls and court lines, particularly when different colored lines meet. Professional will also advise you to use a line marking machine since it offers excellent results.
For outdoor uses such as yards, parking lots, and walkways, road line marking paint is a cost-effective alternative. Go for solvent-based marking paint, it’s best suited for tarmac and concrete, and you’ll get it in varying colors.
- Understand the width regulations
For line making on highways, you need permission from the local authority and must abide by the set standards. But, for the driveway, apply the legally accepted width standards.
These are;
50mm – dashed lines to indicate parking spaces
100mm – lines to indicate parking space separation
100mm – Hatched areas
150mm – lines indicating lorry parking and cycle lane delineation
Final thoughts
There are different line making paints in the market. Understand the regulations regarding driveway marking in your state, and order high-quality paint from legitimate manufacturers or dealers. These are long-lasting and will serve you for years without the need to repaint often.
