RandyV made this tool to paint radius ends on double striped lines. JPanz took this idea and made a really great tool.  Click here to watch the video. (Warning - if you have a slow connection, it could take a few moments to download)

This is an example of a helicopter pad that we commonly paint for hospitals.  Here's the specifications: pad diameter 60 ft. the white cross is made of 5 10X10' boxes the red "H" is 10 ft high, 5 ft wide and the stroke width is 1 ft. Don't forget to offer to seal the concrete after you paint - it helps blood and fuel wash away easily.

GRACO RAC 5 Tip Sizes and Flow Rates Orifice Size inches FAN WIDTH in Inches (mm) Flow Rate (gpm) Flow Rate (lpm) 2-4 (51-102) 4-6 (102-152) 6-8 (152-203) 8-10 (203-254) 10-12 (254-305) 12-14 (305-356) 14-16 (356-406) 16-18 (406-457) 18-20 (457-508) .007   207 307             .05 .20 .009   209 309 409 509 609       .09 .33 .011 111 211 311 411 511 611       .12 .49 .013   213 313 413 513 613       .18 .69 .015. 115 215 315 415 515 615   815   .24 .91 .017   217 317 417 517 617   817 917 .31 1.17 .019   219 319 419 519 619   819   .38 1.47 .021   221 321 421 521 621 721 821   .47 1.79 .023   223 323 423 523 623 723     .57 2.15 .025   225   425 525 625 725     .67 2.54 .027     327 427 527 627   827   .77 2.96 .029       429 529 629 729     .90 3.42 .031     331 431 531 631   831   1.03 3.90 .033       433 533 633   833   1.17 4.42 .035   235   435 535 635 735 835 935 1.31 4.98 .039       439           1.63 6.18 .043       443 543         1.98 7.51 .045           645       2.17 8.23 .051       451 551         2.79 10.57 .055       455 555 655       3.25 12.29 .063         563         4.26 16.13 .065           665       4.53 17.17 water @ 2000 psi, 138 bar, 13.8 MPa Note:  Parking Lot Planet does not sell spray tips.  Your local paint store is a good source.

How to layout 90 degree parking stalls on a convex or concave curb.

Thanks to RandyV for these drawings.  I re-drew them for the web.

Back to previous page

 

Back to previous page

Concave Stall Layout

Dimensions of angle parking spaces These dimensions are standard for most of the US. They are designed to yield a parking space that is 9'X18' with adequate room for maneuvering in and out of the space.

Note: these archives were compiled from past Parking Lot Planet Forums. The answers and opinions are those of the posters. Things may have changed since then, so be sure to get up to date information from the current Parking Lot Planet forum

Paint Shakers

Push Blowers

Green laser pointers

Small Concrete Planer

paint stir/ thinner

sore feet

Chalk spreader

Paint Shakers

From: Deek & Pokee
Date: 3/12/00 9:49:57 AM
We are looking for information on 5 gallon Paint Shakers. New or used preferably new. Any info, would be appreciated.

 

From: THE OLD PRO
Date: 3/12/00 7:07:27 PM
Welcome, Yes a shaker is great to own, no more stirring your butt off, and the paint is smooth no crap to clog your filter. I have a RED DEVIL paint conditioner model 5033. I believe they still make this model. Call them at 1-800-221-1083 They are located in Minneapolis MN. I shake all my alkyd paint the day I use it. Even old paint comes out smooth. Good luck, THE OLD PRO.

 

Push Blowers

From: Larry Katz
Date: 3/21/00 7:36:29 PM
Has anyone actually used both the Billy Goat and Little Wonder blowers? Does one perform better than the other?

 

From: Bookman
Date: 3/22/00 8:29:04 PM
For striping purposes, I still prefer a backpack blower to a wheeled type because it does a much better job of clearing cracks - specifically cigarette butts and pine needles. I guess next month's issue of Pavement magazine will have the "advomercial" about Billy Goat blowers. Keep in mind that it's an advertising format as opposed to an objective comparison of different brands.

Blowers are pretty much the same within each horsepower range, such as 5, 8, 16 h.p., etc. BUT check out the manufacturer's brochures for wind velocity and Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) air movement for side-by-side comparison.

I've used blowers for over 25 years and used different brands. I owned a 5 hp Billy Goat once, and found it versatile but underpowered. Can't remember what I did with it, probably gave it away like my Billy Goat vacuum! Vacuums are too inefficient to mess with. Use a blower to corral the trash and leaves in piles & scoop them up with a grain scoop. Look for VERSATILITY. There are 2 types. As I recall, both Billy Goat and Little Wonder enable you to select side discharge or front discharge. My preference is the 8 hp Parker Hurricane series with a rotating discharge chute that covers about a 210° radius. I point the chute straight up & blow leaves off trees & shrubs that are going to fall into my sealer or paint. Or, I rotate the chute 210° & clear wet leaves & trash more effectively than if the chute was parallel to the parking lot.

And look for a parking brake! Last year, some guy wrote Pavement mag about that & Pavement gave a Parker rep an opportunity to reply. The stupid SOB said, "Parking brakes are unnecessary if the engine is in time and the impeller is balanced." Obviously he's never used one of his blowers on an incline, and we know he's never worked in San Francisco! Thank God those marvelous people at Graco aren't that stupid! Which, by the way, is one more reason why contractors prefer Gracos.

 

From: Fonz
Date: 3/22/00 11:24:45 PM
Hey Bookman!!!...I know what you mean about that rotating blower discharge chute! What a great Invention!!! ........I got me 3 bikini tops one time doing a lot near a Holiday Inn pool!!!!!...........Probably need the 13 hp set up for the bottoms though!!!

 

From: Don
Date: 3/29/00 6:39:58 AM
We own several Billy Goats from 11-16 hp. They have been very reliable and performed well. I haven't used the little wonder but I wouldn't trust their ads showing it blowing a block up a ramp (any test like that on any equipment can be rigged if the test is designed by the people that make the product)

 

From: MI Striper
Date: 4/2/00 11:45:19 AM
Don, I haven't seen the ad but I've used little wonder blowers and they probably could blow a wood block up a ramp. That's the problem with them. If you need to blow off a large open area they are the best. On the other hand, you must constantly adjust the speed when around obstacles or the debris will hit the obstacle and blow right back to where it was. Plus, they are LOUD! Billy Goats are powerful enough to perform, quieter than little wonders, built as well and cheaper.

 

paint stir/ thinner

From: RonSon Ent. Greg Kennedy
Date: 4/18/00 9:30:50 PM
does any one use a rechargeable drill with a paddle on it to stir their paint?

can I use naphtha from my local hardware store to thin and clean my paint and gear, or do I have to use the naphtha they use at the paint store?

 

From: jpanz
Date: 4/18/00 9:40:22 PM
I tried the cordless drill once. The oil based is to thick and kills the batteries real fast. The only time I mix the paint is when it sits for a while, then I mix them before I leave for the job. Now I can a 1800 generator and a 1/2 chuck drill. If I find a bad pail I can mix it then or to run lights.

As long as the thinner is the same type, you can buy it anywhere.

Jim

 

From: Don
Date: 4/19/00 9:35:20 AM
Like Jim I never have to stir, I just have SW shake the paint for me or buy mfgr. direct so it's fresh. I wouldn't use naphtha for thinning though, For some paints mineral spirits is better (common paint thinner) for Chlorinated rubber Toluene is best. Lacquer thinner can speed up drying times over mineral spirits in conventional alkyds but it weakens the paint slightly because of the speedy evaporation. (all these products are basically the same no matter what brand or where you buy them) I don't know about your paint store but at most paint stores if you have a commercial account things like thinner will be much cheaper there than at the hardware store.

 

Small Concrete Planer

From: Mike
Date: 6/22/00 11:20:07 PM
Where can I buy a new or used concrete planer for line removal. Will a 5 hp 8" (modified to 5")Approx.120 pound work to remove lines from black top or surface prep concrete? I can buy a this new 5hp for $1400.00 I think it will be to light. Can anyone tell me if it will work or not. Thank you!!!

From: Robert Liles
Date: 6/23/00 6:21:42 AM
I have a Von Arx FR200, it works as advertised. Here's a link: http://www.sasecompany.com/va0.htm Also check out Smith at http://www.carbidecutters.com/Flash/index.html

 

Green laser pointers

From: Barknee
Date: 11/20/00 6:18:43 PM
Has anyone tried the green laser pointers, which are supposed to be brighter, in daylight conditions on asphalt?

From: sdechene
Date: 11/25/00 6:15:45 PM
We are currently testing a prototype on one of our paint trucks. It works great! Bright, easy to see on all surfaces, remote aiming, no special glasses needed. But, very expensive.

Lasers ????

From: TomTom
Date: 11/21/99 9:30:52 PM
I am looking for a laser that has a green light instead of the red one. Where could I buy one? Where would I look for information on these?

 

From: sdechene
Date: 11/21/99 9:31:22 PM
Happened across a green laser pointer at The Edge Co. Not sure if this is what you're looking for. Check it out at www.edgeco.com : Item # TI - 4000.

 

sore feet

From: broncobilly
Date: 1/7/00 1:23:28 PM

This subject may not apply to many, but for those with achy knees/ankles/feet I'm sure you empathize. I have been striping for four years now and I have always worn sneakers for comfort. However, over the years I have dropped many a paint can, bumper block on my toes. Can anyone suggest a boot that compares to the comfort of a sneaker, specifically to be used on asphalt or concrete all day? A model with a low cut would be preferable. Thanks-

 

From: robert
Date: 1/7/00 5:22:26 PM

How about steel toe sneakers? Several work boot companies make them. Look for stores that sell industrial footware. I know several people that like either Hy-Test or Iron Age steel toe tennies.

 

From: Jim
Date: 1/11/00 6:43:08 AM

Personally, I wear Thorough good shoes. I prefer the 3/4 length with steel toes. They do offer low cuts in many styles with and without steel toes. I can walk all day with no problems, and the cost is reasonable.

 

Chalk spreader

From: RRLINE
Date: 7/7/00 12:40:05 AM

Does anyone know if someone makes a chalk spreader for doing athletic fields if they choose not to go with paint?

 

From:
Date: 7/7/00 8:19:50 AM

YES THEY DO. TRY THEM ON LINE WWW.PIONEER-MFG.COM YOU CAN GET A CATALOG FROM THEM.

 

Note: these archives were compiled from past Parking Lot Planet Forums.  The answers and opinions are those of the posters.  Things may have changed since then, so be sure to get up to date information from the current Parking Lot Planet forum

From: straightline
Date: 12/21/00   1:09:58 AM
need some info on thermoplastic: what equipment do I need, how to do it, etc.

 

From: Don
Date: 12/21/00   9:40:54 AM
Depending on how much you need to do: Hot tape is great for smaller jobs (stop bars, arrows, handicaps, a few hundred feet of stripes) No equipment but a temp gun and a high output torch ($2-300). Just a sort of heat and stick thing. Hand liners are next starting at about $10,000 for a small one. They are huge, heavy, and much harder and more dangerous to use than stripers. Plus if you going to do any volume you'll need a pre-melter costing thousands more and have the dangerous extra step of transferring melted plastic from it to the machine at 475 degrees. Of course the striping head or shoe must stay hot all the time as must any plumbing. To go truck mount: way over the cost of paint trucks, plus an additional 18 wheel rig to carry the big 2 or 3 pre-melters and bags of materials to keep the thing supplied. With any of these someone has to monitor the handliner, machine and/or pre-melter constantly during heating and use, until shutdown to maintain temperatures and for safety purposes. I am sure you can see the maintenance requirements for any machine method are way beyond striping too. Actual application methods can be very difficult too. For example to do an arrow with a handliner you draw the outline on the pavement and apply the thermo by going across it with pieces of lines the width of the shoe.

 

From: ken
Date: 12/21/00   12:31:49 PM
I put down some hand torched thermo for a new left turn lane for a new Racetrac convenience store in the City of Dallas. The city inspector turned it down because the (at that time) only accepted a product manufactured by 3M. It goes down cold with a special glue that melts and bonds the plastic to the surface. The product name is "3 M Diamond Back" It is easy to put down but you have to buy it in large quantities ie 2-3000ft rolls.

 

From: straightline
Date: 12/24/00   1:55:02 PM
From: Don
Date: 12/27/00   8:53:31 AM
Just as a note... we've put down lots of HotTape. It's what TxDot spec's and once you get the hang of it it's 1 step and easy to use. It's also available in small quantities. The glue down stuff is probably good but it sounds like a lot of hassle putting down the glue and all and I don't know how it could "melt" the plastic without damaging asphalt. Most Racetrac stores I've seen are concrete. Is it supposed to work better on concrete Ken?

 

Price For Thermo?

From: Thom4th
Date: 2/19/00   10:53:29 PM
Anyone out there know the price of thermo in your area? Even an idea of how much to charge per foot for 4" line would help.

 

From: MI Striper
Date: 2/20/00   10:59:35 AM
Is the thermo pre-formed or applied hot in a liquid form? You might want to look up construction costs in www.thebluebook.com or you can find out who provides this service in your area and call them. A good source of information in from the city or state. I've found most public works directors of state inspectors are very helpful when it comes to price information (at least in Michigan). Just drive around and find a city or state road/parking lot that has thermo on it then contact the appropriate agency about price. I've found talking in person is better than the telephone for this sort of thing.

Good Luck, Mike

 

From: okie
Date: 2/22/00   1:20:36 PM
Long line thermo is purchased by the DOT in Oklahoma, installed for about( 0.14 $/ft sprayed, thin line extruded 0.21 $/ft, full thickness extruded 0.33 $/ft.) And white, 125 mil, 4 inch by 3 foot, 60 foot per package goes for around $31 per package.

Note: these archives were compiled from past Parking Lot Planet Forums. The answers and opinions are those of the posters. Things may have changed since then, so be sure to get up to date information from the current Parking Lot Planet forum

How much do you charge for stops?

Parking block forms

Concrete bumpers

Speed Bump Painting

Speed Bump or Striping regulations

 

How much do you charge for stops?

From: ACE
Date: 1/26/00 1:06:16 PM
What do you have to charge to install wheel stops to make a fair profit & still give your customers a good value?

I understand the quantity & type of installation as well as other factors will help determine what to charge.

what kinda numbers make installing wheel stops worth the effort? I know people are charging between $40.00 to even as high as $100.00 per wheel stop -- what's your take on this?

 

From: City
Date: 1/28/00 6:19:06 PM
Ace, you will have to decide what it is worth to you first. figure your time, labor, cost, the surface you are installing them on (either concrete or asphalt). if you’re installing them on concrete you have to rent a drill, so that alone is additional cost and labor. next, present your estimate to your customer and only then will you be able to determine the right price. good luck!

 

From: Ken
Date: 1/30/00 11:07:01 AM
A good rule of thumb ... start by taking your material cost (including transportation, tax, overhead etc.) and multiply by 2. Labor commonly but not always duplicates the material cost for general work. Take into consideration any other difficulties such as type of surface, traffic, weather, rush job, etc.

 

parking block forms

From: wlp
Date: 2/21/00 12:05:06 AM
Do any of you make your own parking blocks and if so what do you use for forms.

 

From: jpanz
Date: 2/21/00 10:25:04 AM
Check in your yellow pages under concrete products. In NJ I can buy low profile concrete reinforced bumpers with pins for 16.00 each delivered to the job. Call around for prices before trying to make your own, it would be worth your time on the phone.

Jim

 

concrete bumpers

From: MI Striper
Date: 3/22/00 7:42:34 AM
I know this has been discussed before but I was wondering if I've got it right. I need to install some concrete bumpers in a parking lot. As I understand it the easiest way is to pre-drill holes with a hammer drill then pound the metal pins in with a large hammer. Any yes's, no's or hints would be appreciated. thanks, Mike

 

From: City
Date: 3/22/00 11:16:54 PM
If you're planning to place them over asphalt, just pound the pins with a sledge hammer. if you're going to place them on concrete, use a roto hammer to drill the holes first. note: you may want to use another pin to pound the first one to "set" it into the wheel stop. kind of like a "nail set" that way the pin is recessed into the wheel stop about an inch. I would then mix some concrete up to seal the hole, makes the wheel stops look nice. good luck!

 

From:
Date: 3/23/00 2:20:38 PM
whatever you do drill a hole 1st.you start pounding away and 1 slip and you busted the block, then you’ll be paying 4 a new 1!

 

From: Gazza
Date: 3/23/00 5:33:28 PM
Believe it or not there is a two pot epoxy adhesive available. We used some a couple of years ago as there was an old concrete slab under the asphalt. The stuff is so strong that if you were to remove the stop it would either break or lift the asphalt out with it. Will post the product name when I find the old containers.

 

From: Fonz
Date: 3/22/00 11:41:01 PM
Sorry to say guys,.....I guess I'm just off the mark on this subject. I cannot see "bustin my butt with those "Mothers".........A concrete supply company is about 20 miles from me...........I send everything to them.....they charge $12 complete for the block and set to them!!!!.........How can I compete with that????..........I send them the business...they have the equipment...........when they run across a customer that needs striping work, they send them to me............................It works for both of us.....I cannot see trying to do something that is going to bust my butt with so little return....................REFERRAL WORKS FOR BOTH OF US!!

 

From: broncobilly
Date: 3/24/00 4:44:19 PM
Put away your sledgehammer. If you already have a hammer drill than go to the dealer you bought it from or call the manufacturer for a list of accessories for it. We use a Makita and there is an attachment that fits over the end of the rebar and hammers it in. However, you still have to pre drill it. But at least you aren't killing your joints or your back anymore.

 

From: ken
Date: 3/25/00 11:49:42 AM
I agree with Da' Fonz. I'm getting too old to mess with bumper installations. BUT, I have a problem with missing a business opportunity. I recently helped a laborer set himself up as an independent contractor. Now I sub all of them out to him.

Sorry Fonz...I didn't mean to insinuate you were getting old

 

Speed Bump Painting

From: Jim@StraightLine Striping
Date: 8/20/00 5:28:25 AM
I received a call from an attorney recently soliciting information on a case he has pending. It seems a parking lot was repaved and speed bumps added. This is at a local grocery store mini shopping center. One of the speed bumps extends over into the fire lane. When the stripers painted the speed bumps, they didn’t paint the part extending into the fire lane, just unpainted asphalt. Well someone tripped on the unpainted part and is now suing. The attorney wanted to know "standard" procedure in this situation. I told him that had we striped the lot we would have painted the entire speed bump. Any thoughts on this and is there some law somewhere concerning trip hazards, i.e., speed bumps?

From: Don
Date: 8/20/00 10:27:53 AM
Most that I see are painted solid though we prefer a chevron stripe pattern for ours. I think you meant they didn't paint the part in the traffic lane (fire lane). That's going to be a good legal question.... Were there marked crosswalks? If so why did the person leave them? Maybe no liability... On the other hand did the layout tend to encourage pedestrian traffic by the unpainted bump? Different story. Around here speed bumps are often used to "protect" marked crosswalks. My motto is better safe etc... on safety but that "less is more" if you start to do more painting than you have to. Although nothing including a large amount of signs/painting/ etc. will prevent a lawsuit if someone wants to sue. They might have less chance of winning but who knows with our legal system and ambulance-chasing lawyers these days.

From: Bookman
Date: 8/20/00 8:31:06 PM
It should make for an interesting case especially since the key element here seems to be that we striping contractors are now finding ourselves being sued for areas that we do NOT paint.

In 1993, a Sherwin Williams corporate manager whose name I don't recall & has probably since retired, contacted me about an article I wrote that appeared in Pavement Maintenance magazine. The photos in the article showed 2 different styles of handicap logos, each of which was painted in the traffic lane outside the boundaries of the parking stall itself. 1 was a diamond shape about 5 x 5 & painted by another local co. The logo I preferred to paint covered the entire width of the parking stall & was 4' deep, with the wording "Handicap Only" or where appropriate, "Van Accessible." The SW man said several contractors throughout the nation were being sued for slip & fall accidents. The lawsuits prompted SW to adopt a position whereby they recommended against painting large areas because they felt traffic paint would cause a slicker finish & that there would be an increased possibility of a slip & fall accident. They further recommended that the stencils be painted inside the boundaries of the parking stall sufficiently far in from the baseline that pedestrians would be unlikely to step on a painted logo. The weak point in this argument is that it would be unrealistic to think large logos would always be covered by a parked vehicle. In other words, is it possible to ever construct a perfect parking lot that would prevent a slip & fall accident from occurring? The purpose of putting the logo, specifically the large blue background for the logo, out in the traffic lane was simply to permit a handicap driver to see exactly where handicap stalls are. I didn't agree with SW's position because all you have to do to increase traction is add an appropriate amount of silica sand or similar traction grit.

Having given that as a background, I see 2 possibilities that depend on whether the attorney representing the woman is correct in saying she tripped or did she in fact slip on the pavement. If she truly tripped it would appear the striping contractor & the property owner/manager (PO/PM) bear the responsibility for not clearly identifying a tripping hazard. Of course if the contractor & PO/PM were following architectural blueprints regarding the area to be painted, then the architectural or engineering firm should be named as a party to the lawsuit.

If she slipped on the speed bump & the speed bump had been sealed with asphalt or coal tar emulsion sealer & no silica sand or other traction grit was mixed with the sealer, then obviously the sealcoater should be named as a party. Maybe the striping contractor also sealed the job.

Has everybody paid their general liability insurance premium lately???

For what it's worth, regardless of whether or not you consider yourself to be a consultant, per se, or make it a point to offer advice to PO/PMs, you would be well-advised to check with your insurance agent and see if a $400-$500 a year premium for consultants liability insurance would be a worthwhile expenditure.

From: MN striper
Date: 9/11/00 2:15:32 PM
Hmmmm, looks like some one is going to get a settlement, if it is protruding abruptly above the common surface of the pavement, such as speed bumps, CURBS, and not dolled up with a bit of yellow, the party suing has won every time that I have heard about, so for all the con artists, go and break an ankle on some unpainted asphalt curb some night and,...wait for the money. Oh, by the way I had a lady sue me because she slipped on painted curb that was being rained upon, it was yellow, she lost.

From: Fonz
Date: 8/20/00 9:58:24 PM
Now this I have first hand experience with !!!....Fonz got himself a lazy-liner this spring. On the very first job I had 25,000 feet of restripe to put down. Unfortunately about 10% of that was single stalls against stop blocks !!!...Well.....!!! Lets just say that with the new lazy-liner and my inexperience using it......I "Kissed" a stop block a little toooooooooooooooooooo hard !!! My poor 3500 was limping !! poor thing..I bent the front wheel support brackets about an inch !!....But it still painted a straight line. ..But when I turned a corner the front wheel was bet at about 20 degrees.....It looked like one of those "LOW-RIDERS" from Cino section of L.A. !!!!!.......Anyway......I contacted Graco...had em send me out the "Fat-track" retro kit.......its the best thing I ever did for my 3500.......honest to god the damn thing puts down a perfect straight line !!!!....You have to adjust it..but once adjusted its head and tails over the old front wheel......I think I paid about $375 for the retro kit....I know that’s a lot of money....but if you like straight lines, the retro kit is the way to go.

Here's a couple of other things I've added to the 3500 I believe should have been on the darn thing to begin with......#1...a ball valve instead of that "Hoaky thumb screw valve" they provide.....do yourself a real favor and change that piece of crap valve....#2...add a pressure gage to your filter housing...right on top...$42 from Graco....16 bucks from Northern Supply !!!I

 

Painting Parking Blocks

From: ElidaEve
Date: 10/2/00 12:44:15 AM
Is there an easy way of painting parking blocks. Have a bank with (71) blocks that need to be painted. Is there a cutout to mask for overspray. How many would you need to allow paint to dry, so as to not drip paint when moving to another block. Thank you

From: greg
Date: 10/2/00 6:44:13 AM
I would cut two or three out of poly, coroplast, cardboard, masionite, etc.... I did 30 light standards with one template, cut out on card board and paint dripping was not a problem.

From: Don
Date: 10/2/00 7:01:57 AM
PTM makes an adjustable poly parking block mask, available either here on Robert's site or my site. I know some folks need this type thing to start but in the long run practicing until you can do it without them will save tons of time, just like being able to paint curb sections that the machine can't get to by hand. I'd suggest caring one or two of those shields on a handle like housepainters use for edges too. They come in handy for lots of things like pieces of stripes the machine can't reach, curb tops, parking blocks etc. and are great for leaning against that car tire that's just a little to close to the stripe to prevent getting overspray on the tire.

From: BobbyTox
Date: 10/2/00 10:08:27 PM
Make you some cut outs out of Luann wood and measure it the same as the blocks and make them like a 90 degree angle on each end so you can paint the ends of the blocks then you can lay one on an end and another on the other and just have to move two pieces for each one. Use oil base and you wont have to worry about dripping or at least not as much.....

From: Fonz
Date: 10/3/00 1:24:56 AM
Tar paper is a cheap easy to cut template material....great for stop blocks ! My self I like to use the 203 tip Graco calls their "Sport Court Tip"......you can stand straight up and deliver a 3 inch spay pattern from 4 or 5 feet away. No more bending over !! I just love that tip, great for a lot of little projects.

 

Speed Bump or Striping regulations

From: Live Oak
Date: 10/18/00 11:21:47 AM
I would like to know if there are any regulations on how speed bumps should be painted or where I can find a list of parking lot regulations that may contain any info about speed bumps, (such as the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control)

From: bob@manhattanstriping.com
Date: 10/18/00 3:17:11 PM
Live Oak: The first place that I found information regarding striping within a parking lot was the city. Use the city codes at the public library to see if there are any set rules. Than check with the county inspector regarding question. This is were I have found most of the information to keep me out of trouble from. BOB

Note: these archives were compiled from past Parking Lot Planet Forums. The answers and opinions are those of the posters. Things may have changed since then, so be sure to get up to date information from the current Parking Lot Planet forum

Stenciling Curbs

Number stencils

Handicap Stencil Size

McDonald's Stencils

 

Stencils

From: Jefstripealot
Date: 2/12/00 8:38:25 AM
What is the best material from which to cut your own stencils. I have used plywood and 1/8" high density polyethylene. Any others?

In addition, using a "jig saw" to remove paint from wooden stencils dulls the blades in minutes. Any other suggestions?

 

From: Barknee
Date: 2/12/00 10:07:17 PM
I use coroplast

 

From: Robert
Date: 2/13/00 6:59:34 PM
I think poly is the best - cleans much easier than anything else I've tried. Sure don't need to use a jig saw!

 

From: Bob
Date: 3/2/00 7:31:12 AM
Robert is right poly is the best material for cutting your own stencils. You can get the material from most stencil companies in 4'x 8' sheets.

 

From: sdechene
Date: 2/22/00 6:35:40 PM
Some options for stencils:

1: 1/4 or 1/8 poly - Rub with a good surf wax before first use - Use care cleaning when cold and brittle

2: #20 gauge sheetmetal - 10-15 year durability - Heat and scrape to clean - Cut your own with small pneumatic jigsaw

3: 1/4" plywood - Inexpensive - Cut your own with standard jigsaw - Rub with thinner/motor oil mixture between cleanings - Heat and scrape to clean

 

From: Bev
Date: 6/8/00 9:20:14 AM
We use 1/4" puckboard which is durable and cleans quite easy with just a chisel.

 

Fire lane boxes

From: Ol'Dave
Date: 12/21/99 1:12:15 PM

In Amarillo, TX-they require a 2'x4',white fire lane box stenciled in red. They wear quickly since they are in the center of the traffic lane, any suggestions on how to make them wear longer? Happy Holidays!!

From: MI Striper
Date: 12/21/99 2:30:33 PM

You might want to try pre-formed thermoplastic. It's expensive but it will last longer than paint (especially since it won't be hit by snow plows all winter) and comes in a variety of colors. If you can get the property owners convinced and they will cough up the extra dough it might be a good option.

From: CW
Date: 12/22/99 9:26:39 AM

Try a good sealer over 'em. The sealer will wear before the paint. I've seen them last twice as long. Find someone with a good thermoplastic sealer. Don't use the home brands!

From: CW
Date: 12/22/99 12:11:38 PM

This goes back to an area of discussion posted a while back when we were discussing warranting our work. I found that if I can offer a little longer life of lines, legends, hc spaces, and even curbs, I can generate more interest at a little higher price. I get really tired of maintenance on fire lane boxes, stop bars, and cross walks. The sealer just gives it what I like to call " a wear shield" to extend the life. You might also find that it works well on curb applications where people step onto the curbs and also car stops.

This stuff will run you about 15 to 20 bucks a gallon so be sure to adjust your price if needed. Use it sparingly, apply it at about half the rate of your paint.

 

Low Density Polyethylene

From: Bobbytox
Date: 2/26/00 11:06:37 PM
What kind of store, supply house etc.....are the sheets of this stuff at so I can make some stencils and can you see through it to copy a stencil from pavement? I will order from Pavement tool if I have to but I need it quick.

 

From: Fonz
Date: 2/27/00 12:15:19 AM
call CadilacPlastic at 1-800-274-1000 They have about 8 warehouses across the US. Good luck...Fonz

 

From: JT
Date: 2/27/00 6:40:02 PM
I don't think you will be able to lift stencils using LDPE, it's translucent but not clear enough to be able to trace (maybe the 1/6" in. thickness). I've used tracing paper purchased at a art supply store, then transferred to roofing tar paper for stencils that I don't have. Just purchased some 1/8 in. LDPE, price has gone up, $37 per sheet.

 

From: Bookman
Date: 2/29/00 6:45:03 PM
Please post the current price of Cadillac plastic for each thickness. It shouldn't take more than 3 days to get your order. . .a great company. I've never seen a stencil I couldn't lift through LDP. Be sure to buy a flexible ruler at an office supply place to help you make well-rounded curves. They cost about $6. Knee pads are a good idea too, or something to kneel on. And watch out for traffic while you're bent over. In fact, watch out for EVERYTHING while you're bent over!

 

Stenciling Curbs

From: Ol Dave
Date: 5/4/00 7:31:12 AM
I just wanted to know how everyone else stencils curbs...I use a light plastic material and I currently cut my own stencils. They become less flexible with the added paint and begin to crack. Any info would be appreciated.

From: jimmy
Date: 5/4/00 8:43:21 AM
Ol Dave. I do my stencils. The same way. And I do not have good luck .

Would like to no a new way.

From: City
Date: 5/4/00 9:03:46 AM
Polyethylene works well and doesn’t crack. when the paint builds up just bend it and they're clean again. Use 1/16" thickness they're easier to cut your own.

From: Robert Liles
Date: 5/4/00 6:40:30 PM
I gave up cutting my own stencils a long time ago. The ready made stencils are so cheap that I can better spend my time painting or with family. A 4" no parking stencil is less than $15 in 1/16" poly and less than $25 in 1/8" poly. They last almost forever. We can make nice looking stenciled lettering even when the stencil does not fit a curved curb. Just use a smaller tip than you do for striping, and practice painting it in one smooth motion.

From: Ol Dave
Date: 5/5/00 3:20:53 AM
You're right, less than $15 to $25 is inexpensive. Fast Signs charged me $40 once when I was in a hurry and it almost lasted the day. My only concern is more time...my wife will want me to fix something and that would put us ahead of my 20 yr. plan for remodeling. Thanks!

From: Barknee
Date: 5/10/00 1:22:22 PM
What’s the hurry on the renovations! We use four inch paper/cardboard stencils made by Geostencil, then use a two inch ink roller. The ink is about thirty bucks but it lasts for ever. Ink roller never dries up and the stencils last for ever. They look great on a painted background and are ok even on bare concrete. The ink lasts!!!!

stencil tip

From: greg kennedy
Date: 5/9/00 4:31:22 PM
Will anyone suggest a tip I should use. I have a 2 gun titan 4000 and use one of the two guns, only for stenciling. Both guns have a TITAN STRIPING TIP #17. Should I stick with this tip, or should I change to another size or style. The titan seems to spray to heavy on the sides. Should I use a regular spray painting tip?

Thank You Greg Kennedy Stripe-it-up Ent.

From: City
Date: 5/9/00 5:46:54 PM
I'm not familiar with titan so I’m not sure how much help I can be but with my Graco I use the same 4" tip I’m using for a particular job. I always lower the pressure and hold the gun a foot or more above the stencil but that may vary depending on the type of stenciling. You may just have to try different tips and methods on your own to see what works best for you.

From: Ken stripespls.com
Date: 5/11/00 11:16:17 AM
Hurraaayyy for another Powrlinr user/lover to joint the board. We Spedflo users are tired of being in the minority here in this Graco pool :-) But, back to the question about stenciling; here's how I do it with a 4000. I seldom have more than 1 gun connected. Just unscrew the guard/tip and screw on another with a regular tip already in place. Change out is faster this way and doesn't damage the tips from tugging on them. Also, here in Texas, we have tons (miles) of firelane than needs to be stenciled with 4" FIRELANE NO PARKING at ~15ft intervals. I set the gun a little lower than the norm for striping and cut back on the pressure a slightly. With a few test passes on tar paper or board, you can regulate a nice pattern that will fit over the letters on the stencil strip and not overspray the edges. Utilizing 5-15 stencils allows me to get my son and some of his buddy's to shuffle stencils from behind me. Having numerous stencils allows them to dry before they are moved to the front. When the paint is applied just right, the paint is dry enough to allow the stencils to be stacked when moving them. On stenciling longer firelanes, I hook up the lazyliner. The helpers sometimes use rollerblades (with due discretion as to the job/location, of course) to keep up with me. Works great and super fast.

Ken

From: straight line
Date: 7/21/00 3:31:27 AM
I use an airless for line painting but an old air striper for stencils, works better since you can lower paint volume and still get a good fan. But you should never use latex paint for stencils since it dries so slow, I can get up to 200 shots with out having to clean my stencil this way.

 

Need help with number stencils.........

From: Bobbytox
Date: 5/26/00 9:26:13 PM
Hi everyone, I've got a job to do where I have to put down the numbers 1-250 some are double, i.e. 125 twice etc....The numbers are six inch and ill be going over the old ones...How do most of you pro's go about doing this efficiently and without too much of a mess.........thanks

From:
Date: 5/26/00 10:37:46 PM
make sure your stencils match the ones that are on the ground 1st, if not small black boxes will need to be used. we chalk a line on the end caps then set the stencils down to the chalk line place a piece of card board with a hole cut out in it, just big enough for the stencils to be covered leaving the # . it goes real quick with no mess no over spray

From: Fonz
Date: 5/26/00 10:52:57 PM
Good advise.......you need something for over spray, besides cardboard you can use heavy tarpaper or 1/4 inch plywood too

From: lkatz
Date: 5/27/00 2:13:44 PM
You'll also have to deal with the paint buildup on the stencils. An old piece of carpet works well to clean off the paint. Also, keep a scraper handy. If you have two or more sets of numbers, rotate between them. Loosen up your back and thigh muscles, cause you'll be doing a lot of bending and stooping. Have fun!

From: sdechene
Date: 5/27/00 3:36:40 PM
Not necessarily disagreeing with needing to black-out the old #'s, but if the new #'s are the same size, and similar in font, you may be able to just paint the new ones right on top of the old ones without worrying about legibility. It just kinda depends on how faded the old ones are and how closely they match. If your not sure, spray in one to test, and judge from about 10 feet away. As far as getting the job done, it depends on how many helpers you have to rotate the stencils. I start by running out all the stencils, and then telling my helper it's his responsibility to keep the secondary digits rotating. If your helper just drops the # as close as possible to where it needs to be placed, and makes sure that when the primary digit changes (like when going from 19 to 20) BOTH the 2 and the 0 are there, I’ve found it fastest to carry the primary digit to the next stall and line them up yourself. Obviously, if you have an extra helper, they can take over one of the duties such as carrying the primaries and setting up each number as you go. Then all you'll need to do is paint and move the machine. Chalk in new back-lines.

From: Robert Liles
Date: 5/27/00 5:36:10 PM
I had a lot to number from 0-1450 and I bought 7 sets of 0-9 and a set of the hundreds (1-14). Jpanz had a better idea, he bought 0-100. That way the stencils rotated out more evenly. Just be careful that your helpers don't place the wrong numbers. Make it a point to check each stencil for accuracy before you paint. It's easy to slip up when you have a lot of numbers to paint

From: jpanz
Date: 5/28/00 10:49:59 PM
As Robert said, I bought a set of 0-100, and 2 sets of 0-9. If you had to do over 100, you would use the number 11 and a set of single numbers to complete 111-119 only moving the number 11. Then you would use the 12 for 120-129 and so on. If you had 0-100 and 10 sets of 0-9 you could do 0-1000 with ease. Just make sure you stop to double check the guy who lays out the numbers for you. It sucks to get to 200 and find out you were off at number 75.

We scrape the wet stencils on a piece of cardboard and let it sit in the sun for 5 minutes to set up the paint. Don’t forget to scrape the backs also, or you will get little drops of paint next to the numbers.

Jim

From: Fonz
Date: 5/28/00 11:09:50 PM
Jim, Where did you get the 0 to 100 and how much? 1/16 or 1/8? Myself the 1/16 works fine for 12 inch stencils.

From: jpanz
Date: 5/29/00 9:17:59 PM
I ordered them through Robert Liles, e-mail him for the prices. All my stencils are 1/8 poly.

Jim

Number stencils

From: ohio joe
Date: 8/15/00 9:24:10 AM
Does anyone know of a stencil set that runs 0 thru 99? I have used single digit stencils in the past but am curious about double digit stencils. I have three school parking lots to stripe, and each will be numbered to the 600's and thought a double digit stencil would help. I know I can buy 11 single sets and tape them together, but want to know if other possibilities exist.

From: jpanz
Date: 8/15/00 12:23:11 PM
I purchased a set from Robert Liles. E-mail him for a price. They do make numbering much faster. I bought 0-100 and 5 sets of 0-9. It costs a lot but you should make it back fast.

Jim

From: bob
Date: 8/15/00 8:50:16 PM
I have the same problem with one of my parking lot areas. What I did was order 5 sets of double numbers from 00 thru 99 from a company called Flags and Signs. These additional sets of stencils allowed me to increase the number of sets that could be done at one time. Bob

From: Fonz
Date: 8/15/00 9:10:24 PM
Bob... 5 sets??.......how much did that set you back??

From: Bob
Date: 8/17/00 11:23:08 AM
To the question of how much the five sets along with five other sets of stencils ran me about 1,500. The cost was money well spent. I have the only stencils set large enough to do this job in the area, Plus now I don't have the cost layout in the future.

From: ATS
Date: 8/18/00 5:55:24 PM
The best way to do parking lot numbers is to use a set of stencils, 100 to 199. That way you can have 0 to 999 without much difficulty. A 12 inch set costs about 1450.00.

Let me know if you need one.

American signshop2000.

 

stencils

From: greg kennedy
Date: 3/27/00 6:29:59 AM
would anyone suggest a company that parking lot stencils.

Thank You Greg

 

From: MI Striper
Date: 3/27/00 7:39:04 PM
I have a stencil font on my print artist program which I print out on transparencies then use an overhead projector to enlarge them to any size I need/want. I've found it cheap and easy.

 

From: Fonz
Date: 3/27/00 8:47:15 PM
WOW!!!......been looking for that!!! Got a name of that software MI???????

 

From: MI Striper
Date: 3/28/00 9:26:11 AM
Fonz, the software is called Print Artist 4.0 It's made by Sierra. It came with my computer. I also checked Microsoft Word and it has a stencil font and a "stencilsans" font. If you have another word processor or graphics arts program, you might want to check them out for stencil fonts. Mike

 

From: MI Striper
Date: 3/28/00 9:32:34 AM
Hey Fonz, I bought my overhead projector at a State of Michigan surplus auction. I paid $10.00 for it. I lost you e-mail address or I'd e-mail you the info about the auctions. You can reach me at coyk@pathwaynet.com or through my website at www.lakesidestriping.com

 

From: robert
Date: 3/28/00 7:55:45 PM
Back when I had more time than money, I used to cut my own stencils out of plywood, but the time involved along with the cleaning problems convinced me that poly stencils are the only way to go. When you can clean a poly stencil by shaking off the dried paint, they seem like a bargain. They last a lot longer than any wood stencils too, unless you make them out of 3/4" marine plywood. And who wants to carry a 40 lb. stencil around a parking lot?

 

From: MI Striper
Date: 3/28/00 8:55:59 PM
Robert, I use poly stencils as well. I just happened to have a friend who works for a plastic company and I just give him the stencil pattern and he cuts them for me. I totally agree, poly is the way to go.

 

From: R & R LINE
Date: 4/14/00 12:19:40 AM
I found a 1/16" poly plastic while shopping at Menards. It's approx. $10.00 for a 4 by 8 sheet and worked very well for me. It is plenty flexible yet does not tear, and paint removal is easy too.

 

From: R & R LINE
Date: 4/24/00 4:56:42 PM
I got the material at MENARDS. It is a home improvement store. The material is actually used for bathtub/shower surrounds. Make sure to get the poly plastic and not the fiberglass. It comes in 4 by 8 sheets. I just bought more of it last week and converted the rest of my stencils. Works very very good for me.

 

From: Robert Liles
Date: 3/27/00 10:39:01 PM
If you get a Pavement Tools catalog, e-mail me with your order. I'll take 15% off the Contractors Price for fax or e-mail orders. Just e-mail robert@robertliles.com . Visa/MasterCard accepted.

 

From: pohsuwed
Date: 1/6/01 2:55:29 AM
I have never posted on this board as far as I can remember because I generally don't have anything great to say as I run a very small operation. However, on the topic of stencils, I would like to share with you all that I simply use the corrugated plastic that many temporary signs are made of. I purchase it at the sign shop for less than $10.00 for a 4x8 sheet, and use my Exacto knife to cut out whatever I want. It is very easy to use and hassle free.

 

 

Handicap Stencil Size

From: Bob
Date: 6/26/00 11:02:17 AM
Was just wanting some feed back in regards to the size of Handicap Stencils that others have found to be needed. The size I use is a 48", however I have been running across this stencil that is 7' wide and about 8.5' high. I keep seeing it on the blueprints for new job and at most of the state sites around here. Was just wondering if this oversized stencil is showing up else were. Bob

From: Don
Date: 6/26/00 12:59:23 PM
The biggest stencil I've seen is about 5 1/4 ft. x 6 ft. tall. Just a note to remind everyone there is no spec. in the ADA (which is a Federal law) for pavement markings. Pavement marking specs are usually owner preferences, local, or state requirements

From: Robert Liles
Date: 6/26/00 5:14:22 PM
Over the years I have seen handicap stencils on plans as large as nine feet high. After a couple of years creating odd ball stencils, I started telling them that the local inspectors like a 39" symbol on a 48" blue square, and now everyone's happy.

From: straight line
Date: 7/27/00 11:56:46 PM
state farm insurance has the big ones in Texas, and some fools paint the whole stall, would be like ice skating in the rain.

 

McDonald's Stencils

From: JT
Date: 10/7/00 4:45:51 PM
I'm bidding a group of McDonald's that have stencils that I can't locate. They are THANK YOU & DRIVE THRU. The letters are 35" H X 13" W with a 5 1/2" stroke. The letters are slightly tilted to the right "/". In looking at the font styles in my word program it seems to match Futura XBlkCnIt BT (whatever that is). Has anyone run across these stencils anywhere - hopefully that don't have to be custom cut? Thanks, JT

From: Robert Liles
Date: 10/7/00 6:40:20 PM
That's called Drive Thru Branding. McDonald's designed their own stencils for their parking lots. They are available from Robert Liles Parking Lot E-Quip. You need DRIVE THRU, THANK YOU, and the arrow. The red stripe doesn't require a stencil. Send me an e-mail at stripe@robertliles and I'll let you know how much. Include shipping address so I can figure shipping cost.

From: Jim
Date: 10/7/00 8:03:37 PM
I painted a chain of McDonald's last year. The store owner had a complete set of stencils. You might want to check and determine if another store owner has a set you could possibly borrow or rent for low cost.

click here to see the McDonald's stencils

Note: these archives were compiled from past Parking Lot Planet Forums. The answers and opinions are those of the posters. Things may have changed since then, so be sure to get up to date information from the current Parking Lot Planet forum

Spray tip size?

New Graco 3000

Supposed to have 3 inch line

 

SPRAY TIP SIZE?

From: NV (NIGHTVISIONS)
Date: 12/16/00 10:11:55 AM
How do I pick what size tips I will need to keep? I mainly plan on using LATEX but might try, and then switch to OIL or ALKYD. I plan on using 2 machines to start one stenciling, do I need to use different tips?

From: jpanz
Date: 12/16/00 10:03:21 PM
It all depends on how much paint you want to apply, some guys use 317 or 319, because of my lazyliner I only use 321 or 323 no matter oil or latex is doesn’t matter to me. Even if I was walk the machine I still would never use a 317.

Jim

From: Robert Liles
Date: 12/17/00 5:46:59 AM
start out with a 4-17, it will do it all. But you don't need 2 machines if your starting out. With an airless you can change from white to another color in 5 min and cleanout and change color in 10 min. Once you get the hang of it. This time of the year, latex takes too long to dry. Start out with alkyd or C.R. Good luck.

From: sdechene
Date: 12/18/00 5:44:25 PM
Once again, here are my tip size recommendations:

217 - Sport courts, detail or fine stenciling 319 - 4" lines on concrete or seal-coat, 8" and 12" stencils (one pass) 321 - 4" lines on new asphalt 421 - 6" lines 621 - 8" lines 721/23 - 10" to 12" lines

I pass these on as rule of thumb. You'll come to find your own preferences.

From: THE MICK
Date: 12/21/00 8:22:46 PM
ARE YOU USING A YELLOW 317 THAT IS DESIGNED TO PAINT 4 INCH TRAFFIC LINES OR A STANDARD 317 THAT SHOULD PAINT 6 INCH LINES WHEN MOUNTED AT THE PROPER HEIGHT? IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE CALL RAE PRODUCTS AT 1-800-397-1984 AND ORDER A YELLOW 317 TIP AND I THINK IT WILL WORK FOR YOU NO MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE PAINTING LATEX, CHLORINATED OR ALKYD. GOOD LUCK.

 

Supposed to have 3 inch line

From: Msweepinc@aol.com
Date: 12/17/00 8:04:57 PM
Can't figure out why my Lazerline striping machine is spraying out a 5-6 inch line when I'm using the 317 tip. I cannot move the tip any closer to the pavement. Anyone know what's up?

From: jpanz
Date: 12/18/00 10:45:49 AM
How thin is your paint. If it is like water, you will get a wide line no matter tip you use. Also, as others said change the tip and see what happens.

Jim

From: Cormac
Date: 12/18/00 11:52:40 AM
You may be able to flip over the "no tools" black adjustment bracket which will position the horizontal bar maybe 1 - 2 inches closer(the bar that the gun is mounted on). Other than that, I'm with jim that the paint may be reduced or just be too thin. I'm guessing its solvent based paint? If you have another tip 3XX tip, see if it sprays the same wider pattern. If it doesn't you may have a bad tip.

From: sdechene
Date: 12/18/00 5:32:12 PM
First thing to try: plug in another tip of the same size. Is the line width different now? I have come to find that, although labeled the same size, spray patterns will vary from tip to tip. The machining process used to make the tips is apparently not as uniform as it could be. Every once in a while you'll get what I call a "rogue" tip that doesn't spray the pattern you're expecting, straight from the package. I've purchased tips that have sprayed much wider or narrower than expected. Earlier this year, I opened up a new 321 whose paint output was more like a 317. Think I still have a 421 that sprays more like a 619. =P At any rate, this is a possibility. If this is the case, you should be able to return the tip to the place of purchase, for refund or exchange, should you decide it doesn't suit your needs.

From: me
Date: 12/19/00 12:23:03 PM
In thinking of your subject line and if you are looking for a 3 inch line, and are using a 317 tip. I use a 115 tip to get a 2 inch line and spray at a slower rate to get the coverage that I want. I use 219 to get a 4 inch line or smaller.

From: BUBBALARGE@AOL.COM
Date: 12/25/00 2:18:41 PM

This is the way that airless tips work. The first number of the tip indicates the line width. You must double the first number to know what width it is intended for. example 317 is for a six inch line a 217 is for a four inch line. The second two numbers indicate the size of the orifice or opening. the larger the number the more paint it will put down.Example, a 317 tip is for a six inch line with a light film coating, a 321 is six inch tip with a heavier film coating and a 329 would be a six inch tip with a heavy coating.

From: Fonz
Date: 12/25/00 11:30:03 PM
You're close Bubba.......That's what most stripers think about the first number......but in truth the first number stands for the angle of pattern spray in tens of degrees....a 319 is a 30 degree pattern.....a 419 is a 40 degree pattern and a 621 is a 60 degree pattern with a 0.019 orifice.....

From: Fonz
Date: 12/25/00 11:33:21 PM
oops..........that 621 was a 60 degree pattern with a 0.021 orifice

 

New Graco 3000

From: TEAMC
Date: 4/11/00 1:22:08 PM
I have a new Graco 3000 will be here tomorrow (I hope) and I need to be painting with it by Saturday,(big lot to do). Seeing as how I am a old "air head" and have never used a airless before, Can any of you give me advice on tip size and pressure to start with?

 

From: stripe
Date: 4/11/00 1:52:53 PM
tip size for new asphalt 219, for restripe 217 will work fine. Pressure should be turned slightly under half and check line for crispness. Add Pressure if needed. Good Luck

 

From: sdechene
Date: 4/14/00 6:40:57 PM
Not trying to start a debate, but would like to amend the suggestions for tip size. I prefer a 319 for restripe, sealcoat, and concrete; and a 321 for new asphalt.

 

From: Cormac
Date: 4/14/00 7:16:12 PM
If you have never striped airlessly before start with a smaller flow rate tip say a 317 until you feel completely comfortable with the machine. Then move up to a 319 and possible at some point up to a 321 for the fastest production. Lately I have had very good success using 419 and 421 tips for 4" lines when using very viscous, fastest dry waterborne paints (I do not need as much pressure to spread the line out). As far as pressure settings, gradually turn it up until the line quality improves. Solvent based paint should require 1/2 to 2/3 pressure and waterborne should be set in the 2/3 to full pressure.

Send mail to webmaster@parkinglotplanet.com with questions or comments about this web site.

Note: these archives were compiled from past Parking Lot Planet Forums. The answers and opinions are those of the posters. Things may have changed since then, so be sure to get up to date information from the current Parking Lot Planet forum Basketball court From: jpanz Date: 8/14/00 9:45:28 PM Does anyone have the layout for a half court that you can e-mail me with? Thanks Jim From: RRLINE Date: 8/14/00 10:09:23 PM We got our court dimensions from pioneer-mfg.com. They have a few sport court layouts. From: Randy Date: 8/15/00 8:43:29 AM Try going to the NBA web site. It seems that I got dimensions from their site last year when I had to paint 4 of them at a School   Basketball Court From: RP Parking@ AOL.com Date: 9/8/00 9:58:48 AM Striped everything from parking lots to warehouses finally got cornered into doing a basketball court, a contractor sealed it and could not stripe it. What do I need to do the job. Your input and experience is greatly appreciated. From: Robert Liles Date: 9/10/00 7:18:27 AM We do a lot of basketball courts. On concrete or other smooth surfaces, we use a line taping machine. This makes it easy to mask the straight lines and curves. Sometimes we do courts on asphalt using just our airless machine with a small tip.   Football Field From: LazerLiner Date: 9/8/00 10:22:54 AM We are about to stripe and stencil our first football field. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions? The grass is new sod, so we don't expect too many ruts. The school purchased 6' stencils and arrows for the field. What is the best way to "tackle" this one??? Thanks From: Fonz Date: 9/9/00 1:20:42 AM I did a practice field 4 weeks ago....it didn't have to be perfect, but I tried my best to make it that way. #1 get a book with the correct layout dimensions. The field is 160 feet by 320 yards. 160feet, not 50 yards. Your layout should include hatch marks which I believe are 53feet 4 inches from the sides....#2 Use an athletic field paint. Sherwin Williams has one. You may open yourself up to law suits otherwise. Players could ingest the paint. #3 IT HAS TO BE PERFECTLY SQUARE...good luck, Fonz From: Don Date: 9/9/00 11:29:24 AM This is one place where compressed air machines do a lot better job because their low pressure lets the paint fall on the grass. Airless machines like most of us use can blow the paint right off the grass into the dirt. You may want to experiment a little to find the combination of lower pressures and different tip sizes for best results with an airless. We did a couple of fields a few years ago and it took us some trial & error there. I also hope you've got a self propelled or a strong back, you'll need it. (One of the main reasons we quit doing them) From: sdechene@hotmail.com Date: 9/12/00 12:26:08 PM Fonz is right. First, get the correct layout. If the goal post are in, or at least have position holes, that's where you begin (with your center-line). Otherwise, you can use the running track, if they have one, to begin by finding the points at which the radiuses break and measuring back to find the center of the known universe. Do this on both sides, string across, and you'll have your 50 yard line. Do your layout for all your painted lines by pulling in string lines and marking on top with a spray can. The don't expect the lines to be perfect, but they do like them as straight as is reasonably possible. Prepare the legs for a work-out pushing in grass. ;-) When your ready to drop in the numbers and hash marks (yard markers), string a line down the length of the field, tight and super straight, at the proper measurement that will allow you to place the edge of the stencils along that string. As for paint, Fonz is correct again - Non-toxic. But, one practice that is widely used is to mix weed killer into the paint (grass goes away, lines remain). I'm not a big fan of dumping 5 gallons of Round-Up on the ground, but like I said, a lot of facilities do it. Hope this helps. Lemme know if you have any more questions. From: Robert Date: 10/7/00 6:55:15 PM I have done several football fields on parking lots for high school bands to practice on this year and I just got something I should have had all along. The hash mark stencils. I now have two of the Pavement Tools Co. dash mark kits (S-6070M) and they save a lot of time. Now we only have to mark every 15 feet and then just lay down and spray the stencil for the hash marks. It aligns with the 5 yard marks and is a lot easier than pushing and pulling the striping machine for all those 1 foot long lines. Here's a plug - I can sell them at 15% off contractor prices. E-mail me at stripe@robertliles.com.   Tape Machine From: Dennis Date: 5/23/00 10:50:31 AM We are just starting with the taping. We are looking to buy a machine but I need to know what the tape costs and how much of it you need to do a full size tennis court. How Long does it take? where do I get the tape? etc... From: Robert Liles Date: 5/23/00 3:40:23 PM Check out the Game Court page on this site - you'll see that regular 2" masking tape is used. We always use fresh tape from Sherwin willy, and not the cheapest tape. BTW - the Demo tape machine I advertised is sold, but we have new ones for $449.00. See the Discussion Group Welcome page for info. From: City Date: 5/24/00 11:57:25 AM Where would I obtain Basketball and Tennis Court Specs for new layout? anyone?... anyone?... From: Gazza Date: 5/24/00 4:59:10 PM We have painted in excess of 500 courts, in the last 3 years, 70 odd so far this year. We use 1 1/2" tape On average we use just under 8 rolls per court. For Tennis do all long lines first, and netball Tape a long line and a cross line saves the need for changing tape midway thru a line. From: straight line Date: 7/24/00 11:01:50 PM if you have a new computer try the encyclopedia that came with it, think it's called Encarta or something   Tennis Courts From: JR Date: 10/12/00 2:41:28 AM Got a Question for anyone who has re-painted a Tennis Court. What kinda paint do you use? Its a concrete court. How long does it take ? What is the going rate for a court? Robert Got any tape guns left? Thanks From: Robert Liles Date: 10/12/00 6:59:47 AM What kind of surface did the court have? Some have a cushioned surface that should be re-coated with a similar product. Sealmaster is a source. For more info go to http://www.ustctba.com/default.htm Others are simply painted or stained. We have painted lines on both. An acrylic paint is best for cushioned surfaces.. We have stained new concrete for tennis courts. Product such as H&R Concrete stain or Technical Coatings stain. And yes we have tape machines available for immediate shipment. E-mail me at stripe@robertliles.com. Price? Couple hundred to stripe. Re-coating, depends.   Robert's nifty tape machine From: Line-Tech (Iowa boy) Date: 12/10/99 12:30:08 PM Does anyone know where I can purchase a tape machine similar to the one in Robert's sport court section? I’ve checked all of my catalogs and cannot locate one. Is it something I can get locally? Thanks again, Matt   From: CW Date: 12/10/99 1:58:24 PM I use one that I bought from ww graingers. Its a lane marker but I also use masking tape with it. I bought it for a Sear's Automotive shop I had to stripe with vinyl tape. Robert's is better because I think you can use double rolls. Hurry Robert, we're both interested now!   From: Robert Liles Date: 12/10/99 6:00:13 PM If you can wait a little while, I should get some. I paid nearly $700 for mine about 6 years ago, but I am trying to get a much better price than that. And it does put down two strips of 2" tape so you can paint between them for a sharp line. We used it yesterday on a skating rink floor. With it, two of us can layout and paint the markings on a full court basketball court including 3 point lines in about three hours.   From: Date: 12/11/99 7:46:34 AM Robert, Is it adjustable for spacing, 2" line, 3" line, 4" line? Does it have an adjustable removable bar for laying out circles? Can more then one size of tape be used? Is it made out of aluminum or plastic?   From: Robert Date: 12/11/99 10:02:49 AM Mine is not adjustable for line width, It comes with a pivot and radius rods for up to 12' circles. I can't remember if 3 point line is a option. I made a pivot system out of 1/4" cable for making large circles and arcs. Mine has guides for 1" and 2" tape. The thing is made out of solid aluminum. I have never had to repair or replace any part.   From: JT Date: 12/11/99 6:27:45 PM Do you use electric pumps for warehouses, gyms, etc. or do you use aerosol sprayers. I haven't done any of this type of work.   From: Robert Date: 12/12/99 8:30:36 AM I have always used an airless sprayer with gasoline engine for interior marking. What with paint fumes and all, who's worried about a little CO?   From: gazza Date: 12/14/99 3:28:23 AM we operate a nifty tape machine identical to robert's to ensure that perfect edge. What we do have trouble with however is finding a suitable way of spraying water based acrylics without getting any spray drift. The use of alkyd or any solvent based paints is outlawed here because of the damage caused to asphalt after time. We have tried homemade spray guards but then get drips from the build up, and lowering the pressure results in tracking. any suggestions???   From: Robert Date: 12/14/99 6:39:45 AM We spray waterborne paint with no overspray past the 2" tape width. In fact, the only time I can remember getting any visible overspray was with black alkyd. Maybe you need to try another brand of paint. By the way, we like the new 1952D waterborne paints for parking lots, but we can also use chlorinated rubber alkyd on new asphalt with NO damage to the pavement. Don't state this "damage" myth as if it's a fact everywhere   From: Date: 12/14/99 8:28:08 PM What brand of 1952D waterborne do you use??????   From: Robert Liles Date: 12/14/99 8:50:09 PM Sherwin-Willy. I would like to try others to see if they are similar, but haven't had the time...   Sport Taper From: Sprayman110 Date: 10/31/00 3:12:24 PM What is the secret? What kind of tape is best to use? It works on straight lines. Circles or radius work is a different story. The tape wants to curl up on the outside edge. Joe From: Robert Date: 10/31/00 9:54:15 PM Some brands of tape are more flexible than others. But, if you need to tape short radii, try one inch tape, and then lay two inch around it by hand. Another thing that can cause the tape to curl is if there's something wrong with the surface that keeps it from bonding.   Another Football Field Question From: LazerLiner Date: 9/14/00 10:13:15 AM Thanks for the tips on my first football field question. Does anyone have an estimate on how much paint (sw athletic field paint) it takes to do a football field with 6' stencils? The field is new sod with no paint on it yet...Thanks From: Fonz Date: 9/15/00 1:47:30 AM About 7 gallons   the taper From: mikey@noahsmail.com Date: 9/29/00 11:16:14 AM Robert, Bob from Manhattan Striping purchased one of your outstanding taping machines, and I had the privilege of using it for the first time the other day and I must give credit, where credit is due. The only thing is, does it come in a model that is about 12" taller for the more professional people that don't like to do a lot of bending? From: Robert Date: 9/29/00 4:56:39 PM I wondered about the height of the thing, but after careful consideration, I think it's about right. You are bent over, but your weight is supported by your arms and transferred to the machine. So it's not like your back is in a bind. With this attitude, the machine is very stable, you can sight down the line better, and you seem to have better control of the machine.