Parking lots have become an essential part of life in modern America. From workers commuting to downtown offices to residents shopping for groceries, nearly everyone uses a personal vehicle to satisfy at least some of their transportation needs. With so many cars and trucks on city streets, most communities cannot supply enough on-street parking to meet the demand. Since parking lots offer a safer alternative anyway, they are a win-win solution. However, the safety factor can be negatively impacted if you do not maintain your parking lot striping.

What Is Parking Lot Striping?

When most people think of lot striping, they only envision the lines that define each individual parking space. However, a striping company will also install pavement markings. Depending on your specific lot, pavement markings can include crosswalks, stop bars, directional arrows, and other informational symbols. The pavement striping and markings that identify handicapped parking spaces are also among the most important group of stripes and symbols in your parking lot.

How Do Stripes and Marking Affect Parking Lot Safety?

Correctly sized parking stalls help ensure that drivers allow a suitable distance between their vehicles and those in the adjacent spaces. This helps reduce the likelihood of dents inflicted by the doors of the neighboring cars. Professional lot striping and marking also helps confusion and distractions, reducing the likelihood of accidents.

How Long Does Parking Lot Striping Last in the Houston Area?

There are several factors that affect the longevity of pavement striping. These include the number of vehicles that drive across the stripes and markings, the type of material that the striping company used, and the condition of the pavement. However, to give you a rough idea, painted lot striping typically lasts between 18 and 24 months, and thermoplastic markings can last two or three times as long.

Besides Age, What Will Require a Parking Lot Re-Stripe?

The passage of time is not the only thing that can tell you need to call your striping company.

1. If the painted lines and markings in your parking lot begin to peel, flake, blister, or crack, you should call your pavement striping contractor for advice. Depending on how widespread the problem is, you may need a complete striping procedure or just a touch-up.
2. If you apply parking lot sealcoating, you will need to redo your stripes and markings. Asphalt sealcoating is opaque, so it will cover your line striping and markings. It is very common for a sealcoating contractor to also offer striping services, and this can make things easier on you.
3. If you notice that your stripes and markings have lost more than 25% of their original visibility, you should re-stripe. Your lot striping cannot serve its purpose if it becomes too faded to see.
4. If you find damage from oil leaks, abuse, pavement cracks, or other sources, you may need to ask your striping company for a touch-up.

Marathon Solutions is a full-service paving company with an exemplary reputation. Our services include lot striping and re-striping, asphalt sealcoating, thermoplastic markings, asphalt crack repair, concrete repair, asphalt paving and resurfacing, asphalt repairs, asphalt milling, pavement repair, parking lot maintenance, bollard installation, marking removal, parking lot signs, concrete installation, and concrete ADA work. We also install concrete curbs, concrete sidewalks, concrete ramps, and concrete parking lots. We are committed to providing every customer with exceptional results and exemplary service. If you would like to request a free quote, you can complete the online form, call 800-879-1147, or email Sales@Marathon-Solutions.com.