HOW TO USE – TRAFFIC PAINT APPLICATION
 

• • TRAFFIC PAINT APPLICATION
• • APPLICATION RATES – QUANTITY NEEDED
• • DRYING TIME
• • WEATHER CONSIDERATIONS
• • THINNER
• • SHELF LIFE

TRAFFIC PAINT APPLICATION

Time and Surface Considerations

According to the Florida Dept. of Transportation Standard Specifications (1991) Section 710-6.1, newly placed driveway or parking surfaces, whether asphaltic or concrete, shall NOT be marked with permanent pavement parking prior to 30 calendar days after placement of the final surface. This applies to all kinds of paint formulations, including oil, rubber, or acrylic latex-based.
 

Traffic Paint Application to Concrete

Whenever applying paint to concrete, especially for the first time, because of the possibility that there may be various additives in the concrete or sealers that may have been put onto the concrete surfaces, it is recommended that one always put down a test stripe and allow it to properly cure, to be sure there is complete compatibility and adhesion between the surface and the paint.
 

Traffic Paint Application to Asphalt Surfaces

New asphalt pavement surfaces must "cure" a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to the application of any permanent paint lines or markings.

When applying Traffic Safety Marking Paint over a freshly applied asphalt-emulsion sealer, always wait at least 24 hours for the sealer to cure properly prior to applying any paint.

In order for applied paint lines and markings to dry rapidly, so that traffic lanes will not be out of service any longer than necessary, fast drying (i.e. rapid evaporation) of solvents from the applied paint is desirable and therefore rapid drying solvents are required, for example, in government specification traffic paints.

However, whenever a paint containing a rapid drying solvent (including government specification traffic paint) is applied to asphaltic-based pavement "sealer", there is a possibility the black or dark brown pigments in the coal-tar asphaltic base of the "sealer" may migrate into the freshly applied paint, because of its rapid drying solvent, resulting in a discoloration of the traffic paint line or marking on the highway or parking lot surface. The discoloration may cause "white" lines to appear "brown" and "yellow" lines to appear "orange". The discoloration does NOT mean there is anything wrong with the paint specification or formulation.

To avoid the occurrence of the above condition, many knowledgeable traffic paint applicators recommend that only acrylic latex traffic paint which is water-thinned (not solvent-thinned) should be used on freshly applied asphalt pavement "sealers". Since the solvent (water) in an acrylic latex traffic paint generally will not cause the pigment in the fresh "sealer" to migrate into the fresh paint, usually there should be no discoloration of the painted lines or marking when acrylic latex traffic paint is applied to these "sealed" surfaces.
 

A Note of Caution:

It is unwise to apply too thick a coat of a good quality acrylic latex (water-thinned) traffic paint over a poor quality and/or not fully cured fresh asphalt surface. Too heavy a coat of paint can cause the asphalt to separate (pull away from itself) and curl whenever the coherent (internal) strength of the paint film, plus the adherent strength of the paint film to the asphalt surface is greater (stronger) than the coherent (internal) strength of the asphalt to itself.

APPLICATION RATES

All properly formulated traffic paints made to government specifications will cover up to 100 sq. ft. per gallon, at a normal wet film thickness of 0.015 inch (15 mils), assuming a perfectly smooth, non-porous surface.

The actual coverage will be considerably less on rough, textured and/or porous surfaces, in which case more paint must be used to develop the required minimum 15 mils wet film thickness.

Highway Striping – Quantity Needed

Parking Lot Striping – Quantity Needed

DRYING TIME

The drying times of SOMAY Traffic Safety Marking Paints vary according to each specification. For example, SOMAY's paint made to Federal Specification TT-P-1952E will dry in approximately 15 minutes. Florida Dept. of Transportation Specification Traffic Paints will dry in approximately 30 minutes, and SOMAY Specification Acrylic Latex Traffic Paints will dry in approximately one hour.

WEATHER CONSIDERATIONS

No paint should be applied when any moisture is present on the surface to be painted or when the ambient air temperature is below 50° F., or when there are poor drying conditions and/or the possibility of precipitation or dew within an hour after application or before the paint can properly dry and cure.

THINNER

All SOMAY traffic paints are formulated to be applied full strength, as manufactured by SOMAY, without thinning. When any paint is thinned, diluted or otherwise adulterated with any foreign material, it drastically reduces the serviceable life of the applied paint because it reduces the percentage of solids in the formulation, which will adversely affect such properties as adhesiveness or bonding, hiding, coverage, and the durability of the applied paint, which will be evidenced by powdering, chalking, fading and premature failure.

TRAFFIC PAINT SHELF LIFE

Solvent-thinned Traffic Safety Marking Paints should normally NOT be kept in storage more than 6 months (180 days) under ideal storage conditions. Water-thinned paints normally may be stored for one year or longer, but MUST be protected from freezing temperatures. Paint should always be stored in a protected area, never outside where it is exposed to direct sunlight or inclement weather.