Road marking paints are often the talk of the town. They are expensive and thus there is a debate that what is the purpose of investing in them.
So let’s explore what road marking paints are and if they play an important role in road safety!
What are road marking paints?
Road marking paints are commonly known as thermoplastic road marking paints. It is a paint that tends to become hard and much more durable as it dries. Thermoplastic paints are water-based paints. They are made with fillers, minerals, and resins which make them flexible and mighty. The thermoplastic paint is much suited for roads and areas such as fireplaces as they have a longer life and are resistant to heat, water, and harsh weather. As roads are exposed to dirt, water, humidity, and sunlight, it is viable to invest in quality thermoplastic paint that will be cost-effective and durable.
A high-quality thermoplastic paint does not chips off or fades away easily. It has a longer life than the normal paint and thus is best suitable for highways, roads, pedestrian walking, and other areas such as Playgrounds markings, and fireplaces.
Why should roads be painted with road marking paints?
It is not important to only build good roads for the safety of passengers, pedestrians, and drivers. It is equally important to paint them with road marking paints.
The reason is that the roads need to be defined. We often see yellow bright paint on the sides of the roads marking the limits within which the drivers have to walk. White paint is usually used to mark pedestrian walking and a zebra crossing is painted for pedestrians who wish to cross the road. Thus, not only drivers are made aware of the road width they have to stay within for safe driving, but also pedestrians get to know where they can walk and from where they can cross the road.
Thermoplastic paints become even more important for highways. Highways are roads with heavy traffic. On a usual highway, you would see a number of vehicles ranging from bikes, trucks, buses, and cars. Thus, with a heavy flow of traffic and that too of various vehicles, highways need to be marked with road safety paints.
These road marking paints allow all vehicles to drive in lanes. Also, overtaking on highways can be crucial if lanes are not marked. Below is an illustration of how road safety paint makes traffic organized and reduces road accidents.
Similarly, roads that are painted on the sides, give the driver a sense of their driving capacities i.e. how much area he has for driving, and in case he is driving at night, he knows that he shall not go beyond the limits. This enhances road safety. Here is an illustrations by TSS:
Accordingly, quality thermoplastic paint is reflective at night and will allow the driver to not hit the sides and stay on the road. Thus quality thermoplastic paint is important and beneficial for road safety.
What are the properties of quality thermoplastic paint?
- Non-chipping
- Highly durable
- Strong and flexible
- Long-lasting
- Cost-effective
- Shiny, reflective, and bright in color
- Machined painting gives a professional look
- Easy to touch-up
- Easy to remove
Why does Thermoplastic paint requires special machinery?
To apply thermoplastic paint, it is important to use the right equipment. A special machine is used to spray the powdered thermoplastic paint on the roads. This is because of heat for melting and for an even coat. The machine is able to spray the paint evenly on the surface and heat it to make it durable and dry it.
Why is Thermoplastic paint expensive?
Thermoplastic paint is more expensive than ordinary paint as it is made with additional materials which make it unique and much more durable. Roads are exposed to high use, and harsh weather conditions, and are in dire need of road safety paint. With ordinary paint, you might think you have saved money, but that will be costly as ordinary paint will last a few months and would not be effective in dark. Yet on the other hand, the thermoplastic paint will be long-lasting and will serve the purpose of road safety!
How To apply road safety paint?
- Clean the surface, make sure it’s dry
- Use a primer on the surface
- Apply the first coat through a special machine
- Reapply when the coat is dry for best results.
- Always seek professional quality paint!
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