What’s the Difference between Thermoplastic and Cold Paint Line Striping?

Whether you need to repaint your parking lot or determine what type of pavement marking paint or material is best suited for your specific use, we can help. This guide to the most appropriate pavement marking material along with the information about the various projects will help you move forward with your next project and make informed decisions for the best results.

THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL

Thermoplastic paint material is mainly composed of synthetic resin, glass beads, colored pigments, timber fillers, and other additives. At room temperature, it is a solid powder. The thermoplastic material is usually melted in a thermoplastic preheater, before being transferred into the material tank of a line marking machine.

Thermoplastic road marking paint, also called hot melt marking paint, is a kind of powder paint. When applied as road surface markings, a hot melt kettle is used to heat it to 200 °C (392 °F), after which it is sprayed on the road surface.

The Thermoplastic marking cures quickly and adheres strongly to the road surface. Thermoplastic material is most commonly produced in yellow and white. The white mainly contains titanium white, zinc oxide, lithopone, while the yellow is mainly heat-yellowing lead. The particle size of the material influences the flow, sedimentation and also the surface processing. Glass beads are mixed in or applied to the surface in order to improve the visibility at night and improve brightness and durability of the marking. The glass beads are colorless, and function as retroreflectors.

These lines can be made with a thick layer, as a profiled structured marking, to produce a rumble strip effect.

Advantages of thermoplastic

• Superior reflection values
• UV light will degrade the road marking surface, enabling new glass beads to appear on the line surface
• Short drying time. No need for cones
• Spray up to 2 mm Speed up to 20 km/h
• Many types structured markings, 2-10 mm layer. Speed up to 5 km/h
• Environmentally-friendly – less evaporation to surroundings
• Easy cleaning

Application:Thermoplastic marking is mainly used for the road surface, suffered by the sun and the rain, the snow and ice,and damaged by the quantities of vehicle, so it requires lines with high performance.

DP-3200LB Ride-on Thermoplastic Line Striper, Line Driving Booster Marking Machine

COLD PAINT for PARKING LOT LINE STRIPING

Paint consists of three main components: pigments, resins or binders, and water or solvents. Pigments are finely grounded materials that give out colors or block out the surface beneath it. They may contain other materials such as UV stabilizer, and fillers which bring out the color pigments to the required level. Resins or binders are the glue of the paint to bind pigment and glass beads together to the road surface. The pigments and resins are mixed with water for water-based paints and solvents for solvent-based paints so that they can be applied onto the road surface.

Solvents that are used can be naphtha, toluene, methanol, methylene chloride, and acetone. Sometimes glass beads are mixed in with the paint.

Also, a separate bead gun is used to spray glass beads on to the wet paint during the application. Due to environmental concerns,

The cold line paint is normally applied by airless sprayer with high pressure, such as DP line striper machines contains one gun or 2 guns, or one line or double line.

After application, drying time of the different paints differs, cones and traffic management might be needed.

Advantages

• Environment-friendly – fewer problems for nature and operators
• Economical: 400 – 1000 g/m2
• UV – and weather will tear and wear on marking enabling new glass beads to appear on the surface
• Easy cleaning with water or vegetable oil
• High-speed application – above 20 Km/h

Application:cold paint marking are mainly applicated to factory district road marking, factory parking lot,underground garage crossing, school area road marking, living area marking and other construction projects.

DP-LC860 Hydraulic powered piston linemarker

DP-6335L Roadline Marking Machine 

Here are the most highly recommended solutions for three common traffic paint projects:

1. PAINT FOR PARKING LOTS

As you consider options for your parking lot project, you want to choose a long-lasting parking lot line paint. Water-based paints offer several advantages that have made them the top choice for parking lot paint. They offer a low-cost, fast-drying and environmentally-friendly option. Since most parking lots don’t experience the abrasive use of highways or raceways, this simple option is often the go-to product for parking lot painting.

It’s important to note that harsh climates could be the exception to this rule — for instance, colder areas that experience low winter temperatures.

X-6L Grass Line Marking Machine, Football Pitch Line Marking Machine

2. BEST HIGHWAY PAINT

For highways, you need a durable paint that will withstand high speeds and harsh use. Thermoplastic and epoxy are the best options, as they offer a reliable, durable result that will last longer than other solutions.

3. PAVEMENT PAINT FOR BACKROADS

While some may argue backroads don’t need paint at all, these roadways must still adhere to traffic laws. Since they’re less traveled, backroads don’t need pavement marking to be as durable. Traditional water-based paint is typically sufficient — however, keep reflectivity issues in mind. Backroads are often poorly lit compared to main roads, and reflectivity is a key safety component. Make sure your contractor is testing reflectivity and applying the appropriate glass beads and at the correct specification application rates for optimum reflectivity. Again, check your local regulations for these guidelines.