Can You Stripe Parking Lots in the Winter?
The condition of your parking lot can either hurt or help your business. As part of your property’s overall curb appeal, an aesthetically pleasing parking lot can attract business, and an unsightly one can repel it. However, when you improve your parking lot’s aesthetics, you typically improve its safety as well. If your visitors can quickly identify parking spaces, traffic flow patterns, and crosswalks, they will not be as distracted and confused. Whether driving a car, riding a motorcycle or bicycle, or walking across your parking lot, your visitors will be safer. If your markings are worn or damaged, you may be wondering about the feasibility of having your contractor refresh your parking lot striping in the winter.
Is It Possible to Have My Las Vegas Parking Lot Striped in the Winter?
In some parts of the country, winter weather makes it impossible to apply parking lot or road striping. Some areas are typically blanketed in snow before autumn has officially ended, and other areas that may receive little snow may experience daytime highs that are well below freezing. Snow and freezing temperatures can prevent contractors from applying parking lot or road markings. On the other hand, a few places in the country have weather conditions that permit striping and marking almost year-round. The Las Vegas area lies somewhere between the two extremes. During a typical winter, there will be some days on which your contractor can successfully repaint your parking lot, but there will also be some days on which your contractor cannot even apply thermoplastic striping and markings. Several factors can influence the advisability of striping your parking lot in the winter.
What Factors Must Contractors Consider When Striping Parking Lots in the Winter?
One factor that must be considered is the type of paint you want. There are several different types, and each has a minimum temperature requirement for application. Depending on the paint, the minimum temperature is somewhere between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature of your parking lot’s surface and the air temperature must meet the minimum requirement. Another important consideration involves the other services you need to have performed before the striping application. For example, it is common to have asphalt sealcoating applied before striping and marking your parking lot. Sealcoat is a very demanding product, and sealcoating projects can fail if the temperature is not above 50 degrees Fahrenheit when the sealant is applied until at least 24 hours have elapsed. Another major consideration is the likelihood of rain. Although the area does not usually receive a substantial amount of rain, during a typical year, there are more rainy days in the winter than during any other season. The average relative humidity levels can also spike during the winter, and there are fewer hours of daylight. Paint and sealcoating both rely on evaporation for drying and curing, and evaporation rates are impacted by temperature, humidity, and sunlight.
Contact Us for Exemplary Parking Lot Maintenance
Affordable Striping & Sealing serves clients in the Las Vegas Valley with many pavement-related services, including parking lot striping, traffic sign, and bumper block installations, road markings, asphalt sealcoating, parking lot layout, and design, and asphalt crack repair. We are known for our high-quality work, exemplary customer service, and integrity. If you would like to learn more about maintaining your parking lot or request a free quote, you can either call 702-222-9009 or submit the online form.
