There are virtually no commercial, residential, or industrial enterprises that do not need to compete for customers, tenants, clients, or employees. Being competitive is not necessarily just about pricing, amenities, niche services, or employee perks. You must compete on many levels, including providing a welcoming, safe, comfortable environment. Your curb appeal plays an important role in the creation of the right environment, and your parking lot is a critical part of your curb appeal. However, your parking lot needs to have neat, highly visible pavement markings to contribute to your environment, curb appeal, and success.
Why Do Parking Lot Pavement Markings Matter?
Pavement markings serve a variety of functions. They bring order to your parking lot, make it safer, enhance its aesthetics, and satisfy your legal obligations. Since the first thing people see when approaching your business is usually your parking lot, you want it to make a favorable first impression on them. Whether you know it or not, most people are heavily influenced by their first impressions of a business when forming a perception of the business, the value of its services or products, and its emphasis on the comfort and safety of its patrons, visitors, and employees.
What Does the Category of Pavement Markings Include?
Basically, everything that is painted on your parking lot pavement could be classified as Birmingham pavement markings. These include your original asphalt striping and your parking lot restriping as well as stenciled markings, traffic arrows, crosswalks, ADA markings, and stop bars. It can also include your curbs, light pole bases, bollards, and verbiage.
What Is the Difference Between Birmingham Parking Lot Striping and Parking Lot Restriping?
Parking lot striping typically involves the initial application of the lines and markings. Striping contractors will usually work with each client to create a parking lot layout that meets the client’s goals and simultaneously complies with all relevant laws. Parking lot restriping is the subsequent application of lines and markings, which may utilize the previous layout or incorporate a new design. Either way, striping contractors will outline the individual parking spaces, apply all necessary markings, and paint curbs or other features.
What Are ADA Pavement Markings?
The Americans with Disabilities Act is a set of federal laws requiring any business that is open to the public to provide equal amenities, opportunities, and access to people with a disability. One section of the ADA is devoted to parking lots. This section covers a variety of details, including the number of accessible spaces, their sizes, and their location. It also covers how the accessible spaces are to be identified, the size of their adjacent access aisles, and the acceptable slope of accessible pavements. In addition, the ADA covers accessible paths of travel, the removal of obstacles in accessible routes, and the condition of pavements in accessible pavements, access aisles, and accessible routes. Although some states and cities have codes that exceed the federal ADA, it is illegal for them to enact laws that do not comply with the minimum requirements of the ADA. The Birmingham ADA laws do not contradict the federal ADA. Due to the complexity of the ADA, it is important to hire an experienced, knowledgeable contractor to provide your parking lot striping service to ensure compliance.
What Birmingham Pavement Markings Are Stencils?
Technically, you could consider any marking that is created by applying paint over a movable template as a stenciled marking. The stencils with which people are most familiar are the ones used to mark parking spaces that are reserved for people with disabilities. The category can also include letters for marking curbs that are reserved for certain people or that indicate no-parking zones or fire lanes. Other stencils that striping contractors may use include traffic arrows, oversized letters for painting words on the pavement, or numbers to provide an easy way to identify an assigned parking space.
How Often Is New Parking Lot Striping Needed in Birmingham?
There are many factors that can affect the longevity of parking lot striping in Birmingham. The age of your pavement, the type of paint, and the number and type of vehicles that use your parking lot can all have an impact. On average, asphalt striping has a life expectancy of two to three years in the Birmingham area. However, you may require fresh pavement markings and line striping sooner than that.
- If you sealcoat your asphalt parking lot, you will need to reapply your Birmingham parking lot striping and pavement markings. Sealcoating obscures asphalt striping and markings. Therefore, many sealcoating contractors are also striping contractors, which can simplify matters for you.
- You will need a parking lot striping service if the visibility of your stripes and markings declines to less than 75% of their original vibrance. People must be able to easily and quickly identify your Birmingham pavement markings and stripes if they are to be useful.
- If your pavement markings and lot striping in Birmingham suffer damage, you should repaint the affected areas. If you are not due for a complete restriping, it may be possible to quickly touch up just the damaged lines or markings.
- If you discover that your Birmingham parking lot striping does not comply with the ADA, you should call for a new layout and parking lot striping service to remedy the issue. Otherwise, you could be leaving yourself vulnerable to fines or lawsuits.
The Surface Masters can assist you with your Birmingham pavement markings, parking lot restriping, and ADA compliance. We also offer asphalt repairs, crack sealing, asphalt reclamation, asphalt milling, asphalt sealcoating, asphalt paving, and concrete and curbing services. We have an impeccable reputation for superb professionalism, extraordinary workmanship, and exemplary service. If you would like to request a free quote, you can complete our online form, or you can call us at 470-557-8985.
