Thanks to the markings on the roadway, it is possible to significantly increase the throughput capabilities of the tracks, as well as reduce the number of motor vehicle accidents. This is especially important in densely populated areas. Road marking paint is an important component of ensuring and organizing the safety of road users.
There are a lot of requirements for this type of paintwork . For example, it should be visible on the road, regardless of the time of year or the type of coverage of the track. Uninterrupted traffic on highways depends on this. Therefore, when choosing a paint, it is important to pay attention to its technical characteristics, shelf life and duration of use.
The advantages of specialized paints
If we talk about the advantages of paint for road marking, then it is worth highlighting the following:
- Resistance to abrasion and temperature changes.
- Ease of application. Paint is applied using specialized machines or a conventional roller.
- Resistance to aggressive environments: reagents, salts, gasoline and precipitation.
- Drying speed. Thanks to this, road works are carried out very quickly and do not paralyze traffic for a long time.
White paint for road marking is clearly visible on a sunny day or at dusk. In addition, retroreflective balls are very often added to the composition of specialized road paints.
At the same time, do not forget that the paint must comply with GOST R-5257-2006.
Requirements
According to the requirements of the State Register, paint for road marking must meet the following standards:
- It must be visible in all sections of the roadway, regardless of the time of day, as well as in rain, snow, hail or clear sun.
- The intensity of the movement should not affect the indicators of wear resistance of the markings and the life of the markings.
- Should not affect the adhesion of vehicle tires to the roadway.
GOST also regulates the production of specialized paintwork. Therefore, any material must be accompanied by appropriate permits and certificates. If the train is poorly visible on the road, then this is a clear violation of the requirements.
Also, do not confuse road marking paint with curb compositions. The second type of paintwork is less stringent.
Border paint
This type of coating includes materials that are applied manually or using special equipment for air spraying.
Paints in this category must be resistant to reagents and salts. In this case, the paintwork can be applied in conditions of extreme cold.
Road marking paint: material characteristics
If we talk about the parameters of such compositions, then high-quality paintwork differs in the following indicators:
- The appearance of the coating. After drying, a special protective film forms on the paint. In this case, the marking surface should be matte.
- Mass fraction of non-volatiles within 65-80%.
- The film washability is not more than 1 g / m 2 .
- Conditional viscosity not less than 40, provided that the nozzle diameter is 4 mm.
- Adhesion of a protective film (at least 1 point).
- Drying time no more than 20 minutes. The composition should be applied at a moisture content of not more than 65% and a temperature of +20 to +2 degrees.
- Resistance of the protective film to water for at least 48 hours.
What paints are used
As already mentioned above, the marking must dry very quickly and be resistant to aggressive substances that are used to process pavements. When choosing the best quality material, you should take into account the class of the road and its traffic. It is also necessary to take into account the type of drawing that should be applied, the class of paint will depend on this. Some materials can only be used to draw straight lines, while others, on the contrary, are more suitable for bends and turns.
White paint for road marking should be sufficiently bright and contrast. Most often, acrylic and alkyd marking materials are used for these purposes. Such compositions dry out quickly enough, a protective matte film forms on their surface, which is characterized by durability and resistance to abrasion. In addition, such compositions have very high adhesion, so they are easily applied to any surface.
AK-511
This one-component paint is used for temporary and permanent horizontal marking on the roadway. It is suitable for application on asphalt or concrete. Most often used for marking parking lots, carriageways, runways and much more.
Road marking paint “AK-511” is weatherproof. The composition is applied by specialized machines.
“Grid AK-Dor 1.01”
This composition is most often used for tracks equipped with advanced modern coating. Road marking paint “AK-Dor 1.01” is adapted to moderate climatic conditions. Due to this, it can be used in areas where the air temperature ranges from -40 to +60 degrees. The composition of this type is used for road paintings and parking lots.
In addition, Grid road marking paints are used when painting concrete, curbs, natural or ceramic stone, and sand and cement mixes.
Application Features
Most often, acrylic and alkyd paints are applied by spraying and using pneumatic installations. Driving on the road is possible after 5-10 minutes after painting. However, this should be very warm weather (at least +25 degrees). At lower temperature conditions, the marking compounds dry a little longer.
On the market you can buy paint, which must be diluted with water. Compounds of this type dry out quite quickly and do not contain volatile substances. In this case, a matte protective surface is formed on the marking. Such paints can be heated up to 60 degrees, due to which the drying speed of the marking material is significantly reduced.
However, water-soluble formulations must not be applied in conditions of high humidity. Within 15-20 minutes after covering the roadway, this marking may “float”.
To create a marking up to 4 mm thick, it is recommended to use two-component compositions. They are characterized by high adhesion and stably tolerate multiple processing by snowblowers. In addition to reflective particles, such paints contain quartz sand, which gives the marking additional roughness.
Recommendations for use
Before using the marking compound, it must be thoroughly mixed. To apply paint on asphalt, it is best to use special sprayers.
Also, when applying the material, the following requirements must be considered:
- The ambient temperature must be at least +4 degrees Celsius.
- Humidity - not more than 80%.
- The temperature of the roadway is not more than +50 degrees.
It is necessary to work with rubber gloves. In addition, it is worth considering that specialized coloring compounds quickly ignite.
Drying time of the paint directly depends on the applied composition. Typically, the marking hardens in 15-20 minutes or faster. If climatic conditions are less favorable, then it is necessary to increase the drying time of the material.
The average consumption of marking materials is about 0.4 kg / m 2 if the marking thickness is not more than 400 microns.
Store paintwork more than 1 year is not recommended. Otherwise, the markup quality will be much worse. In addition, such materials have poor adhesion, which is why they are very quickly wiped off the roadway. When buying paint, you must ask the seller for certificates and other documents confirming the quality of the marking material. The best paints are AK-511 and Hydra AK-Dor 1.01. When buying other compounds, make sure that they are suitable for asphalt.