Line Striping in Philadelphia & Pennsylvania

Need Line Striping or Parking Lot Striping for your Business?

If you need paint striping for a brand new parking lot, or restriping for a parking lot that’s become worn and faded, Alpine Painting & Restoration can help. Our team of trusted painting contractors can update and restore your parking lot striping, making it clear and readable to visitors. We’ve painted dozens of parking lots in the Philadelphia-area and our experienced painting contractors have the experience and tools to paint your lot.

What is Parking Lot Line Striping?

Parking lot line striping refers to all of the painted elements that organize a parking lot. This includes parking stalls, handicapped parking, loading zones, crosswalks, directional arrows, and fire lanes.

Why Should You Consider Line Striping for Your Business?

There are several good reasons to have your parking lot striped or worn away striping repainted.

Professional Appearance

Have you ever driven into a parking lot with worn away parking spaces that are barely visible? A poorly-striped parking lot is difficult to navigate and gives a negative impression to visitors. Your business can make a good impression by having a parking lot with clean, visible lanes and parking stalls.

Safety and Organization

A lack of clear lane dividers and missing or faded directional arrows can make a parking lot dangerous to drive in. Visible lanes and clear directional arrows reduces confusion and makes a parking lot safer to navigate.

ADA Compliance

Ensuring that your parking lot is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act is critical. Failure to be ADA compliant can result in fines and even lawsuits. 

Eliminates Confusion

A parking stall or curb with worn away paint or text makes parking confusing. When a parking lot is well marked with text that’s easy to read, drivers know where it’s safe to park and areas like handicapped spaces and fire lanes that they shouldn’t park in.

Enhances Property Value

A well-striped parking lot increases curb appeal and shows prospective buyers that the property has been taken care of.

Types of Line Striping Services

Line striping can include parking lots, pedestrian walkways, crosswalks, forklift paths, directional arrows, and lined storage areas. These color-coded stripes are used to designate standard parking stalls, handicap parking spaces, loading zones, fire lanes, crosswalks, and even which direction to drive. Line striping helps manage space and makes it safe for employees, drivers, and pedestrians alike.

The following are the most common types of line striping services and how they’re used.

Standard Parking Stalls

A standard parking stall is designated by white or yellow striping. Any vehicle can park in these stalls without restrictions. The striping for standard parking spaces can be anywhere from 4 to 6 inches wide. The dimensions of a standard parking stall can vary by state and county, but they are generally 9 feet wide and 18 feet long.

Standard parking stalls can either be angled or parallel, depending on the parking lot layout.

Compact Vehicle Parking Stalls

A parking stall for a compact vehicle is nearly identical to a standard parking stall, but a bit smaller. A compact vehicle parking stall measures 8 feet wide, by 16 feet long.

Motorcycle Parking Stalls

Because motorcycles are much smaller than even a compact vehicle they don’t require as much space to park. Parking lots sometimes create smaller motorcycle-only parking spaces for cyclists. Motorcycle parking stalls typically measure 4 feet wide and 10 feet long.

Handicap Parking Stalls

Handicap spaces are designated by blue striping along with a blue and white handicap symbol. These spaces are placed very close to the building’s entrance and require an adjacent blue striped access area for the loading and unloading of wheelchairs. The dimensions of handicap spaces must follow the guidelines set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The handicap vehicle stall is the standard 8 feet wide by 16 feet long, and the access aisle that runs alongside the stall needs to be 5 feet wide and 16 feet long.

EV Parking

EV parking spaces include an electric vehicle charging station, and clear markings to communicate that they’re for electric vehicles only. To ensure charging access for electric vehicles, EV parking stalls are designated for electric vehicles only. The markings for these parking spaces will typically be green and white, and may include a charging plug or electric bolt icon.

Fire Lanes

Fire lanes are legally required to allow building access in the case of a fire or medical emergency. Fire lanes are painted red or yellow, with reflective white (or black) paint that reads “no parking – fire lane.”

Loading Zones

Loading zones are areas designated for temporary parking for deliveries or for dropping off passengers. The curb next to a loading zone can be painted either yellow, green, or white, with instructions on time limits and usage.

Directional Arrows

Directional arrows are painted in parking lots to direct the flow of traffic, reduce congestion, and avoid accidents. Well-painted, reflective white arrows make it clear to both drivers and pedestrians which directions vehicles should be driving in.

Directional arrows are also used to indicate where to exit the parking lot, and to point drivers to important destinations like the entrance to a building.

Warehouse Line Striping

Floor striping is similar to parking lot striping, but it’s used to manage traffic and create storage spaces inside warehouses and manufacturing facilities. Striping designates paths for forklifts and pedestrians, along with creating floor outlines that indicate where inventory should be stored. Proper floor striping keeps warehouses organized and safe for both forklift operators and pedestrians.

Line Striping Paint Options

There are a few different paint options for parking lot line striping that you can choose based on your needs and budget. You can select from acrylic paint, thermoplastic paint, epoxy paint, and water-based acrylic. Keep in mind: the less durable the paint, the more frequently your parking lot will need to be repainted.

Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paint is durable, inexpensive, and easy to apply making it a good option for parking lot striping. It’s also quick drying and water-resistant. It’s not as durable as other options like epoxy paint.

Epoxy Paint

Epoxy paint is a popular option for indoor parking lots, but not for outdoors. Epoxy is used in underground parking garages, or in multi-story parking structures. When not exposed to direct sunlight or heat, epoxy paint is a fast-curing, durable striping option.

Water-based Paint

Water-based paint is an inexpensive option for parking lot striping. However it’s one of the least durable and will need to be reapplied frequently. Water-based paint is cheap, quick-drying, but will typically need to be reapplied every two years.

Thermoplastic Paint

Thermoplastic paint is one of the most durable options for parking lot striping, but it’s also the most expensive. Thermal paint contains plastic and needs to be melted down before being applied. Highly-reflective and weather resistant, thermoplastic paint is popular for parking lot striping.

The Line Striping Process

There are several steps in the line striping process. Follow them carefully to avoid having to repaint an area or start over. 

Cordon off the Area

The first step of the painting process is to create a visible barrier to prevent people from driving into the area being painted. Use rope or caution tape to block off the area being painted.

Surface Preparation

The parking lot needs to be clear of debris and moisture before painting can begin. Use a blower or a broom to remove any loose debris that will block the paint from being applied to the parking surface. Disable any sprinkler systems to prevent the area from being sprayed while the paint is being applied or drying.

Pothole Repair

Any potholes or cracks will need to be repaired before painting. Fill in any cracks or potholes prior to beginning this process and give it ample time to cure.

Marking

Use a tape measure and chalk to create an outline for the lines you’re going to paint. Make sure the marking is straight before you begin painting.

Application

Use your roller or parking lot striping machine to fill in the outlines you created. Inspect the lines to make sure they’re completely filled in and touch up any blank spots if necessary.

Drying

Allow ample time for the paint to dry. The drying time should be listed on the paint can, or you can refer to information on the manufacturer’s website.

Maintenance and Repair

Inspect the striping regularly and touch it up when needed. Remember that parking lot markings like arrows and crosswalks keep visitors safe, and accidents can occur if they become too faded to see.

Line Striping FAQs

There are some common questions that business owners have regarding parking lot striping. They want to know about handicap spaces, if they should hire a professional painting contractor, and what happens if their lot isn’t ADA-compliant. 

How Many Handicap Accessibility Stalls Do I Need?

Parking lots need to have 1 handicapped parking space for every 25 spaces in the lot. If the lot has more than 100 spaces, it’s required to have 5 handicapped spaces. For lots with more than 300 parking spaces, it’s required to have 1 handicapped stall for every 8 spaces.

What if My Parking Lot Striping is Non-Compliant?

The penalties for not having ADA-compliant parking spaces can be substantial. Along with being fined, the lot owner could potentially be sued for failing to provide an adequate number of handicapped parking spaces and the required adjacent wheelchair loading area.

Do I Need to Hire a Professional Line Striper?

For 3 to 5 parking stalls you may be able to quickly repaint them on your own, but for larger parking lots – 50 spaces or more – it’s highly recommended to hire a professional.

If you attempt to stripe your parking lot by yourself and measure the area incorrectly, you’ll wind up with an incorrectly sized stall on one end. That means you’ll have to repaint all of the lines with black paint and start the entire process over from scratch. 

Experienced Parking Lot Striping in Pennsylvania

Alpine Painting & Restoration has been serving businesses in the tri-state area for more than three decades. Our trusted painting contractors have painted countless parking lots and they’re ready to serve you.

Contact Alpine Painting & Restoration

If you have any further questions regarding parking lot striping, our helpful team can answer them for you. Contact our offices today to discuss your parking lot striping needs and to receive a free estimate.