Once your asphalt is laid, the lines for parking spots are painted on, and a seal coating has been applied, you might think it’s too late to make changes. Indeed, it’s easier to get your lines right in the first place, but whether the mistake is on your end or you’ve recently moved to a location with a lot full of lines you don’t want, there are ways to address the damage, so to speak, and get what you want. Here are a few things to consider.
Why Remove Lines?
There are many reasons you might want to remove lines in your parking lot. Perhaps you want parking spaces to be larger or smaller, you want to add more handicapped spots near the door, or you plan to install a row of charging stations adjacent to your structure, and all the spaces must be pushed back to accommodate this addition.
Maybe you simply want to change an ill-conceived orientation to make for a smoother flow of traffic through your lot. There’s no shortage of reasons for wanting to remove painted lines from your parking lot, and the good news is there are a couple of options to explore.
Blacking Out
This is perhaps the cheapest option for removing lines from your parking lot, but it’s not the most durable or the most attractive. It essentially involves using black paint to cover unwanted stripes on your pavement so you can paint on new ones without undue confusion for customers.
Just keep in mind that you have to use traffic paint for this purpose. If you try to black out parking lot stripes with house paint or spray paint, for example, don’t be surprised if it starts to peel quickly under the assault of traffic and the elements.
Resurfacing
If your asphalt is starting to show signs of aging in cracks, chips, potholes, and uneven surfaces, you might want to think about resurfacing the entire lot to extend the usable life of your lot and cover unwanted lines in one fell swoop. Once your new surface has been laid atop the old, you can add lines anywhere you want.
Repaving
Asphalt is extremely durable and surfaces can last up to 20 years or more with proper maintenance and care. However, at some point you’re going to have to completely replace your asphalt pavement. If your parking lot has passed its expiration date, it’s time to resurface and add new lines to your heart’s content.