SERVICE
Line Marking
Markings tell people where to drive, where to stop and where to walk. Done properly they last for years. Done in the wrong conditions they lift within months.
THE SERVICE
Set out before anything is laid.
Bonded, not painted over.
Most permanent road and car park markings are thermoplastic, applied hot so the material bonds into the surface as it cools. It can be screeded for long straight lines and bays, or sprayed where a thinner finish is wanted. Paint is used where markings need to be quick, cheap or temporary. Cold applied plastics are used where a hard wearing finish is needed without heat, or where colour has to stay true.
Whatever the material, the preparation decides the result. The surface has to be clean and dry, old markings have to come off rather than be covered, and the surface temperature has to be inside the working range. Marking over a damp or dirty surface is the single most common reason lines fail early.
Old markings are removed by grinding or high pressure water rather than painted over. Painting over leaves a shadow that stays visible, and on a car park being relaid to a new layout, that shadow sends people into the old bays.
Setting out comes before any material goes down. On a new car park layout that means marking out the whole scheme first so bay sizes, aisle widths, accessible bays and circulation can be checked on the ground while they’re still easy to move.
DELIVERY STRUCTURE
What gets marked
- Bays, aisles, directional arrows and hatching in car parks
- Accessible and parent and child bays to the required dimensions
- Give way lines, stop lines, centre lines and edge lines
- Loading areas, fire routes and keep clear zones
- Internal warehouse and yard markings, including walkways and racking lines
- Anti-skid surfacing at junctions, crossings and approaches
What affects the programme
Surface temperature and moisture, both of which rule out marking in the wrong weather. New surfacing needs time before permanent markings go on. Layout changes are far cheaper to make at setting out than after the material is down.
Where we work
Our line marking crews work across Edinburgh and the Lothians, from the Gyle Centre and Cameron Toll to retail car parks in Straiton and Dunbar. We also mark sites in Glasgow and across central Scotland, and carry out marking programmes for national clients in northern England.
QUESTIONS
Common questions.
How long do thermoplastic road markings last?
Far longer than paint, commonly several years, though it depends on traffic volume, turning movements and how sound the surface underneath is. Markings on a failing surface fail with it.
Can lines be marked in winter?
Only inside the right conditions. The surface has to be dry and above the working temperature, so cold and wet spells stop the work rather than slow it.
Can old car park markings be removed completely?
Grinding or high pressure water removal takes the material off. A faint shadow can remain on an older surface, which is worth planning for when a layout is changing significantly.
How soon after resurfacing can markings go down?
Temporary paint can go on early. Permanent thermoplastic needs the surface cured and dry first, so it is normally a separate visit.
RELATED WORK
Marking on site.
On the map
Our line marking jobs.
View these 5 jobs as a list
Line Marking
McDonald's Cameron Toll
Minor road marking repair works
View projectLine Marking
Coffin Factory
Lining works & supply + install of sign posts & signs
View projectLine Marking
Gyle Centre Markings
Installation of additional road markings at Gyle Centre
View projectLine Marking
Moto Woolley Edge
Line marking at the services entrance, including a zebra crossing and yellow box markings
View projectLine Marking
Moto Washington Services
Line marking at the services car park, including yellow hatched bays
View project