Advantages and Disadvantages of Road Marking Tapes

Pavement marking materials mainly consist of thermoplastic paint, cold solvent paint and marking tapes. Thermoplastic paint and cold solvent paint are the most common materials for line marking projects. However, pavement tapes, a new marking method, have been widely used in urban road construction.

Thermoplastic paint is the most common used materials for line marking. It has advantages of long life on high volume road, quick set time, good night time visibility and excellent durability. However, pavement surface condition is an important factor that affects the performance. The road surface must be clean enough. It requires specialized installation equipment, which increase the initial cost of whole road marking project.

Cold solvent and waterborne paint cost less than thermoplastic paint. Apply and clean-up of them is also very easy. But the service life in high volume traffic road is much shorter. It also doesn’t adhere well to concrete road.

Pavement marking tapes can be divided into temporary tapes and permanent tapes. The main materials of tapes are flexible polymer, synthetic rubber and thermoplastic paint etc.

Removable road marking tapes can also be used in road construction sites as temporary markers. The tapes can be placed to shift the lanes and black tapes can be used to temporarily blackout the existing markings. At the end of the constructions or within 6 months, the tapes can be pulled out off the surface without using heat, solvents, or machines. Temporary marking tapes are ideal for short-term applications such as work zones.

Permanent tapes are designed to be long-term durable road markings capable of providing 5 to 8+ years of service life. The tapes are mainly used for marking edge lines, centerlines, legends and symbols.

Thermoplastic paint tapes, the latest launched permanent pavement tapes which are made from thermoplastic paint. Put tapes in correct place and melt, the tapes will conform and bond to the road surface.

Advantages of permanent road marking tapes:

1.       Easily installed without special equipment.

2.       Durable. Providing 5 to 8 years of service life depending on the traffic environment.

3.       High retro-reflectivity.

4.       Environment friendly. Little damage to local environment and workers.

Pavement marking tapes also have some disadvantages: high initial cost and not suitable for old roads in poor conditions. The two factors limit the application of marking tapes.

For more information about road marking industry, visit Roadsky News Center.