Parking Lot Paint Calculator
How Much Paint Do I Need? Calculator For Parking Lot Line Painting
Before purchasing parking lot line paint, learn how to estimate the amount of paint needed for your project.
If you're looking to calculate gallons of paint needed for a certain line painting job, then you've come to the right place.
Asphalt Kingdom's Parking Lot Paint Calculator lets you know how many gallons of paint you'll need for your line painting job. For this painting calculator to work, all you need to know is how many linear feet or square feet you'll be painting. Next, input the type of paint (water-based or oil-based) you'll be using, and you get an instant quote for how much the paint will cost you! The paint calculation will also take into account the color you will be using.
The Importance of Calculating Paint Needed for a Line Striping Project
Knowing exactly how much paint you’ll need for your parking lot lines ensures that you won’t run out of paint before all of your lines are painted. Learn how to measure the lines of all your parking lot stalls and more with this quick guide.
While it's beneficial to have a good parking area size-wise, it is just as important to have a parking space painted with bright and crisp lines. It will make your establishment stand out from the rest. Parking lots with clear and visible lines not only helps customers easily navigate your space but also increases safety and reduces chaos.
Choosing the Right Striping Paint for your Parking Lot
Before we dive into the specifics of this painting area calculator and why using this handy tool is a must for line stripers and DIYers, let's take a look at the importance of choosing the right striping paint.
Professional striping involves having the right supplies and equipment to complete a paint striping job. Whether you are only brightening existing lines, re-striping over a newly sealcoated surface or painting brand new lines, it's imperative to paint lines with precision.
Apart from acquiring reliable line striping equipment, you need to use the paint specifically designed for your blacktop finish or other concrete surfaces. Using regular paints will never work as they will not properly adhere to blacktop or other concrete surfaces. Buy only high-quality line striping paints specially formulated for your asphalt or concrete.
You can use either oil-based or water-based paint for professional line striping. Both work well with asphalt. While oil-based are highly durable and dries quickly, using it can be tricky as it is not allowed to be used in some US states. The next best thing is to acquire the environmentally-friendly water-based paint. This type of paint is just as long-lasting as the oil-based and it dries in just a few minutes. Also, it's more affordable compared to its counterpart. The only downside is it may not work well in freezing temperatures and water-based paint may likely lead to chipping and cracking in the long run.
Check our store or contact us if you need help line striping a parking lot or you're trying to figure out how to estimate paint needed for a project. We have water-based and oil-based paint specially formulated to adhere to both asphalt and other concrete surfaces. You can also use glass beads with our paints. Increasing the line stripe's reflectivity is essential especially if your parking gets heavy traffic at night.
We would advise you to stock up on yellow and white paints for your parking lots. Buying in bulk is more cost-effective and it ensures that you will never run out of paint in the middle of a line striping job. Better yet, we can help you calculate the amount of paint needed for your parking lot project with our parking lot paint calculator. Just fill out how many square feet or linear feet you intend to cover. The paint estimate calculator will let you know how many gallons of paint are needed and how much it would cost you in total. It's that easy.
If you still need help with anything traffic paint related, do not hesitate to contact us. We have all the materials, tools, and the resources you need for professional striping.
Paint Striping the Right Way
Before you can calculate the gallons of paint needed for a project, there are some things you need to do. First is to measure the parking lot. Taking accurate measurements is important as it helps you determine how much paint you need. Now, there are two ways you can measure your parking lot. You can use a measuring wheel to accurately measure the linear feet of the surface that you will be painting. Another option is to use the Mapping Tool. The latter will come in handy especially in bad weather conditions. This tool uses Google Earth Technology to take measurements of surface areas right in the comfort of your own home or office. This tool can save you a lot of time and fuel, and it's pretty accurate. To use this tool, you'll need to sign up first and create an account with us. Just fill out the short form and you're good to go!
Keep in mind that the correct dimensions of each parking space depend on several factors, such as accessibility and traffic. It would also vary depending on where your property is located, and what city and state. Check the local codes to ensure that you adhere to the guidelines.
The aisles should have wider dimensions (especially on two-way aisles) for easier and safer navigation. The average width of each parking space is between 8 and a half feet to 9 feet. You should also include a handicapped parking space to stay in compliance with state regulations. Finally, make sure they have proper and visible signage.
Paint striping existing lines should be easier as you only need to refresh them. For brand-new lines, it would help if you use a chalk line reel first to minimize mistakes. Keep in mind that when you start painting, it will be permanent. Avoid mistakes by using our paint per square foot calculator or any of our helpful tools.
The Benefits of Investing in a Line Striping Machine
Ready to calculate gallons of paint needed for your line striping project? But first, learn more about the benefits of investing in and using a line striping machine.
While you can do line striping manually, there are many benefits to painting a parking lots with a line striping machine. Painting lines by hand takes time. You'll need to use brushes, spray cans, and rollers to accomplish the job. Wooden boards are used to guide you while painting. Also, it's critical that you do it right the first time. It's imperative that you do not make a mistake when you do it manually. Otherwise, it will cost you more money and time. With a line striping machine, you have everything you need. The equipment is designed to make your job a lot easier and quicker.
Manual line striping can waste paint as brushes and rollers would require more line striping paint. Also, it's sometimes difficult to evenly distribute paint with just the right amount when you line stripe by hand. You'll end up using more paint for your line striping job despite working hard to estimate paint needed for the task at hand. That will equate to more expenses on your end.
Using a line striping machine lets you efficiently and effectively paint lines in your parking lots. With how the equipment is designed, the chances of making a mistake or painting smudges are slim. Rest assured, the lines will look neat and clear. You get to also cover more parking lots in a day.
If you own a line striping business, buying your own equipment would be extremely beneficial as you can get more jobs done. Translation: more money in your pocket!
When Do You Restripe Parking Lots?
Typically, you need to reapply striping paint every 18 - 24 months. The best time for you would always depend on the climate and the amount of traffic the parking lot gets. If there is heavy traffic every day, then the line striping paint would fade quickly.
For business owners, educate your clients about when to restripe their parking lots and why they need to. Clear and neat lines can immensely enhance the curb appeal of their area. If your clients are business owners themselves, having a well-striped parking lot will make it easier for their clients to navigate the area. It's also a lot safer as it would reduce the number of accidents. This would result in more customer satisfaction.
Having well-organized parking lots also maximizes space. Just make sure that you clearly mark them with the correct signs especially for people with disabilities.
What Type of Line Striping Equipment/Accessories Should You Invest In?
To accomplish line striping jobs efficiently and effectively, it's important that you have the right equipment and the right paint coverage estimate (use our how much paint to buy calculator above for this).
Are you line striping your own parking lots or are you a contractor who paints parking lots for small businesses? Then a smaller piece of equipment will suffice. If you have to handle major projects such as medium to large-sized parking lots, you need line striping equipment that will let you complete the project properly and in a timely manner. Choose a line striper with enough power, and equipment that can handle huge line striping tasks.
Walk-behind line stripers let you apply short lines and curves but the average speed is only about 2 kilometers per hour. You cannot go beyond this or the machine's limitations may affect the quality of the lines. If you want to do it quicker, consider investing in a self-propelled line striper that goes from 2 km to 5km per hour. Better yet, include a line driver that lets you do line striping at 8km per hour while achieving clear and perfect lines.
You can maximize productivity when you invest in line striping accessories. It can also improve the quality of your work. Laser guides are extremely beneficial for replacing faded markings. Using them ensures clear and accurate results every time. With the light beam, it's a lot easier and quicker to paint the exact location of the lines.
Another accessory to consider are spray shields. When you are line striping on a windy day, you risk having uneven lines. The spray shield can protect your line striping paint from the wind, making sure that the lines are even every single time. Adding reflective beads are also beneficial for increasing paint visibility at night.
Line Striping Tips
1. Consider using drones as shooting aerial photos can help you market your line striping business.
Also, it can help your entire team familiarize the area. You can walk them through any challenging areas, barrier locations, or safety issues. With a drone, you can highlight certain areas such as crosswalks, specialty markings and fire lanes. You can also take photos and videos that is virtually impossible just by using regular cameras.
2. Make sure that everything is organized in your truck including all the equipment and tools that you need for your line striping job.
If you do not have enough paint because estimating paint needed is just too tedious or some of the tools are broken, that would only lead to prolonged downtimes. Wasted time means loss of revenue. As much as possible, everything has to be prepared and in order: paint, stencils, cloths, buckets, brooms, blowers and other accessories you'll need. Everything must be secure to avoid problems at the job site. Also, prepare and mix your line striping paint beforehand and not at the job site as that will only affect your productivity.
3. Do not forget to chalk a layout.
Do this when you have large or complex line striping jobs to do. While it's time-consuming to chalk a layout, it can help you accomplish your line striping job faster. It lets you see whether there are mistakes in your layouts or see other problems that you may not notice at first. Keep in mind that having to restripe again due to layout problems can decrease productivity and may even lead to loss of revenue. You can avoid this when everything is organized, not just the tools and equipment but also the layout.
4. Pay attention to machines designed for comfort and convenience.
Examples would be a line striper with controls that are within reach or easy to adjust handlebars. Buying a machine with ergonomic features will help your team maintain their energy levels as it will be easier for them to operate the machines. This can also contribute to work productivity.
5. As much as possible, take the time to do measurements yourself.
Do not just rely on the measurements given to you by a client. Doing this may slow productivity. When the blueprint measurements vs the actual measurements do not match, you'll have problems if you have already applied your line striping paint. Take time off your work hours to do your own measurements just to ensure that you will never make any mistakes.
If you need help deciding which line striping machine and accessories to purchase, talk to us so we can assist.
Why Use Asphalt Kingdom's Line Painting Calculator?
1. It's accurate. In the line striping business, getting the wrong amount of paint can cost you time and money. Imagine sitting in the middle of the parking lot or athletic field and frantically ordering line striping paint on your phone just because you failed to correctly calculate gallons of paint needed for your project.
That's why it's best to use Asphalt Kingdom's handy paint needed calculator. You only need to enter the linear or square feet you'll be striping, the type of paint you're planning to use, the color you will need, and you're good to go.
2. It gives you a clear idea of how much you'll spend on the line painting job. This calculator doesn't just let you calculate the amount of paint needed. You'll also know the total cost of the paint you'll be using on the job so you don't waste money. No more guesswork!
3. You can narrow your options. Other gallons of paint calculators don't have options such as water-based or oil-based paint, or color options for you to choose from. This painting per square foot calculator is different as it allows you to narrow your options down to the right color.
How to Figure Out Paint Coverage with this Parking Lot Paint Calculator
How to estimate the amount of paint needed for a particular job? Just follow the directions below.
1. First, determine if you'll be using linear feet or square feet. Enter the number of linear or square feet of the asphalt parking lot you'll be striping.
2. Choose whether you'll be using water-based or oil-based paint.
3. Finally, choose which color you will be using.
And that's it! If you're always wondering "how much paint I need" just before a job, then this calculator will be your best friend for many more projects to come.
Keep Your Customers Happy
Invest in high-quality tools, supplies and equipment if you want to convert first-time clients to repeat customers. While you can paint lines by hand using spray cans and rollers that may be really time-consuming. Buy at least one striping machine so you can paint more lines and you can save time. Brushes also use more paint; the more you use them, the more expensive it will be for you. If you want professional results in a timely manner, check out our wide selection of striping equipment for all types of line striping jobs.
Talk to one of our representatives so we can give you the best advice on how to go about your line striping business.
Looking for a painting cost calculator that uses square feet as the unit of measurement. If you typed in "paint needed calculator," then congratulations! Asphalt Kingdom's parking lot line paint calculator is the best tool to determine how much paint you need for your next project.
Related Links:
Parking Lot Lines
Free Five-Part Line Striping Course