How To Remove Old Pavement Markings From Asphalt

While old markings fade, it takes a very long time for them to fully fade to nothing. Waiting isn’t feasible for most companies, especially in hotter and drier climates where markings wear out faster. Painting over old half-gone marking looks messy and can make it a lot difficult to navigate due to overlapping marks. Rather than ignore the problem, most businesses opt to start from a clean slate via removing paint from asphalt before refreshing the layout with all-new lot striping. 

Scarification is another common way to remove old pavement markings from asphalt. The process is significantly more damaging to the pavement, though, as the machine use cuts into the asphalt. The idea is to slice down just enough to remove parking lot lines. However, it’s not an exact measurement, so a noticeable amount gets removed. The upside to this technique is that severely aging pavement has a chance to be smoothed out. 

As one would imagine, washing is generally accepted to be the best means to remove paint from asphalt. However, this is no task for just water and a scrub bucket. Instead, highly pressurized water is used to blast the pavement. The friction and force of the water are strong enough to dislodge the paving paint and clean the pavement without harming it. 

Alternatively, sand and similarly abrasive materials are very popular choices. Sandblasting works the same as water since both are pressurized and ejected in a stream at high speeds. Unlike water, granules of sand evenly strike the asphalt. In other words, as a bonus, sandblasting often restores and prepares parking lots by smoothing out the surface again. 

Precise Property Management is dedicated to helping business keep their lots in tip-top shape. We specialize in parking lot striping, Dallas TX local. Reach out to us today to discuss your parking lot marking removal and striping needs.