Traffic Lane Straight Arrow - Thermoplastic Road Markings

Thermoplastic

Removing Thermoplastic can be done a few ways. With enough pressure a water blaster can be used, or a sandblaster. Other ways include using a lance. The Compressed air will burn off the material. Or depending on if you have the kit available, use a scabbler. It will act as a sort of Jackhammer and break apart the material away from the road surface. In situations where the material is heavily trafficked and worn down closer to the substrate, removal is not necessary, and fresh Thermoplastic can be applied over the top. If the material still has a lot of body or a good level of thickness to it, removal is to be carried out first.

MMA/EPOXY

Strong solvents may not be useful for larger quantities of MMA that may be required for Road Markings. Some sort of abrasion or grinding equipment would be required for a material as durable as MMA/epoxy. It will wear the material down to the underlying substrate, ready for re-applying fresh product.

• Thermoplastic road markings will be softer and can be chipped and carved away with force with a hand tool, such as a screwdriver or chisel. If you can remove a small amount, test with a small flame from a lighter and see if it melts/becomes fluid. If it does, this implies it is a thermoplastic marking.
• MMA material is much tougher, and the curing process cannot be reversed. It will remain solid and should not be exposed to elevated temperatures as it gives off toxic odours when burning. Due to its higher durability, you should not be able to carve or pry it away using a hand tool.
• Other markings, such as paints or coatings, are harder to identify, as they come in different forms, such as oil-based, water-based, and epoxy paints. In these situations, it is advised that disclosure be requested from the client. In any scenario of uncertainty, consult with the client and gain their insight regarding the pre-existing markings that are present.

We cannot guarantee the results of laying thermoplastic markings on block paving. This is due to the moisture often present between each block and the movement the blocks experience in relation to each other as traffic passes over them.