Parking Lot Striping in Portland, OR

Parking lot striping marks the stalls, accessible spaces, aisles, arrows, crosswalks and fire lanes that make a lot work. Faded lines lead to crooked parking, lost spaces and confused traffic, and in Portland's long grey winters, worn paint on wet black asphalt can be close to invisible. HomeGuide says a well-maintained striping job lasts about 2 to 5 years before it needs a fresh coat.

Restriping and the ADA

The Department of Justice says that when a business or government restripes a lot, it must provide accessible parking as required by the 2010 ADA Standards. A lot with 1 to 25 spaces needs at least one accessible space, 26 to 50 needs two, 51 to 75 needs three and 76 to 100 needs four. One of every six accessible spaces must be van-accessible, and at least one always is. Access aisles must be at least 60 inches wide and nearly level, and van spaces need either a 132-inch space with a 60-inch aisle or a 96-inch space with a 96-inch aisle. We count your spaces and lay these out before painting.

Restripe or new layout

Restriping follows the existing lines. A new layout, after paving, an overlay or a change in use, means measuring the lot and planning stall sizes, aisle widths and traffic flow from scratch. HomeGuide notes new layouts cost 20 to 50 percent more than restriping because of the measuring and marking involved. A fresh layout is also a chance to fix a lot that has never flowed well.

Weather and timing

Traffic paint needs a dry surface to bond, so we stripe on dry days and avoid the wettest months. On new asphalt or fresh sealcoat, striping follows once the surface is ready. Many jobs are done early in the morning or after hours so the lot is ready by opening.

What we mark

• Standard stalls, compact stalls and accessible spaces with access aisles
• Directional arrows, stop bars and crosswalks
• Fire lanes, loading zones and no-parking areas
• Curb painting and stenciled numbers or words
• Accessible-space signage locations, with signs mounted so the bottom is at least 60 inches above the ground