Traffic paint is picky about weather. It needs dry pavement, warm enough air, and a few hours without rain. In Connecticut that rules out roughly December through March and makes a few other weeks a gamble. Here is how the calendar works for striping, and how to get your lot done when you want it done.
What the paint needs
Water-based traffic paint, which is what goes on most commercial lots, has a few rules:
- Pavement and air temperature above 50 degrees F, and ideally rising. Paint applied on cold pavement does not cure right and can peel the first time a plow hits it.
- Dry pavement. Not just no rain, but no dew, no puddles and no damp spots in the shade. Morning dew on a cool day can push a start time to 9 or 10 a.m.
- No rain for a few hours after. A shower an hour after painting will lift the lines.
- Moderate humidity. High humidity slows drying. On a muggy August afternoon the lot might take twice as long to be ready for cars.
If any of those are off, we reschedule. We would rather come back than paint something that fails in a month.
Spring: late April through June
Spring is the busiest striping season in Connecticut and for good reason. The plows are done, the sand gets swept, and the lot has a whole summer of traffic ahead of it. Retail centers want the lot sharp before the summer rush. Shoreline businesses in towns like Old Saybrook, Mystic and Milford want it done before Memorial Day.
The catch is that everyone wants the same weeks. April is often too cold and wet. By mid-May the schedule is full. If you want a spring stripe, call in March or early April to get a slot. See our guide to how often lots need striping to decide if this spring is your year.
Summer: July and August
Summer works well for striping. Pavement is warm, days are long, and we can start early and be done before a lot gets busy. The things to watch are afternoon thunderstorms and humidity. We plan summer jobs for early morning starts, and on a muggy day we give the paint extra time before opening the lot.
Summer is also when schools and churches get their lots done, because the lot is empty. If you manage a school, July is the easiest month of the year to schedule.
Fall: September through early November
Fall is the other sweet spot, and a lot of property managers prefer it. The weather is dry and stable, the humidity is gone, and a fresh stripe in October looks good through the holidays and gives the paint a full cure before the first plow. Office parks, medical buildings and apartment complexes often go on a fall schedule for this reason.
The season ends when the overnight lows start dropping toward freezing. Some years that is mid-November. Some years it is the last week of October. Leaves are the other issue: a lot under maples needs to be blown clean right before painting, or the lines end up with leaf prints in them.
Winter: late November through March
Striping mostly stops. Pavement is cold, there is salt and sand on it, and daylight is short. Once in a while a warm, dry stretch in late November or March gives a window for a small job, and we will take it if it makes sense for you, but we do not schedule winter work in advance. Winter is for planning: get the quote done, pick your week, and be first on the list when the weather turns.
After sealcoating or paving
If your lot is being sealcoated, the sealer has to cure before we can stripe it. Most sealers need 24 to 48 hours in warm, dry weather, longer when it is cool. Fresh asphalt needs to cure as well, usually a few weeks before paint will bond properly. Tell us when the paving or sealing is scheduled and we will line the striping up behind it so the lot is not torn up twice.
Working around your business
We stripe lots early in the morning, in the evening, on weekends and in sections so the lot can stay partly open. For a grocery store or a restaurant that is the only way to do it. Tell us when the lot is quietest and we will build the schedule around it. Our prep checklist covers what to do the day before.
The short version
- Best: late April through June, and September through October.
- Good: July and August, with an early start.
- Possible: a dry warm spell in November or March.
- No: December through February.
Want a slot this season? Request a quote or call Rick at (860) 906-7740 and we will get you on the calendar.
