Providing maximum safety for pedestrians and drivers is one of the most important tasks when designing and marking roads or places meant for traffic, such as squares and communication paths. For this purpose, special paints, especially fluorescent and phosphorescent ones will be helpful. Thanks to them, one can easily and effectively mark roads. Due to their numerous advantages, they are perfect for all kinds of road signs, horizontal and more. Their purpose, above all, is to maintain safety on the road and beyond it, but also making traffic and daily communication significantly easier.

Special paints used for road marking

Special paints play a very important role in road marking. They have found their application thanks to their versatile properties. The most commonly used are fluorescencent paint and phosphorescent paints – why exactly these?

Fluorescent paints – how do they work?

The principle of operation of fluorescent paints is not complicated. They absorb ultraviolet radiation, and then convert it to visible light, adding extra neon light on top of a fluorescent colour. This is why UV radiation, invisible to the human eye, becomes visible. Hence the glowing effect, which distinguishes them from other pigments. Fluorescent paints are visible not only during the day, but also at night – just a small access to light (precisely, UV radiation contained within it) is enough to work. The radiation enhances the colour of the paint, therefore making it neon-like and visible from afar. At night, with even the smallest access to UV radiation, the paint emits UV light.

Why fluorescent paints?

Dlaczego właśnie farby fluorescencyjne?

Fluorescent paints, thanks to their properties, are perfect for highlighting both separate details and bigger areas. The paint emits UV radiation, e.g. under the influence of sunrays. Therefore, the painted surface attracts the attention with its expressiveness and becomes excellently visible even from the longer distance. Regardless of the time of the day, it is difficult to indifferently pass by markings made with fluorescent paint.

Phosphorescent paints – what should one know about them?

Phosphorescent paints, nasometimes also called photoluminescent (however, this name is incorrect, because according to the definition, fluorescent paints, which also are photoluminescent paints, should be included into this group) are distinguished by a very simple principle of operation. During the day, they absorb and store ultraviolet radiation to slowly emit it at night. It allows to obtain bright, expressive effect of glowing, even in completely dark places. Phosphorescent paint accumulates enough energy during the day. This enables an exceptionally long process of glowing. A high quality paint can emit glow for up to 10 hours, which is enough for an entire night.

The most important advantages of phosphorescent paints – why are they worth using?

Without a doubt, the biggest advantage of phosphorescent paints is their unique glow-in-the-dark effect. During the day, the coating remains transparent (it can also be applied over a classic paint), but at night it becomes perfectly visible even from long distances. The paint can emit its own glow in various hues and colours – the most commonly seen are blue, yellow, green, red, or purple pigments. A big advantage of phosphorescent paints is that, unlike fluorescent paints, they do not need extra lighting at night to be perfectly visible.

What makes a good road marking paint?

Road marking are exposed to difficult, sometimes even extreme conditions. Therefore, they should meed a few requirements to be suitable for everyday use. A good paint is, first of all, universal, thanks to which it is adhesive and can be applied to various surfaces – concrete, asphalt, gravel, or metal. The paint will work both at marking specific objects as well as applied e.g. directly on the road.

A great advantage is also the fact that painting the surface is not complicated, and paint application does not take much time, therefore it is very convenient. Thanks to it, fluorescent and phosphorescent paints can serve not only for standard road markings, but also for application of substitute road signs, during renovations or temporary changes to traffic regulations.

A good quality special paint also stands out with its high durability. The coating must be resistant to harsh conditions on the road. The paints are often exposed to extreme temperatures, high humidity, sunlight, and also snow- or rainfalls. The vehicles on the road should also be taken into account, so the pigment must be resistant to abrasion, pressure, or pollution, which it comes into contact with on a daily basis.

A warning-informative function – marking pedestrian crossings, squares, and roads

Fluorescent and phosphorescent paints are perfectly adapted to the conditions on the road. Currently, they are used in application of horizontal and vertical road signs, in both warning and information purposes. They are used in road markings – designating traffic lanes and pedestrian crossings, as well as all kinds of inscriptions, arrows, or symbols.

Their properties make them perfectly visible for drivers and perdestrians, both at night and during the day. A good visibility gives the traffic participants a sufficiently long time for reaction, therefore paints directly contribute to reduction of risk of collisions and accidents. They are also perfect for markings in other areas of traffic, such as car parks and maneuvering areas. The markings, covered with the right pigment, e.g. information boards or signposts, make it easier for the drivers to reach their destinations.

Fluorescent paints, thanks to their reflective finish, remain clearly visible not only at dusk and night, but also in the fog. It happens because the coating reflects the light from cars’ headlights and gives the glowing effect visible to all the participants of traffic. For additional safety on the road, phosphorescent paints are used, which (after prior „charging”, e.g. during the day) glow on their own, without the need of extra illumination, therefore stand out even in complete darkness and in exceptionally harsh road conditions.

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