Whether you’re striping in the field or marking pavement, high-quality striping is about laying down crisp, consistent, straight lines every time you pull the trigger. And the quickest and easiest way to do this is with a professional quality striping machine.
Most stripers are equipped with wheels for easy movement and steering, and many also have locking front wheels that make it even more possible to achieve perfectly straight lines, all in a fraction of the time required by manual methods.

1. Prepare Your Surface Before Applying Stripes

Striping paint can be very adhesive, but it is still important to clean the pavement before applying new paint. You don’t need to remove the old lines completely, but any debris trapped between them and the new coat of paint will contribute to faster deterioration.
Generally, a good sweep is enough to remove dirt, vegetation or other debris that may be on the surface. A wire brush can also help in areas where standing water can cause dirt to stick over time.

2. Choose The Right Paint

Before drawing lines, you should also make sure you have chosen the right paint for the job. There are generally two types of paint for scratching lines:
Oil-based alkyd paint, widely used for scratch removal and new design projects. And latex paint, which is commonly used for resurfacing lots (although it can also work for resurfacing and new designs)

3. Check Engine And Pump Pressure

Striping is a fairly simple process when done correctly, but there are still a few things you should keep in mind when it comes to your striping machine.
Accelerating and pushing too hard can put excessive strain on the machine and can also waste fuel. You should allow the engine to run at a slow, steady pace to reduce the stress placed on the machinery. This also helps save fuel and can produce smoother lines throughout the project.

4. Have Several Different Tips On Hand

While adjusting the pressure of the machine is a good way to vary the amount of paint applied, it is not the most efficient. Changing nozzles is the quickest and easiest way to change spray pattern width and flow rate.
This also allows you to maintain optimal operating pressure while regulating your application rate. For this reason, it is often a good idea to have several tips on hand during the striping process.

5. Wash And Properly Store Your Striping Machine

Improperly washing or storing your machine when not in use can cause serious problems down the road, so you should always make sure you take the proper steps after a job. Leaving water or air in the machine while storing it can damage the packaging and metal components. Before storing it, be sure to wash the machine and never store it under pressure.
To reduce pressure, charge the machine with mineral spirits, circulate them through the system at low pressure, turn off the pump, and then open the priming valve. Once you have relieved the pressure, close the priming valve. You are now ready to safely store your machine.