Parking and Highway Improvement (C-32) · Lesson 4 of 7

Striping Materials: Temperature, Thickness and Acceptance Checks

"Striping Materials: Temperature, Thickness and Acceptance Checks" is lesson 4 of 7 in the Parking and Highway Improvement (C-32) Learning Hub. It opens with "Know Which Material You Are Applying" and works through 5 short steps, then a worked example you can check yourself against.

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Steps in this lesson

  1. Know Which Material You Are Applying
  2. Conditions That Apply to Every Material
  3. Thermoplastic: Primer, Temperature and Thickness
  4. Methyl Methacrylate and Paint Limits
  5. Accept or Reject the Finished Line

The worked example in the course applies this lesson to a realistic job in 5 steps.

What you'll be able to do

  • Explain the main idea of "Striping Materials: Temperature, Thickness and Acceptance Checks" in plain language you can use on the exam.
  • Apply this step with confidence: "Thermoplastic: Primer, Temperature and Thickness".
  • Apply this step with confidence: "Methyl Methacrylate and Paint Limits".
  • Apply this step with confidence: "Accept or Reject the Finished Line".
  • Test yourself on the worked example and the quick-check quiz inside the classroom.
Striping Materials: Go / No-Go ChecksMaterialApply whenMinimum thicknessRetro W / YPaintNot if air could drop below50 F while dryingSet by rate: 107 sq ft/gal250 / 125Extruded thermoplasticMelt 400 to 425 F; surfaceabove 50 FStripe 0.090 in;marking 0.100-0.150 in250 / 125Sprayable thermoplasticMelt 350 to 400 F; surfaceabove 50 FStripe 0.040 in250 / 125Methyl methacrylateSurface and air 40 to 104 FStripe and marking 0.090 in700 / 500FIELD CHECKS: 1,800 LF OF 4 IN EXTRUDED THERMOPLASTIC, 3-YEAR-OLD ASPHALTPavement surface reads 62 F (must be above 50 F)PASSPrimer: 1,800 x 4/12 = 600 sq ft; 600 / 300 = 2 gal minimumREQUIREDKettle reads 410 F (extruded range 400 to 425 F)PASSLine measures 3-3/4 in wide (4 in, tolerance 1/4 in tangent)PASSThickness gauge reads 0.085 in (stripe minimum 0.090 in)FAILStripe rejected: 0.085 in is below the 0.090 in minimumAdd material to reach at least 0.090 in; the other checks pass2025 Caltrans Std. Specifications 84-2.03A, 84-2.03B(1) through (5); temperatures in degrees FCC
The diagram for this lesson, exactly as it appears in the Learning Hub.

The first steps of this lesson

Step 1: Know Which Material You Are Applying

Section 84-2 of the 2025 Caltrans Standard Specifications covers four materials: paint, thermoplastic, methyl methacrylate and warranty tape. Waterborne traffic line paint is State Specification PTWB-01R2 in white, yellow and black, and blue, red and green waterborne paint for the international symbol of accessibility and other curb markings is Federal Specification TT-P-1952F (Section 84-2.02F). Section 84-2.01B counts parking space markings as pavement markings, and Section 84-2.03B(1) says to apply pavement marking material with a stencil or a preformed marking, while a traffic stripe is a longitudinal line.

Step 2: Conditions That Apply to Every Material

Section 84-2.03B(1) says to apply a traffic stripe or pavement marking only to a clean, dry surface when the pavement surface temperature is above 50 degrees F. Section 84-2.03A requires mechanical cleaning of dirt, contaminants and loose material first. Apply the stripe and glass beads in a single pass, embed beads to 1/2 of their diameter, and immediately remove drips, overspray and material tracked by traffic. Protect new work until it is dry or hard enough to bear traffic.

The remaining 3 steps, the worked example and the quiz are in the course. This is a preview. The full lesson, with the step-by-step explanations, a worked example and a quick-check quiz, is inside the classroom.

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