Car Park Line Marking at a Busy Grain Store
For this grain store, we delivered a complete car park refresh using a fast-cure acrylic spray system on tarmac—including zebra crossings, cross-hatching, numbered parking bays and joined-up pedestrian walkways. We worked out of hours (Saturday) to minimise risk and disruption, handing back a clean, high-contrast layout ready for the next working week.
If you manage an agricultural site with tight windows and constant vehicle movements, this story shows how to phase works, keep traffic flowing, and end up with safe, easy-to-navigate parking for staff and visitors.
Project Snapshot & Outcome
Location: UK grain store (tarmac car park). Scope: Layout “chalking”/set-out, surface clean, primer where needed, spray-applied acrylic bay lines, zebra crossings installed by hand, cross-hatching, numbering/legends, and continuous walkways linking the car park to the office and warehouse. Programme: Out-of-hours (Saturday) to reduce operational risk.
Outcome: Clear separation of staff and visitor parking, safer pedestrian routes to entrances, and quicker in-out movements for customers. Bright, crisp markings with rapid return to service.
The Health & Safety Manager’s perspective:
Your challenge is keeping people safe without slowing down intake and dispatch. Daytime closures weren’t feasible, so we produced the layout first by chalking the lines for client sign-off, then completed the works out of hours. The acrylic spray system on tarmac gave fast cure and bright colour, so each zone could be reopened quickly with minimal guarding.
We also introduced zebra crossings and joined walkways so visitors intuitively move from parking to reception, while staff routes stay separate. Fewer conflicts, fewer complaints, smoother days.
Challenges & Solutions
1) Busy site with mixed users
The car park serves staff, HGVs, suppliers and visiting customers—each with different movement patterns and priorities.
Solution: We set out numbered bays and clearly signed customer parking near reception, with staff bays grouped separately. Zebra crossings and joined walkways provide unmistakable pedestrian priority to office and warehouse doors.
Guidance: HSE: Workplace transport safety
2) No daytime shutdown
Intake and loading continue most days; closing the whole car park would have caused backlogs and safety risks.
Solution: We delivered the programme out of hours (Saturday), with the layout chalked and agreed in advance. Fast-cure acrylic allowed rapid handback, keeping the site fully operational by Monday.
Best practice: HSG136: Workplace transport safety (PDF)
3) Tarmac surface & durability
Agricultural sites see turning, dust, and occasional oil—markings need adhesion and visibility without long closure times.
Solution: We cleaned loose material and debris, spot-primed where required, and used an industrial acrylic spray system for high opacity and quick cure on tarmac.
Related reading: Surface preparation: grinding & shot-blasting
4) Clear keep-clear and turning areas
Loading doors and pinch points needed visual discipline for drivers and pedestrians.
Solution: Cross-hatching and give-way bars were added where appropriate to discourage parking, maintain sightlines and support predictable flows.
Technical Specification (What We Used & Why)
Acrylic Line Marking Paint (spray-applied on tarmac): Fast-dry, high-opacity acrylic formulated for asphalt/tarmac. Ideal for high-visibility bay lines, zebra bands and cross-hatching where quick return to service is essential.
- Application: Chalk/set-out for client approval → surface clean and debris removal → spot-prime where needed → masked edges and bands → spray coats to coverage → remove masking at tack-set for crisp edges.
- Benefits: Rapid cure, bright colour, efficient out-of-hours working, minimal downtime.
- Options: Anti-slip aggregate in crossings/ramps; stencil legends for “VISITOR”, “STAFF”, directional arrows.
Standards & references:
DfT Traffic Signs Manual, Chapter 5 (PDF) ·
HSE: Traffic management.
Our Out-of-Hours Process
- Survey & chalk layout: Agree bay counts, staff/customer split, zebra locations and cross-hatching. Chalk lines on the tarmac for client review.
- Surface prep: Remove loose material and debris; degrease where necessary; spot-prime.
- Mask & spray: Mask zebra bands and edges; spray acrylic lines, hatching and legends; install hand-laid zebra crossings.
- Cure & reopen: Lift masking at tack-set; verify surface cure; reopen in phases.
- Sign-off & aftercare: Walk-through with client; maintenance guidance; optional refresh schedule.
Benefits You Keep Long-Term
Clear, durable markings reduce hesitation, improve wayfinding and separate staff from visitors—cutting near-misses and speeding up daily routines. The out-of-hours programme protected operations, and the acrylic’s fast cure means less time guarding wet paint and more time productive.
Net result: a safer, more professional first impression for customers and a calmer car park for your team.
Next Steps
Need car park line marking without daytime disruption? We’ll survey, chalk the layout for approval, and deliver a fast out-of-hours programme to suit your site.
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Book a Site Survey
Related services:
Car Park Line Marking ·
Outdoor Hatching ·
Walkways & Pedestrian Routes.
