Some of our clients like to ask about the difference between our two flagship thermoplastic paint formulas: Legacy Alkyd, our Premium, Eco-Friendly thermoplastic road marking paint, and Customized Solutions Hydrocarbon (CS Hydrocarbon), our Affordable thermoplastic road marking paint.
When we hear that question, we always ask about the type of road project one is executing, the kind of road and traffic situation, and the client’s budget – or yours. To help you decide, let’s talk about the similarities and differences between our two products.
Paint prep and application time
One of the biggest advantages of thermoplastic road marking paint is the speed at which it melts, cooks and dries when applied on the road.
Since Rua Seguridad has developed its own proprietary formulas of thermoplastic paint, we can attest that both of our paint formulas can melt and cook in less than 10 minutes.
Although CS Hydrocarbon requires prior application of primer, when applied on the road, both Legacy and CS Hydrocarbon will also dry in less than 5 minutes.
You can save plenty of time, manpower costs, equipment transportation to the field, and related costs if you use this kind of striping material.
Adhesive quality
Both of our paint formulas bond strongly with the pavement surface they’re applied to. As a result, when applied on clean, dry roads, our thermoplastic paint will not peel or crack. It is highly impact and pressure-resistant and lasts for a good 2-3 years.
Our Legacy Alkyd does not need additives for superior road adhesion. It is formulated to bind to any type of road surface and provide a waterproof coating to increasing its adhesion to the road, once dry Legacy provides a glossy finish that reflects its premium value on the road.
On the other hand, CS Hydrocarbon combines perfectly with our own brand of Primer for superior adhesion on any type of road. Our Road Marking Primer is easy to use and provides a protective layer of coating which in turn increases the durability and adhesion of CS Hydrocarbon.
Melting point and heat stability
Rua Seguridad thermoplastic paints have lower melting points than other types of thermoplastic paint that are available in the market.
In fact, our thermoplastic paint can be melted, mixed, and cooked at temperatures below the melting point of asphalt road material – something not all thermoplastic paints can do.
This has important implications on the importance of material safety, handling, cooking and application. It will also affect the way the road surface will behave when it comes in contact with the paint – which is not a concern with our brands.
Our paint formulation is also very heat stable. Overheating which can affect color vividness of titanium oxide-based pigments is not a concern with our paint. But it also matters that you use good road marking equipment that cooks thermoplastic paint within the correct temperature range.
Glass beads – Intermix or Drop-On?
On the question of glass beads: it really depends. Do you really require glass bead application throughout the entire length of your road marking project and are under time constraints to execute it? In this case, Legacy Alkyd is the product for you. With its Intermixed Glass beads, there is no need for manually applying glass beads which save on time and cost.
If you are only going to need glass beads in segments because you’re working on a tighter budget, use our value-for-money CS Hydrocarbon formula, and apply drop-on glass beads manually where it is needed.
Finding an expert for road line painting for highways as well as high-density urban road marking projects is key to winning more road projects in the future.
