Line Marking & Parking Lot Painting

Parking lot line marking in Burnaby is a technical and regulatory scope, not just painting lines on pavement. BC parking lot layout must comply with accessible stall dimensions under the BC Building Code, fire lane specifications under BCFC, and strata or commercial landlord requirements for stall count and layout. Burnaby Commercial Painting Co handles line marking as a standalone specialty — both new layouts and overmarking of faded existing lines.

BC Building Code Requirements for Parking Lots

The BC Building Code and relevant municipal bylaws specify minimum accessible parking stall dimensions (typically 3.7m x 7.5m with a 1.5m access aisle), require a minimum number of accessible stalls based on total stall count, specify accessible stall signage requirements (both horizontal marking and vertical signage), and define fire lane widths and clear path requirements. We mark accessible stalls to BC code including the correct symbol, the "Reserved Parking" or "Accessible" text, and the hatching in the access aisle. We do not skip or modify accessible markings to fit more stalls — we mark what the code requires.

Line Marking Products for BC Climate

Traffic paint selection matters in the Lower Mainland. Chlorinated rubber paint, which was common in older parking lots, has largely been replaced by water-based traffic coatings for VOC compliance and improved performance. For Burnaby's climate — freeze-thaw cycling, significant rainfall, UV in summer — we use a high-solid, water-based traffic marking paint with a reflective bead broadcast. Reflective glass beads improve line visibility in the rain and at night, which is a safety advantage in parking lots with significant overnight use. For high-traffic areas like entrance/exit lanes and fire lanes, we specify a two-coat application with glass bead broadcast on both coats for improved durability.

Full Parking Lot Layout vs. Overmarking

Most parking lot line marking projects in Burnaby are one of two types: a full layout on new asphalt or a concrete surface (layout, marking, directional arrows, accessible stalls, fire lanes, wheel stop painting, all from scratch) or an overmarking of an existing faded layout (applying fresh lines over existing layout without reconfiguration). For overmarking, we power-wash the surface first to remove loose material and debris, verify the existing layout for code compliance (accessible stalls are frequently undersize in older lots), and apply a single coat of traffic paint in the existing pattern with reflective bead broadcast. For full layouts, we stake the layout using the building's dimensions and the target stall count, confirm the layout against code before painting, and provide a stall count confirmation on completion.