Asphalt is one of the most common playground surfaces. It is great in school yards because it works well for sports courts and can be painted easily. It is also easy to clean and cost effective. If you have a playground that you want to paint, you really have an endless amount of color options and possibilities, but you need to make sure that you do all of the prep work. This article is a basic guide to painting asphalt, and it should help DIYers produce smoother and longer-lasting paint jobs on their asphalt.

Prepping Is Very Important

It is very important that the asphalt is thoroughly cleaned before you paint over it. Dirt and stains on the surface can make the paint uneven and also result in a weak connection between the paint and the asphalt. You should thoroughly scrub your surface with water and soap. You can use large industrial sponges and scrubbers, or you can just use a pressure washer.

Also, if your asphalt is starting to deteriorate and crack, you should apply a thin coat of sealant over it before you paint. Sealant will basically be just like adding a thick, black paint coat over your asphalt. It only works to fill the small cracks and slightly level out your asphalt. Asphalt sealant should not be used to fill large cracks or holes, but it definitely creates a surface that is more receptive to the new paint.

Painting the Asphalt

Now that your surface is ready, you can actually begin to paint it. You can either spray the paint on or use rollers. You don't ever want to use paint brushes because the brushstrokes will result in a rough and uneven surface. If you are painting something decorative, like a school logo or a colorful map, you will probably be using stencils. If you are using stencils, spray paint definitely works better.

After your paint is applied, you can reinforce it and protect it from fading by applying a clear coat. The clear coat finish will basically just add another layer of protection on top of your paint to protect it from scratching and wearing off.

As long as your surface is properly prepped, painted, and sealed, you should not have too many problems trying to paint it. Remember, you can always cover up paint on your asphalt by going over it with black spray paint. If you have a large project, you might want to consider contact paving contractors and ask about their asphalt paving services to make sure you have a professional product.