SW Line

Anyone striped a tennis court,do you use the tape gun and just roll the paint on,do the green coating get put on just like sealer,with a squegie?How do you guys bid them?

The court surface is squeegeed on. Here's the stuff I use: http://www.vancebrothers.com/products-sportcoatings.html Tape the lines with a Sport Taper:http://www.parkinglotplanet.com/game_courts.htm You can roll on the paint, but if the surface is not smooth, some paint can run under the edge of the tape and and make it look ragged. The court surfaceing companies sell a clear sealer that you paint on the edge of the tape to prevent paint from running under it. I just spray the lines with my striping machine, it's quicker and leaves a sharp edge.

That tape machine is an expensive little piece of equipment.

thestripe wrote on Jun 8, 2006:Go to #3

That tape machine is an expensive little piece of equipment.

Well woth the price, and you will find more uses for it then just sport courts. Before the big fire, I had a nice stand up one that cost over $1k, I saved that much in laber in just a few jobs.

If you think that's expensive, you might consider another line of work. Not to be harsh, but it's nothing to drop 2 to 3 times that on a good stencil set, enough paint for a job or two, a couple dozen wheel stops, etc. You can't be looking at what it costs, look at how much it will make you in the long term. It's an investment in your business.

I didnt start striping yesterday,all I meant was a small hand-held taper being about 500 dollars does seem a bit pricy at first,OK Barnett.I do think eventually we would prob see more calls for tennis courts,but this was my first one.

Straightline mentioned that he used to have a "stand up" tape machine that cost over $1000. Here's a link to one that I have used: http://www.precisionfloormarking.com/estore/store/default… It takes weight to press the tape onto the surface and that machine weighs 40 lbs. The Sport Taper weighs only about 4lbs, but because you are leaning on it while taping, your body weight furnishes the force needed to press the tape onto the surface. It looks a little awkward, but it's quite comfortable, and provides a lot more precise control than the stand up machine. Also, your view is better for sighting down the line and keeping it straight. And when you reach the end of the line, you don't have to manhandle 40 lbs. to the beginning of the next line. $500 seems like a lot, but it's a precision machine, hand made, limited production, and will last a lifetime.

That looks like it, easier to use then you would think, I have a thing against bending over. Eather one is well worth it.

Just went to a large strip center yesterday. I had done the job in the past, but lost it a couple of years ago on price. It had just been painted, and I hope I'm not the only one who saw what a crappy job they did. On the yellow fire lane curb, you could tell they made one pass with the gun at an angle so it "covered" the top and face of the curb. It looked ok on the transition from top to face but on especially the face of the curb it was so thin you could still see every tire mark and the top was not crisp at all. The lines looked ok but all the arrows, stencils, handicap looked like they sprayed it with a can. If the property manager doesn't examine it like I do, and he thinks it's "ok", then he's getting ripped off and the half assed striper is laughing all the way to the bank. I see bad striping all the time. This one pi$$es me off because I used to make it look nice for a fair price. Has anyone ever talked to a former customer about what a crappy job there current striper is doing?

Yes but be very diplomatic about it. I had a situation years ago where a long time customer got a much cheaper price but you could have read a newspaper through the thin paint. I contacted the maintenance manager and explained that I happened to be shopping at the store and noticed. I added that I knew he seldom visited the location (he was in another city) but that on his next stop he might want to examine the striping. I was careful to approach him not like I was "putting down" the competition but that he might have not be satisfied and I just wanted him to be aware since I knew he might never see the work (he only came there once or twice a year). Sure enough it was worn off in 5-6 months (less in the spots by the entrances) and I was getting a call asking if we could still do it at the price we quoted. Today that might not be possible with all the prices like they are, but back then expenses were still the same and I wanted them back so I just said "sure". I was also careful to never mention the "bad deal"... just how glad I was they had decided to continue using us and how much I appreciated our repeat customers. Done right, so you don't sound jealous or like you are just trashing the competition, but like you are looking out for a valued former customer you care about; it can be made to work for you and bring a customer back to stay. BUT you need to think about it and be very careful of everything you say and how you say it or it can backfire. Over all the years I have had similar things happen with other customers and other type work, that was just a sample similar to your case.

I did work for a company out of northern Vermont and learned a little bit while i was there. The original coats do go on with squeegee, however if it is a new court then you need to put down a non-pigmented thicker filler coat to fill some of the pavements pores. Then you squeegee on the paint and it is just like sealer. The first of two coats should have sand, the second coat should be sand free this allows grip for your sneakers without adding spin to a tennis ball after hitting the playing surface. As far as lines go we used a tape machine and then painted the courts with brushes. Rollers do not give the same coverage and in the past when the company did it the lines were not as durable when rolled on. When painting make a final pass before the line is dry so all the lines from the brush in the paint are going in the same direction. Also when finishing the second coat circle off towards the door during your last pass so there aren't any lines from using excess paint and pushing it outside the fence or from your squeegee getting caught in the links of the fence and jerking and messing up your last pass. That's how we did it and an explanation as to why the company i worked for had been around about 20 years or so maybe longer so i think they must be doing something right.

Don, I have wondered for years why people that own shopping centers or stores( that I would say are rich people) get offended when it is called to there attention that someone is cheating them on a job site(stealing from them)while all alone they fire and sometimes have arrested an employee for taking money out of the cash register? I know both is wrong but the owner is happy as he.. when Sumone turns in a cash register thief but why is he not happy when we turn in a parking lot thief?? My cents worth...

when striping courts after we tape them (we have an old gymliner) and smooth the tape down with stocking feet - go through a pair per court - we apply the line primer by the 1 gallon jug while a second guys uses a 3" roller on an extension handle. with a little practice and by putting down enough material the roller will "glide" leaving a nice, consistent application. same way goes for the line paint. this works nice if you have to do it yourself. usually do all the alleys and north/south lines first then switch to the base/service lines - eliminates the need to trim. tried using our striper but always afraid of dribbles / lines blowing / or need for help unloading. by the way you guys love your lazy liners its a wonder some of you haven't tried using them on courts.

Anyone used SW line-plex paint for athletic fields? if so, Do you use it cut or uncut? Called SW but they weren't sure. i'm paint fields for our local youth soccer. Anyone have any experience with this product? Thanks, Pat

don't waste your money. buy cheap drywall primer, dilute about 50% and get-er-done

It’s in how it makes one feel. Making a bad business deal affects the ego, makes one feel inadequate, but a stealing employee has a different effect.