Reflective Paint for Street Signs?

[Texas_Signmaker]

Is there such a thing as reflective paint? I have some street signs that are thick metal and have raised letters that the paint has worn off. This is an image of what it looks like with regular paint but customer wanted to know about reflective.

 

[Z SIGNS]

yes, there is reflective paint. why not just slap some reflective vinyl on it.

 

[Gino]

I don't know of any long lasting reflective paint, but we used to paint fire hydrants, street signs and other things with a special thick white paint and then we'd drizzle white reflective glass crystals in the paint. They also make a powder. That stuff would last a decade or two.

 

[Billct2]

Yes, I did the reflective crystal thing years ago. I would probably just overlay white reflective vinyl and hand knife though.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I don't think the vinyl would stick well, the metal letters seem pitted. I think I talked the customer out of it ... They are neighborhood signs in a very small subdivision and it's pretty well lit.

 

[Jean Shimp]

I tried some reflective paint that was sold in a rattle can - not sure if it was Krylon or Rustoleum. It's been several years but the results were not good at all. It was barely reflective. I would try the reflective vinyl - the adhesive is extremely aggressive on 3M Scotchlite.

 

[Bigdawg]

We do reflective painted sign panels regularly. We mix the paint with reflective bead, paint and then use the reflective powder beads on top of the last coat. If you don't do the the reflective powder on top, the reflectivity goes wayyyyy down. I'm not sure if the reflective is up to DOT standards on street sign panels - I would suspect not, but don't know that for sure. The panels we do are either sandblasted signs or directional community signs (think travertine-type panels). Like others mentioned, we use reflective vinyl for street sign panels.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Thanks for the info!

 

[eahicks]

I don't think the vinyl would stick well, the metal letters seem pitted. I think I talked the customer out of it ... They are neighborhood signs in a very small subdivision and it's pretty well lit.

If it's pretty well lit, reflective isn't even necessary.