EN 1871 Thermoplastic Road Marking Paint

What Is EN 1871 Thermoplastic Road Marking Paint?

EN 1871 thermoplastic road marking paint refers to hot-applied thermoplastic road marking material supplied for projects that require EN 1871-type physical property testing. EN 1871 is a European standard for road marking materials, covering paint, thermoplastic and cold plastic materials used for permanent or temporary road markings.

For thermoplastic road marking paint, the material is supplied in solid powder or granular form, heated to a molten state, and applied to the road surface by screed, extrusion or spray equipment. After cooling, it forms durable road markings with good visibility, adhesion and wear resistance.

EN 1871 thermoplastic paint was not defined only by a fixed formula. It is more related to physical performance, such as luminance factor, chromaticity, softening point, UV ageing resistance, alkali resistance, skid resistance, cold impact resistance, and glass bead system.

Key Features of EN 1871 Thermoplastic Road Marking Paint

European-Standard Physical Property Focus：
EN 1871-type thermoplastic road marking paint is designed around physical performance requirements, not only the raw material percentage. Important indicators may include luminance factor, chromaticity, softening point, UV ageing, alkali resistance, and cold impact resistance.

White and Yellow Road Marking Paint：
The material is commonly supplied in white and yellow for road markings, road line marking, lane lines, edge lines, pedestrian crossings, arrows, and traffic symbols.

Hot-Applied Thermoplastic Material：
The product is heated before application and applied by screed, extrusion, or spray equipment, depending on project specification and marking method.

Glass Beads for Road Marking：
Premix glass beads and drop-on glass beads can be used to improve retroreflectivity and nighttime visibility of reflective road markings.

Binder Resin and Pigment System:
The binder resin, titanium dioxide, pigments, fillers, and glass beads are adjusted to support brightness, color stability, wear resistance, flowability, and application performance.

Project-Based Formula Adjustment:
Formula can be adjusted according to tender requirements, local climate, road surface, traffic level, required softening point, skid resistance, and application method.

EN 1871 vs BS 3262 vs AASHTO M249 Thermoplastic Road Marking Paint

Different road marking paint standards focus on different project systems and testing logic. EN 1871 is mainly a European physical properties standard for road marking materials, including paint, thermoplastic, and cold plastic materials. BS 3262-type projects are more related to British Standard hot-applied thermoplastic road marking materials. AASHTO M249 focuses on white and yellow reflective thermoplastic striping material in solid form. JT/T 280 is commonly used as a Chinese standard reference for thermoplastic road marking paint.

For export projects, the correct formula should not be chosen only by the standard name. It should be confirmed according to the tender specification, required color, glass bead system, luminance factor, softening point, application method, road surface, climate, and traffic level.

City road markings Highways/Main Roads Township roads

Highways & Expressways

Long-life center/edge lines, lane arrows, and rumble/profiled markings under heavy traffic. Typical film thickness 2.0–3.0 mm; drop-on glass beads 250–400 g/m² (RI ≥1.5), with high-brightness beads for elevated RL at night and in wet conditions.

Urban & Municipal Roads

Crosswalks, stop lines, turn arrows, bus/bike lanes, and symbols where rapid reopening is critical. Fast no-pick-up time (~2–4 min) minimizes congestion; use primer on concrete and consider anti-skid aggregates where a higher BPN is required.

Airports & Ports (Roadways & Aprons where permitted)

High-visibility guidance on landside roads, aprons, and cargo areas exposed to UV, oils, fuel drips, salt spray, and intensive service traffic. Specify bead systems for sustained retroreflectivity and confirm local airfield/port specifications before use.

Parking Lots & School Zones

Stall lines, ADA/access markings, speed humps, zebra crossings, and directional symbols. Cost-effective thickness 1.5–2.0 mm with drop-on beads for nighttime visibility; primer recommended on concrete substrates.