No Standard Handicap Parking Lot Stencil

I often get asked; "What is the "Standard Handicap Parking Lot Stencil""? I always answer the same…there is no standard...none at all.. But…there is a “most common” size...for (2) reasons...and I'll get to that. 
First...it's private property. It’s that simple. If you are "Re-Striping" a Bank parking lot...your stencil will not match. So...like I say in my book; How I Stripe, "Blue it out" and re spray using yours. All is well.
Next...I do understand there are certain Handicap stencils used for certain businesses. Click to see: WalMart or Chick-Fil-A. We even have a "Racing" Handicap. Click HERE to see that. Again…no standard shape or size.
Next...back to the most common size...and...for (2) reasons. 
1) Buy the 39" Handicap. The most common size...when I started, 28 years ago...was a simple 36". Things change. Either someone said..."this is OUR standard HC"...and everybody thought that was thee standard, or, we all moved to the 39" height because it left no scrap from the plastic sheet. Blahblah…Thee most common size is the 39" tall Handicap. AND...that's the measurement from the top of the "Head" to the bottom of the "Wheel". 39".

 2) There's an unwritten rule for stripers..."you can always go bigger but be careful going smaller". In other words...if there's a 36" or a 30" HC on the ground...Blue it out and spray your 39". OR...if there's an 8" VISITOR stencil on the ground…"Grey" it out and spray your 12" VISITOR. ( You can always go bigger but be careful going smaller. ) There's a mall I frequent, near my shop. Someone re striped it. They semi sloppily "Greyed" out the 36" STOP stencils. They then re-sprayed using 24" STOP stencils. Maybe (1) week later...the Grey out was nicely done and 36" STOP stencils were now in place. Again...be careful going smaller.
Bottom line...buy the 39". ( The 48" HC is too big. ) Buy the 39". It is thee most common and it covers many smaller sizes. And...to be clear...I'll MFG and sell you 1000 stencils...but...if you have a job that has a 36" HC...don't buy one. Blue it out and spray your 39". Keep that philosophy in mind. Buy what you can use forever.
I hope I helped. Let me know. Best Small Business Start Up Ever; Pavement Marking / Parking Lot Striping.
Take a look at my site; www.AmericanStriping.com. Consider buying my book; How I Stripe. Click HERE to Read (4) Pages. 

Popular posts from this blog

How I Stripe; Parking Lot Stencils

I manufacture parking lot stencils . Don't buy a "Picture Frame" style stencil. Every striper I know sprays the Handicap "Picture Frame" style border using the machine.  Here's how I stripe the Picture Frame Border around the Handicap Stencil. We all know that no stencil will match your stencil. So, we all hand paint / hand "roll" a Blue "Block" / "Square" over top the existing Handicap Stencil, to cover it. We then lay our Handicap stencil atop the ( dried ) Blue Block and spray whatever color is needed. Let's say Yellow. Thus the finished product is a Yellow Handicap Stencil atop the Blue Background. All is well. Next, rarely does a client want any "Picture Frame" border around the Blue Block Background. I don't think anyone's even asked me or told me either. But, sometimes it was like that and you need to "put it back" like that. Use the machine.  You may already have the "
Read more

Best Parking Lot Stencil

americanstriping Best Parking Lot Stencil I stripe parking lots and streets. I’ve been in business 28 years. Sales are 165K, doing that, and I take Winter off. Overhead is low. ( It’s all in my book; How I Stripe a Parking Lot . ) I also manufacture stencils. That’s year ‘round. I say that…and I introduce the “stencil topic”…to say this; our stencils are the best…for several reasons. Therefore…we may or may not “match prices”. To me…this can come off as a semi gimmick. Why not just lower the price forever? Why not match my stencil? It should always be about; “Apples to Apples” and being fair. First…we’d increase most prices. Next…we’d squish down “Worded Stencils”. Next…we’d use 12″ wide plastic for 10″ wide numbers. Maybe we’d use a different plastic. Blahblah… But…here’s the reverse…if someone wants to match my prices…ask them to also match my stencil. ADD
Read more

How I Stencil a Parking Lot

I   have an unwritten rule when I re stencil a parking lot… You can always go bigger but be careful going smaller. In other words… If I have a job that has a 12″ STOP Stencil = a single, (1) piece stencil that spells; STOP using letters that are 12″ in height. ( A 12″ STOP Stencil. ) I don’t re stripe using a 12″ STOP because I don’t own a 12″ STOP ! ( I don’t even own an 18″ STOP Stencil. ) I place my 24″ STOP right where it belongs…over that old 12″ STOP Stencil. I then trace the perimeter of that particular piece of plastic using Railroad Chalk. ( In my case, this (1) piece of plastic sheet measures; 63″ Wide x 30″ Tall. ) I then get my (5) gallon bucket of White paint that I have already added a little Black to…stirred and now it’s Grey. ( My Grey Bucket ) That bucket has maybe 6″ of Grey paint in it. It also has a 9″ Roller dipped down in it. Yes, just like the Roller you would use to hand roll your living room wall. It’s always in there. I then hand roll that drawn rectangle Grey
Read more