Best Small Business Start Up; How I Stripe a Parking Lot

(1) 6K or less. Most of that is machine. The remainder is incidentals: 18″ Traffic Cones, a 30′ Measuring tape…etc. (2) No real shop is necessary. Most work from their own garage. I did for (12) years. Many work from an enclosed trailer. Some may rent a (24) Hour Access, U Store It, type garage. (3) No real inventory. Paint and stencils are the inventory. Buy paint on the way to the job, after you’ve been given the job. Buy stencils once. I manufacture stencils. My Handicap stencil is 28 years old. Buy as you go. Buy as you grow. (4) You don’t have to quit your day job. Firefighters don’t. Teachers don’t. I did. ( I then had to buy health insurance. ) Stripe the bank's parking lot on your day off. Stripe the restaurant's lot before they open, even if it means (2) trips. (5) Almost any economy. I’ve been through both. In a good economy, people build, repair and seal coat parking lots. Stripers are needed. In a slow economy, people only “Re-Stripe”. ( Think about retail ...

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 ...

americanstriping Go to the “Extension Cord” aisle at your favorite hardware store. Pick up one of those “orange discs” ...that you use to keep an extension cord on. Next…head over to the “Rope Aisle”. Ask someone to reel about 160′ of Yellow, Poly, Boat Rope on to that Orange Disk. Fill the disc maybe ¾ full. Next…go pay for both. That device is now called your “Long Rope”. It’s used (3) ways.  1) If your job is to “Re-Stripe” existing stripes…stretch this Long Rope along the “Tail Ends” of those stripes. Pull it tight. Walk along that rope and use a certain type, piece of chalk to mark the new beginning of those stripes. You want the new stripes to be the same length. I don’t really care if they’re 18′ 2″ or 18′ 1″…as long as they’re all the same length. 2) In my book…I talk about; “Lined Up” stripes. So…after the “Tail Ends” are marked…or “Ticked”, you’ll turn that same Long Rope 90 degrees and stretch it across 2...

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 m...