TRAFFIC PAINT REFLECTIVITY

Traffic Paints can be either:

(A) Non-Reflectorized (do not reflect headlights, etc.)
(B) Reflectorized (to reflect auto headlights or airplane landing lights):

a. With pre-mixed beads (long term reflectivity, but NOT immediately reflective.
b. With drop on beads (immediately reflective, but NOT long term reflectivity);
c. With both pre-mixed beads and drop on beads (gives both immediate reflectivity AND long term reflectivity)

NOTE:  Traffic Paint with pre-mixed beads is not immediately reflective because the glass spheres (beads) in the paint are surrounded by paint, which is opaque.  The paint must be worn off the exposed tops of the beads (by traffic driving over the paint stripe) before the paint become reflective.  However, once the paint stripe becomes reflective, it will continue to reflect as long as there is any paint with pre-mixed beads left on the road surface.

Drop on beads provide immediate reflectivity, but once the drop on beads have worn off (by traffic driving over the paint stripe), the stripe will no longer be reflective, unless the paint originally contained pre-mixed beads also.

TO MAKE A NON-REFLECTORIZED TRAFFIC PAINT REFLECTIVE

Glass spheres should be dropped onto the painted stripe before the paint dries or sets up.  Glass spheres should be applied uniformly at the following rates of glass spheres per each gallon of paint applied

BEADS (Glass Spheres)
 

Florida Dept. of Transportation Specifications 971-14, Type 1 (Drop On Beads)