Whether you are driving a brand new motor or your trusty set of wheels, choosing where to park your car takes some consideration. If a car park looks unsafe or unkempt, then the likelihood of a driver feeling confident about parking there can be greatly reduced. The impression of a location often begins and ends with the car park, and so creating a great first impression truly matters.

There are three key expectations of car parks that should be met in order to present a good impression: clear signage, sufficient spaces and safety for all users and staff.

As cities develop, there is less and less open space on ground level and so underground and high-rise car parks are appearing more and more. Often one-way systems are utilised in these car parks, and so clear signage is key to avoid confusion and potential accidents.

One-way systems keep traffic moving and help to prevent accidents

The signage in car parks needs to be instantly recognisable by drivers, and so is usually displayed on the floor, ramps and walls. These signs often include direction arrows, ‘STOP’ and ‘Give Way’ signs or symbols that warn drivers of potential hazards on the roads. Pedestrian walk-ways are also frequently separated by coloured zones with symbols to signify that they are for car park users rather than cars, helping to keep pedestrians safe and away from the traffic.

Signage on the floor is needed to keep car par users safe

Using materials such as Deckshield’s polyurethane coatings brightens car parks through the wide variety of colours that can be utilised, ranging from Dark Grey to Traffic Purple and Forest Green. These bright colours allow for zones to be easily created on car park floors, and also allows for different spaces to be highlighted for a variety of car park users.

Bright colours can be used to highlight specific spaces easily to drivers

In large car parks, having coloured zones can also easily help you to remember where you have parked. In many car parks, different levels have their own colour, reducing the time spent hunting for your car in a sea of other vehicles.

Coloured zones help to separate areas of large car parks

Having clear signage and zones are not the only benefit of using Deckshield however. Deckshield ID is incredibly resistant to chemicals and fire, meaning that there is a reduced risk of incident involving petrol or diesel spills. Fire resistance becomes especially important considering the high combustibility of cars with full gas tanks, and therefore should be a key consideration for all materials used in the space.

As well as chemical resistance, Deckshield ID is also slip resistant, making a safer environment for users and staff in areas that may be subject to wet floors from cleaning, or wet weather conditions being driven in by vehicles.

Space saving double-decker style parking in Indonesia

All products in the Deckshield range are heavy duty, ideal for regular exposure to heavy vehicles and rubber-wheeled traffic. Some car parks, such as the one above in Indonesia, feature a double-decker system, meaning that twice as many cars can be supported in the same amount of space. The weight of both the machinery and the cars need to be supported by a durable foundation, to avoid the risk of cracks forming, which could endanger car park users or staff.

From obvious benefits, such as colour and slip resistance to the added benefit of reducing the amount of tyre squeal, each property of the solvent-free, polyurethane coating range, Deckshield, is created for use in car parks. For more information on the best flooring solutions for car parks, explore Flowcrete’s interactive 3D model.

From starting our engines at car manufacturing plants, our quick pit stop at car showrooms, speeding through the racetrack and coming to a stop at car parks, we hope you’ve enjoyed the journey as much as we have. Don’t forget to leave a comment below, and keep your eyes peeled for more brand new content coming your way.