Ever walk through a dark and dingy parking garage at night? It’s not a situation most of us feel safe or comfortable in. But if you manage a parking garage as part of your academic campus, medical facility, or shopping center, keep in mind that the state of your garage directly affects how secure your customers or clients feel when visiting you!
You want to keep the people who patronize your business safe. A simple renovation step that can improve the perceived and actual safety of your garage is to apply new paint and a protective floor coating. Here’s why it makes a difference:
Improving visibility
Bright lights such as fluorescents or LEDs can make a big difference in keeping your parking garage safe for customers by allowing them to see approaching people and vehicles easily. You can multiply the effect of your lighting by covering dingy concrete with light-colored floor coatings and paint that reflects some of that light back, increasing visual clarity.
Providing clear directions
You don’t want people wandering lost through your garage, and you definitely don’t want cars going the wrong way on a one-way! That’s why it’s so important to make sure directional arrows are clearly marked on the floor surface and haven’t faded or peeled up over time. Large numerals can be painted on the walls or doors to help customers remember which floor they parked on, and color-coding the floors as a memory aid is also helpful.
Creating anti-slip surfaces
Old and worn concrete can cause a slip hazard, especially on stairs or in inclement weather. Laying down an epoxy or specialty anti-slip coating can give shoes a better surface to grip onto, even in wet conditions.
Making maintenance easier
Keeping the floors clean is also important for preventing slip-and-fall accidents. It’s easier to sweep a smooth surface free of dust and debris than one with deep joints or cracks. In addition, the right kind of floor coating can resist stains from motor oil, anti-freeze and other chemicals from leaky vehicles.
Appearances matter
Making sure your parking garage is well-lighted and clean reflects well on your company, of course, but its importance goes beyond mere aesthetics.
A dark, dingy, and run-down garage can encourage criminals who want an opportunity to prey on your customers. A garage that’s brightly lit and clearly has regular janitorial care, on the other hand, may convince them that the chance of being spotted by staff is too great a risk.
If you manage a parking garage in the Southeastern US and would like to explore what kind of specialty floor coatings or commercial painting services would work best for your individual garage, call CPC at (864) 855-0600 or contact us online for a free consultation.