Exit Marking Case Study: Painting Versus Tape

OSHA requires that all facilities have clearly marked exits that are unobstructed at all times. To remind employees of exit locations and to keep those areas clear of obstacles, many warehouses and facilities mark the floors in front of the exit doors with a bold solid-color outline and matching inner diagonal stripes. We compare two common options for marking clearance areas in front of exit doors—floor tape versus painted lines—to determine the top contender for your facility. 

Benefits of Superior Mark Exit Marking Kits

The best alternative to painting floors in industrial facilities is Superior Mark floor marking tape, one of our top-selling products and the basis of our convenient Exit Marking Kits. A kit offers many benefits over painting when creating visual cues for emergency exit routes and doors. 

• Easy Application: The pre-cut Exit Marking Kit features puzzle-cut mitered ends for easy, seamless installation. Simply place the border using the puzzle-cut edges, install a center hash mark, evenly space the five diagonal stripes, and tamp to activate the adhesive.
• Durable Materials: Our Exit Marking Kit is made with our flagship Superior Mark tape, which is much thicker than standard alternatives (32 mils, compared to the usual 8 mils) and features an industrial-grade, pressure-activated adhesive that stands up to heavy traffic.  
• Beveled Edges: Superior Mark products are designed with beveled edges that allow for more durability by directing heavy equipment up and over the tape, preventing damage from dragging or pulling at the edges.

Are Floor Marking Tape Kits or Paint Better?

Now that you understand the benefits of an Exit Marking Kit, it’s time to decide if it’s the right approach for your facility. Let’s consider how Superior Mark floor-marking kits compare to traditional painting options on several key factors. 

Installation Time

Time is a major consideration when choosing your floor marking type, especially for high-priority areas like emergency exit routes. It’s not only a matter of employee time: Exit doors must be completely shut down during the time it takes for application and drying, cutting off access to important egress routes. To compare the time commitment for laying a Superior Mark Exit Marking Kit versus painting lines, we went through the process for both: 

The total time it took to apply our Exit Marking Kit was significantly less—10 minutes, versus the eight hours to paint lines and allow them to dry.

Materials and Installation Cost

While floor-marking kits may require a higher upfront investment than painted lines, you also need to take into account other elements that influence the overall cost, including how long the markings last, what sort of tools are needed for application, and the cost of employee time. The cost of employee time for installing a floor marking kit is less than $2, compared to $200 for eight hours’ worth of employee time dedicated to painting exit markings.

Floor Markings Durability

Approximately nine weeks after the exits were marked, we assessed the condition of the markings to compare durability. The Superior Mark Exit Marking Kit still looked almost brand new (left image). The dirt-resistant tape retained its luster and sheen, remaining undamaged. The painted exit marking (right image) looked duller than it did right after painting and there were visible scuffs and stains.

While tape and paint are both acceptable products for marking clearance areas in front of exit doors, Superior Mark Exit Marking Kits offer a range of additional benefits, along with time and cost savings, that make them the ideal choice. For more on choosing the best products for visual cues in your facility, consult our Resource Center.