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I have been using red and green Rustoleum Professional Inverted Marking paint for a while now, but I have noticed that in a relatively short time after application the paint darkens to the point that it is nearly black.

Does anyone have any recommendations for other brands of inverted marking paint that keep their bright color? I would like colors in addition to white, but even just a white that stays white would be nice.

I have used various brands of standard paint (not inverted) and have found that many of the cheap ones don't keep their color. But the more expensive ones that do keep their color tend to gum up the nozzle and stop working. I have been able to find one kind that is pretty good on both counts. But I'd really like to have an inverted version that is good for both.
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I have been using yellow Rustoleum inverted striping paint for 10 years. It lasts longer than marking paint. I get it at Home Depot, 12 cans per case. They have a variety of colors.

I still find marks in parks that I made more than 3 years ago (I use 4" number stencils). I used marking paint for a couple of courses, and the green faded to white within about a month, and disappeared in 3 months. Very important to use striping paint, not marking paint.
Mark, I'm just curious about your preference for inverted paint-- I've used it but find that I can write much more neatly with the other kind.

I do understand using inverted paint if you use a setup like Nathan Porch's-- he's mounted a paint gun on his bike , along the front fork. It's pretty slick.

Also gotta ask about those colors; I've thought that white paint stays visible a lot longer (?). If you're looking for a really bright color, putting down white first and then a fluorescent color on top is pretty dramatic. (But maybe doesn't last all that long.)

(Just saw Duane's post, and I agree about striping paint, it is pretty durable. I remember it's being pretty hard to clean off if you get any on you or something you want to keep clean but maybe the durability makes it worth it. And if you use stencils the inverted paint makes sense.)
Bob, the only thing I do is paint short lines. I tell the RD to look for a 2in x 6in white mark (or whatever color). At least around here nobody makes that kind of mark so it is actually very easy to identify. I leave it to the RD to write numbers or whatever at the marks if they want to. I don't like doing that.

The different colors are for situations where there are two overlapping course distances (5k, 10k) for the same event. A different color for the miles marks of each course.
Mark, I have tried that marking paint. I hate it. It is mega-messy. I end up with it on my hands, clothes, shoes, bike, and car interior. Never again for me.

I like Rustoleum Precision Inverted paint: Rustoleum Precision. This paint goes down neater, and a can lasts longer than any other I've tried. Around D.C., there is so much repaving, development, re-paving, not to mention the snowplows and salt in some years, that some courses must be remarked every year. And, in some places, like bike paths, I do not want the paint to be permanent, in order to avoid the wrath of park authorities and homeowner associations, which I have incurred, going back to the 80's and still occasionally today.
This just occurred to me, I shouldn't assume that everyone knows this: to keep the paint from clogging, each time you finish marking a point you should turn the can upside down and squirt it a bit to get the paint out of the nozzle. For inverted can you do the reverse I think.

At least this is supposed to work. Recently I feel I've experienced more cans clogging up anyway but it may be my laziness.
Mark, I use this.

"Have you had any issues with the nozzle getting clogged?". Nope, it clogs regularly, so not an issue. ;-) I have flattened the end of a few paperclips, and carry them in the bag with my nails & washers. I also keep all my old nozzles, and clean them, and store them in my nail bag. When a nozzle clogs, I swap it out, and clean it later. Not an issue! Pain in the tush, yes. But, the paint lasts a long time, so to me, it is worth it. I have 6 or 8 clean nozzles in my bag at all times, and may have to swap once on a course.

And, yes, I clear my nozzle after each use. It is worse on cold days, as the paint is thicker. Most of the clogs are from the edge of the tube of the nozzle. It flakes off, then plugs the slit. Paperclip (also carry a small screwdriver that works well) cleans all types of clogs.

Lymon, maybe your fingers are larger than mine, but it is only the finger that holds my stencil that gets painted. I carry a rag, and wipe it off, so I normally don't get paint on anything other than the ground and my stencil.
Last edited by duanerussell
To clean standard nozzles, I remove the nozzle and spray WD40 through the nozzle and then blow it out with a compressed air can (for computer keyboards) or with my small "contractor" air compressor.

For inverted aerosol cans, after each use I upright the can and blow out the nozzle until only air comes out. I also carry a paperclip and leave one end stuck in the nozzle hole between uses.

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