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Track color

PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 8:19 pm
by frank9129
I know this is preference of the track owner.
Right now I have a routed oval track. It is painted Gray. I use it out of doors quite a bit, sometimes in the sun.
Is there any benefit to a black track? Will the sun cause any damage?
Thanks for the input.

Re: Track color

PostPosted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 6:16 pm
by SpeedyNH
from a surface perspective, for what it's worth, black will get warmer in the sun but the carbon fill will resist UV/Ozone much better and last longer, same as any plastic. it's kind of relative, what looks better (grey) vs. how long (many, many days before damage) that it might stay in the sun (black).
me? I'd see how long the grey lasts. I bet it'd be quite a while, and it won't get so hot that the tape lifts. just my take.
speedy

Re: Track color

PostPosted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:55 pm
by frank9129
Speedy,
I decided on the gray of my original track. It was a special mix by Lowes for Rocky Anderson who made my track.
I had some sample gray so I started painting the underside to protect it. Next time I resurface Crab Alley Speedway I'll paint the bottom.
So far I have only had to resurface it due to a spill. Parents, you can't train them to read. "NO FOOD OR DRINK NEAR THE TRACK"! The kids are no problem.
Thanks for the input.

Re: Track color

PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2017 6:14 am
by RichD
Asphalt is only black when it is newly laid, that eventually fades to a gray, or in the case of very old material, nearly white in color. Because the asphalt is composed of tar and crushed stone it has a speckled appearance when viewed close up. The color of the stone will effect the color of the asphalt. Most people use a gray paint, however if you buy paint off the shelf it usually has a bluish tinge because a straight gray is not a decorator color. If you want a gray that does not have a blue tinge you will probably have to get it custom mixed. Another option is speckled paint, Krylon has a speckled paint that comes in spray cans and there used to be a brush on paint called River Rock.
Darker colors absorb heat and lighter colors reflect them, so a black track will get hotter if it is in direct sunlight. When your track is not in use it would probably be best to cover it, no matter what color it is painted.

Re: Track color

PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2017 4:10 pm
by SpeedyNH
thanks Frank. I agree.

Re: Track color

PostPosted: Sat Aug 26, 2017 6:55 am
by chappy
Couldnt agree more Rich. If you google some track photos and look at the track pics you can see very little black left in the original asphalt. Just look at a normal,highway and about the only time it really looks black is after a rain.
Bob