Glass Beading

What is Glass Beading?

Glass beads are used to add reflectivity to traffic or marking paint. They are to be sprinkled on the surface of wet paint as soon after application. For many years, glass beads have been used in pavement and have become more mainstream and mandatory in some places. The beads are embedded in the liquid binder. They bend light and creates retroreflectivity. The light is reflected back to the viewer, making it easy to see. Glass beads are normally made from recycled glass.

The bigger the beads, the more reflection there will be. Years ago, glass beads were applied by hand. While one crew member would use a striping or thermoplastic machine on the pavement, a second crew member would follow behind adding the beads to the marking.

Glass beads can be added to paints, thermoplastics, and epoxies. The amount, type, and coasting of the beads can vary depending on the type of binder being used.