Frequently Asked Questions - Reflective Artist

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Why does my project not reflect? First thing, do not mix reflective glass beads into paint or cover them with a clear coat as this will negate or greatly reduce reflectivity. Reflective glass beads must be the first layer to receive light in order to reflect properly. Secondly, let us talk about retro-reflectivity. Retro-Reflection happens when light enters the bead finds the edge and is returned directly back to the source of the light. Retro-reflection is directional. You only see the reflective glass beads reflect when your eyes are at the same level or in between the light source and the glass beads. Think of it like this: You see the signs reflecting on the interstate and roads because your eyes are at the same level as your headlights. If you were riding 15 feet above your cars headlights, you would not see the same reflectiveness. Factors that affect reflectivity (refractive index) are clarity, roundness and inclusions or air bubbles. In addition, the brightness of the light source obviously can affect how well the glass beads reflect. The size of the reflective glass bead mainly affects the angles that you can see reflectivity. One final note, do not push the beads down into the medium (paint, glue) just sprinkle on top and let the medium dry. If glass beads are pushed down too far into the medium, they will not reflect as well. Hope that helps!

How do I apply reflective glass beads? To apply reflective glass beads just sprinkle the beads on top of paint or the adhesive medium while that medium is still wet or tacky.  Be sure not to push the beads down into the medium just sprinkle on top and let dry. If glass beads are pushed down too far into the medium, they will not reflect as well. After the medium dries brush off the beads that did not stick collecting them for later use. Applying to a vertical surface is tricky. The glamourous way is to use a gravity feed air gun or sandblaster. Most people do not have sandblasters or air guns laying around. Therefore, here is the easiest way we have found. Toss the reflective glass beads onto the wet medium (paint.) Be sure to collect the beads at the bottom using plastic sheeting, cardboard etc. We recommend using a light coat then applying the beads because the glass beads will add weight to the paint and the paint can droop or sag. 

What is the difference between Type 1 and Type 3 beads?Factors that affect the retro-reflectivity or brightness are clarity, roundness and air bubbles. Type 1 reflective glass beads are made of recycled glass therefore may not be as round and have some inclusions. Type 1 beads like our Standard DOT &#;Powder&#; and &#;Airport Quality&#; have a refractive index of >1.51. Our Type 3 High Index Reflective Glass beads are made from virgin glass, have near perfect roundness and less the <1% inclusions or air bubbles. These beads rank high on the refractive index scale. (>1.93) Type 1-glass beads uses include road or pavement marking, art and craft even preening. High Index reflective glass beads are more than 5X times brighter than Type 1 glass beads. Uses for high index beads include screen-printing, sign making, vinyl sheeting, airport pavement marking, art projects and much more.

Will color come through from underneath the beads or Lightning Brand reflective paint? Yes, however reflective glass beads are retro-reflective and will reflect back the color of a light source directly back to the source. When there is color underneath the color will show through however, usually lighter than original color depending on the light source.

What color will the reflective glass beads reflect? Reflective Glass beads are retro reflective and will reflect back the color of the light source directly back to that source. However, if there is an underlying color that color will be picked up in the reflection as well. (Usually lighter than original color) 

Will the reflective glass beads reflect infrared light? Yes, the reflective glass beads will reflect any light source back to that source. You may need specialized equipment to see infrared but it is reflecting.

Can I mix beads into paint? No, beads need light in order to reflect back that light. It is important to note that even applying a clear coat over the reflective glass beads will greatly reduce or negate reflectivity. Mixing reflective glass beads into paint will only give you a nice texture but no retro-reflection.

How many pounds of beads do I need for my project?The Department of Transportation recommends 5-6 pounds of reflective glass beads for every gallon of paint used. So 2 pounds of glass beads for every quart, 1 pound of beads for every pint. Do not mix beads into paint they will not reflect because glass beads need light in order to reflect light back to the source. A gallon of thick latex/acrylic paint will cover about 80-100 square feet

What are people using reflective glass beads for other than pavement making?Reflective glass beads are typically applied to make an object or surface more visible and safe. However, over the years we have had many clients use these glass beads in wonderfully creative and unusual ways. For instance, we have had Hollywood studios and other film companies use the beads for chromatography as well as backdrops and special effects. Clients have used reflective glass beads to mark weather balloons, sea buoys, hunting trails, giant dump trucks and even air conditioning units on top of tall buildings. One creative customer used our High Index Reflective Glass Beads to enhance a vintage Ford Model A. (Reflective rims see picture.) We have many talented artists use these reflective glass beads in sculptures, paintings, prism light boxes, canoes and other incredible art pieces. Architects have used reflective glass beads to create outdoor masterpieces as well as to reflect light better by coating ceilings so they can used lower wattage lighting. Contractors have painted roofs with reflective glass beads to insulate and reflect heat away. Screen printers have created apparel that really pops. National and State parks have used routed wooden signs to make trails safer. Whether its fashion design, jewelry, political signs, curb or target marking, urban murals these reflective glass beads are unbelievably versatile and downright cool. We cannot wait to see what you come up with next! Check out our customer photo gallery at https://colezoom.com.

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Best way to apply beads to a vertical surface?Applying to a vertical surface is tricky. The glamourous way is to use a gravity feed air gun or sandblaster. Most people do not have sandblasters or air guns laying around. Therefore, here is the easiest way we have found. Toss the reflective glass beads onto the wet medium paint or adhesive medium. Be sure to collect the beads at the bottom using plastic sheeting, cardboard etc. We recommend using a light coat then applying the beads because the glass beads will add weight to the paint and the paint can droop or sag. 

How many Square feet will the reflective glass beads cover? A one-pound bag of reflective glass beads will cover approximately 12-15 square feet. The ratio recommended by the DOT is 6 pounds of glass beads to every gallon of paint used. One Gallon of paint typically covers about 80-100 Square Feet.

What does retro-reflective mean? Retro-Reflection happens when light enters the bead finds the edge and is returned directly back to the source of that light only. Retro-reflection is directional. You only see the reflective glass beads reflect when your eyes are at the same level or in between the light source and the beads. Factors that affect the brightness (refractive index) are clarity, roundness and inclusions/air bubbles. The size of the reflective glass bead affects the angles that the bead can reflect. 

Can I put a clear coat over the beads to protect them?No, glass beads will not reflect properly because light cannot find the edge of the glass beads inorder reflect. 

LIGHT REFLECTIVE PAINT - BASICS OF USING

When searching for unusual effects associated with painting various surfaces we often hear next questions from our customers: what is the difference between luminescent paint and fluorescent paint? Or what distinguishes the reflective paint from the luminescent one and others?

Let us give you some brief answers:

Luminescent paint is a glowing paint that will be glowing autonomously in the dark without the aid of ultraviolet or any other light source.
Fluorescent paint is an ultraviolet paint, to wit a paint that starts to glow only when the covered object is exposed to ultraviolet lamp.
Light reflective paint is a paint that starts to glow when the light beam impacts the covered surface. The best reflection effect will be seen by the one standing on the side where the light beam is directed from.

Retroreflective paint is a combination of special light reflective pigment and ordinary transparent medium (usually varnish) that are getting mixed together in the ratio of 1:3 (1 part of light reflective pigment and 3 parts of transparent varnish). The varnish can be based on any material - it can be alkyd, acrylic, polyurethane, etc. It doesn't matter to light accumulative pigment, however the varnish should be suitable for the surface you are going to make reflective.

The most popular field of using the retroreflective paint is road marking (light reflective dividing lines, curb marking, etc.). Application technology is double-layer. That means you have to apply the regular white marking line first and then you can cover it with a light reflective coating. In this case white reflective paint will act as a perfect reference point for drivers at night. Road light reflective paint has an extremely long service life which, however, is limited by the abrasion time of the marking line itself.

The other field of using the reflective paint is area marking (light reflective curbs, retroreflective columns, barriers, gates or walls). This service is very popular among factories and industrial facilities. Such retroreflective effects are often used near the hotels or private gas stations. In this case the principle of using the reflection will about the same as when drawing road markings. The main component of the liquid is light reflective pigment that is added to the appropriate transparent varnish. For example, if you want to paint curbs you have add the pigment to the varnish for concrete surfaces. After mixing the compnonets we get a real road light reflective paint.

Reflective stripes on the uniform of traffic police officers, emergency officers and miners are also made using the light reflective paint. Reflection color can be different, from classic white to darker shades like blue or dark green. You can buy a light reflective paint from Noxton Company. We will thoroughly explain you how to use it and to prepare it for applying to different kinds of surfaces.

Road signs with retroreflection effect are becoming an integral part of our lives. As according to regulative documents, road signs should have the reflective elements that would help the road users to quickly orient on the road. Although this kind of guidance signs can be produced with a light reflective layer however a lot of old road signs don't have that feature. That's why a lot of gas stations, hotels, malls and large supermarkets owners can buy a retroreflective paint after the sign is installed in order to bring it into line with the standards.

Reflective film is a great example of a finished product that is in demand among the people that want to get a quick result if they have a small amount of work. Usually finished light reflective film has an adhesive coating so it can be easily used at inside walls, cloth, metal surfaces, etc. If you don't know where to buy a light-reflective film, you can make it yourself by applying a layer of retroreflective paint on any type of self-adhesive film, ORACAL for example. In this case the cost of the reflective film will be much lower than if you would've decided to buy a finished product (light reflective stickers).
The new field of using the retroreflective film is interior and exterior design. You can get an awesome visual effect by making the right combination of light and painted objects.

We are often asked: is there a light reflective paint in a spray can? Yes, such compounds exist. However, considering the size of the light reflective pigment particles, and the density of the substance itself, we can say it's not the best idea to put the paint into the can. Even if you'll add a ball inside this kind of spray can you won't be able to uniformly cover the surface through this method. Light reflective fluorescent paint in a spray can is the best option you can find to perform small amount of work. But if you are facing the task to paint 200 roadside poles then you would want to get a reflective paint or a retroreflective enamel in its usual form.

There is nothing complex about using the light reflective materials. Everyone will be able to add the light reflective pigment to the varnish, mix the compound until homogeneous and get a retroreflective paint that would have the price appropriate for doing some large-scale works.
You can always buy a reflective paint at Noxton Technologies.

We recommend you to read our article about how to correctly choose and buy a luminescent paint.

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Marina Kolesnikova, manager of Noxton Technologies Company

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