Parking Curbs Yearly Maintenance – Compare Concrete to Rubber

When considering what type of parking curbs to install, there are quite a few things to consider. One thing that many might unknowingly overlook is maintenance.

Maintenance is a yearly cost that rarely enters the mind while planning and budgeting for a new parking facility, or even during the remodel of an existing area. However, it can be one of the most exorbitant expenses.

First, let’s consider the yearly maintenance on a concrete parking curb. Typically, curbs are painted to make them more visible to drivers and pedestrians. And paint tends to fade based on the amount of rain, heat and other weather conditions in your area. So, yearly purchases of paint and the labor & supplies is something to consider.

Next, consider that each time a vehicle bumps into a concrete curb, the curb will almost inevitably move or shift on the spike. Because the curb is rigid, this can cause erosion and cracks to begin from the inside out. After a year or maybe two, the anchoring holes will grow so large that the curbs probably won’t remain in place, and there’s a good chance they’ll probably crack or separate at these points. You may be able to get away with patching them, but again, there’s an expense in the repair, and the labor to do so.

Keep in mind also that if the anchors were not properly installed, there’s the possibility that they may be sticking up above the top of the curb. This exposed spike could catch the undercarriage of a low profile car. This is an unconsidered liability that may mean vehicle repair, and perhaps worse.

All things considered, after years of abuse from the weather, and from the friction of the anchor points, the concrete curb is going to deteriorate, and at some point, it will need replaced. By the time replacement is required, concrete curbs are typically damaged badly enough that they cannot be reused. So selling them to another facility is probably not an option. Plus, there is nothing within them that holds any salvage value, so there’s no way to recoup any of your expenses. There is the cost of labor to remove them, the cost to dispose of them, and the cost of replacements. And remember, there’s a very good chance that by the time they need replaced, the price per curb and labor to install has probably risen.

While concrete curbs offer a more economical choice up front, within just a few years of installation, the cost of maintaining the curbs, plus the costs associated with removal & disposal, added to the increased cost of replacement demonstrates that the overall expenses of a concrete curb could double, or even triple the initial purchase price.

Now, let’s consider an alternative to the concrete curb.

The initial purchase price of a rubber parking curb may be higher than that of a concrete curb, however the expenses associated with maintenance are almost non-existent. First, there is no costs for painting these curbs. Each are manufactured with a reflective stripe pattern that is impervious to oil, salt & chemicals, as well as to weather. The stripes do not fade in the sun, nor will they wash away in the rain.

As compared to concrete, a rubber wheel stop is installed much the same way. Rebar spikes are used to secure them in place. Rubber curbs will endure the same type of friction as each vehicle bumps into them. The difference being how they react. The rigidity of concrete causes friction with the spikes and potential damages as we addressed previously. However, the rubber curb is flexible and under the same stress, will simply “bounce back” to the original position. While the anchor points can become damaged, it would take a significantly stronger impact to cause damage to a rubber wheel bumper than it takes to damage a concrete curb.

Also keep in mind that the rubber curb offers a countersunk anchor point. So when spikes are properly installed, none of the spike is exposed above the surface of the curb. So low profile vehicles have no problem clearing the top of the curb, and the spike never comes in contact with the undercarriage.

Rubber parking curbs will not succumb to the same daily stresses that a concrete option does. Weather does not affect them, flexibility protects them, and painting is never necessary. Occasionally you may want to visually inspect them to be sure the spikes aren’t working out of the ground, or to be sure that they haven’t been unknowingly damaged. However it’s quite possible that you’ll find them in the same shape they were when they were installed. Studies have shown these to be installed for 10+ years and still performing well.

This is something to consider as you’re planning new installation or renovations. Purchasing a better product initially will save time, money and headaches in the future.