# What kind of paint for Home Address number on the curb?



## VAer (Jul 3, 2017)

If I do it by myself, how much will it cost (including buying numbers and paint)? 

I only need 3 numbers (since there is repeating number in my home address number).

Should I paint it white first, then black numbers on the white paint?

Thanks.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

VA, 

Is this required by law or your community covenants?

Well, the cost to do it yourself is about:

$1 for a full set of throwaway stencils at any dollar store. 

A can of spray paint is as low as $2 each at HD or Lowe's. Any type of exterior paint would work fine.

Yes, I would paint a white background area, then tape the number stencils in place, and spray black or whatever dark color is allowable.

Is it worth your time? Up to you to decide.
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## VAer (Jul 3, 2017)

ZZZZZ said:


> VA,
> 
> Is this required by law or your community covenants?
> 
> ...


No ideas if it is required or not, I cannot even see my numbers clearly now.

But it is always a nice thing to do.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I'd want enough stencils for the entire address number so you could spray it all at once. Not sure I've seen the curb numbers that weren't on a white background.


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

I'd pay the $15. You'll end up paying more than that for the paint if you do it yourself.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

You might want to call the city or ask a police dispatcher. This can be a scam in some places. When I lived in Long Beach, a neighbor painted my numbers & got in trouble with the police. It's a sales pitch, not an official notice.


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## lazzlazz (Mar 29, 2010)

VAer said:


> No ideas if it is required or not, I cannot even see my numbers clearly now.
> 
> But it is always a nice thing to do.


The flyer makes it clear it doesn't come from a government agency. I don't know why you'd want to paint your address on the curb. People don't look at the curb - they look at the house - to see what the address is. It seems like a waste of time & money to do it yourself, and a waste of money to pay someone else. 

The curb belongs to the city. It's probably fine if you do it yourself, but whoever distributed the flyer would have to have permission from the city to operate a business and to paint the curb.

I'd notify the city and the police. It could be a scam to try to figure out who is home during the day.

The flyer says "House address numbers on the curb keep drivers eyes on the road". No, they will keep drivers eyes on the curb, which is not where they should be. Drivers eyes should be scanning across the road, and in areas where there are cars parked along the road, drivers should also be alert for the possibility of kids or pets darting out from between cars. Marking house numbers on the curbs makes street more dangerous, not less. Have a clear number by your front door that is big enough to easily see from the road.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

Some communities do require house numbers on the curb, to aid in response to 911 calls, etc..

Uber and pizza delivery drivers like it, too. :biggrin2:
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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

lazzlazz said:


> The flyer makes it clear it doesn't come from a government agency. I don't know why you'd want to paint your address on the curb. People don't look at the curb - they look at the house - to see what the address is.


Are you kidding? Addresses on curbs are great. It makes it ten times easier to find the house you're looking for. 

I dont see how it could be a scam. You dont give them any money till after its done. If the company is doing it illegally, its their asses. But, it might be a good idea to do a quick check on the legality. 

I've heard of people making big bucks curb address painting. Especially the ones that offer sports team logos. Here in Austin, I see curb addresses with "longhorns' logos all over the place.

Is there a company name with a phone number, license information on the bottom of that flyer? Come to think about it, a one day notice is a little fishy. If I were doing that I'd give people a week to think about it.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

I agree that numbers on curbs are great. They do assist Fire, Police & ambulances. Most homes have them here, but there seems to be some code that applies. It has to be done a certain way. I know my neighbor was making money that way, but apparently didn't always follow the codes. Or would paint them then ask for money.


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## lazzlazz (Mar 29, 2010)

VAer said:


> No ideas if it is required or not, I cannot even see my numbers clearly now.
> 
> But it is always a nice thing to do.





Nik333 said:


> I agree that numbers on curbs are great. They do assist Fire, Police & ambulances. Most homes have them here, but there seems to be some code that applies. It has to be done a certain way. I know my neighbor was making money that way, but apparently didn't always follow the codes. Or would paint them then ask for money.


Numbers on the curb might work in areas that don't get snow - or rain 9 months of the year. I've never lived anywhere where they do this. I would never think to look at a curb for the address - houses where I've lived always have the number by the front door.


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## VAer (Jul 3, 2017)

lazzlazz said:


> Numbers on the curb might work in areas that don't get snow - or rain 9 months of the year. I've never lived anywhere where they do this. I would never think to look at a curb for the address - houses where I've lived always have the number by the front door.


My house has the number already.


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## ZTMAN (Feb 19, 2015)

lazzlazz said:


> I don't know why you'd want to paint your address on the curb. People don't look at the curb - they look at the house - to see what the address is.


They paint them in the curb in our neighborhood because the homes set well back off the street, multi acre lots, and you would never see them on the home unless you were driving very slow.


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

lazzlazz said:


> Numbers on the curb might work in areas that don't get snow - or rain 9 months of the year. I've never lived anywhere where they do this. I would never think to look at a curb for the address - houses where I've lived always have the number by the front door.


Well, they paint curbs red and yellow in snowy areas, as well as traffic lines, and handicap stencils, so obviously, it can be done. Not to mention I grew up in the mountains of colorado, and they have them there too.

In areas where addresses are on the curb, they practically jump at you. Especially those angled curbs. You barely even have to move your head to see them, instead of slowing down, and looking off to the side to try to find some number thats in a different place every house.

Look at this picture, and tell me its easier to read the house....


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## That Guy (Aug 19, 2017)

As for someone who often has to find random houses on streets, it amazes me how dumb some people are in relation to putting their address on their house.

Such as black numbers, on a dark brown background - FAIL

Or no numbers at all...

And people never put the number in relatively the same location as theyre neighbors... for instance theyll put them on the porch easy to read, next house its on the garage where u can barely make out the address.

Just because you know where you live, in the event of an emergency or any kind of service call, others need to be able to clearly see your house number.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

One of the few actual practical uses I have found for my scroll saw. :biggrin2:

When giving driving directions to his house, my former neighbor up the street used to tell people "I'm the 3rd house past 2604."
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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

A lighted number at the curb would be helpful at night unless there was a power failure, but we could go with solar battery LED. Uh-OH, the neighbors would complain.:smile:


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## lazzlazz (Mar 29, 2010)

woodco said:


> Well, they paint curbs red and yellow in snowy areas, as well as traffic lines, and handicap stencils, so obviously, it can be done. Not to mention I grew up in the mountains of colorado, and they have them there too.


Where I've lived (where there's snow or not), painted curbs didn't mean anything from a legal point of view - there had to be a sign. Same with handicapped spaces. City streets with traffic lines painted on them tend to be the ones that get enough use and ice melting chemicals that the vast majority of snow/ice is gone from the main part of the street. Snow/ice tends to remain along the curb because that's where the snow plows push it.

I wouldn't paint my house number of my curb, but if someone wants to, that's their business. I'd put up a (nice) sign at my driveway (or on the mailbox) showing the address if my house was set way back. [I wouldn't have to worry about the neighbors complaining because I'd never live in a setting where there was an HOA.] 

You learn something new every day! :vs_coffee:


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## lazzlazz (Mar 29, 2010)

double-post


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## lazzlazz (Mar 29, 2010)

woodco said:


> Look at this picture, and tell me its easier to read the house....


I'd put my number on the mailbox. But why is the mailbox set in the middle of the sidewalk? How does that comply with the ADA??? :glasses:
(You're right - the curb number is pretty visible. But I wouldn't opt to do that.)


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Where I live all house numbers are assigned by the fire dept. and they have final say at the best location for the numbers.
The fire dept. would like to have curb numbers here but as they can only ask for one set of numbers and the curb sometimes get covered with snow. They can't promote it.


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

Laaz, you have to admit, you're acting like people are smoking crack if they have curb numbers. Its a pretty good business to be in, from my understanding. AT $15-20 a pop for just numbers, you could clear 3-400 a day easy. 

Also, people get artistic with sports logos and stuff like that. people pay good money for that, especially here in Texas...

Another thing I see is numbers not on the curb itself, but the left side of the driveway that slopes to the sidewalk or curb, so its staring you in the face as you're driving, like so:


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

The fire dept., came down a street, the other day & they couldn't see the numbers on the house because of a Mulberry tree. Curb #'s would have been helpful.

They usually have reflective paint for night.


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