Painting stripes in a parking lot is a quick and easy job when you use a 4-inch roller and a can of exterior zone marking paint.

Step 1: Standard parking spaces should be 9 feet wide and 18 feet deep. Handicap accessible spots should be a minimum of 16 feet wide and 18 feet deep to allow wheelchair access from at least one side of the vehicle. Measure the parking area and do the math to determine the optimal number of spaces for the lot. Leave at least 24 feet between rows for traffic maneuverability.

Step 2: Add up the liner feet of all the stripes to determine how much paint will be needed.

Step 3: Patch and repair cracks and potholes in the parking area. Apply sealant to asphalt parking surfaces before striping for an extra durable and pleasing finish.

Step 4: Sweep and clean the area to be striped. Use a pressure washer or garden hose and scrub brush to loosen and remove dirt and debris.

Step 5: For new applications, measure and mark the spaces where the parking lines are to be painted. Otherwise, use the old lines as a guide for painting.

Step 6: Choose a calm, precipitation-free day to apply the paint. For cold-weather applications, choose a sunny day when the surface temperature will be above 48 degrees. For hot-weather applications, apply the paint in the early-morning hours when the surface temperature is lowest.

Step 7: Insert a roller grid into a five-gallon bucket and fill the bucket with marking paint.

Step 8: Slide a clean 4-inch roller cover onto a 4-inch roller frame and attach an extension pole to the handle to facilitate paint application from an upright position.

Step 9: Lay a 1-inch by 4-inch by 8-foot or 2-inch by 4-inch by 8-foot piece of lumber alongside the area to be painted. Use the lumber as a guide for rolling the paint onto the parking surface.

Step 10: Dip the roller into the paint and roll the excess paint onto the bucket grid.

Step 11: Roll each line onto the parking surface using the lumber as a straight edge guide. Move the lumber from space to space, rolling thick, clean lines along the way.

Step 12: Allow the painted lines to dry at least 30 minutes before allowing traffic into the area.

— Have a home improvement question for Fix-It Chick? Email it to Linda Cottin at hardware@sunflower.com.