Cold Plastic vs Airfield Paint — Same Sky, Different Jobs

The short version

**Classic runway / taxi / apron programme** → airfield marking paint. **Complex ambient-cure symbols, connectors, or sites allergic to certain application methods** → often MMA cold plastic. Specifying both in one package is fine — specifying the wrong one for the threshold is not.

Think “mission,” not “marketing name”

Airfield paint is optimised for airside clarity and operational windows. Cold plastic is the geometry and ambient-cure specialist that also appears in city cycle networks. Overlap exists; interchangeability is a myth.

A practical rule of thumb

• Pilot-facing runway paint schemes → airfield marking

• Raised symbols / specialty ambient cure → cold plastic

• Landside kerbs near the terminal → waterborne

• Unlit landside path to the cargo yard → consider glow

Need a referee?

Forward the relevant BOQ lines. We’ll call the ball and quote the right grades.