Paints are classified by TxDOT as Type II pavement markings, with material specifications falling under , WPT-12, and YPT-12 for white and yellow, respectively. The current DMS-8200 specification specifically calls for Rohm-Haas Fast Track HD-21A or Dow DT-400 acrylic emulsion resins. Check with TxDOT materials laboratory for approved formulations, as they are subject to change.

Conventional traffic paint consists of three interwoven elements: pigment, binder, and glass beads. Each element is important because different paints react differently to different pavement surfaces, traffic wear, and environmental wear. Binder materials (or resins) are usually latex or acrylic materials that provide the adhesive and cohesive properties of the material.

A myriad of traffic paint formulations exists, including solvent-based and water-based. Increased environmental awareness in the late 1980s and early 1990s led to a decline in use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the United States. This awareness also led to a decline in the use of solvent-based paints and an increase in the use of water-based paints, which contain far fewer VOCs. TxDOT has not allowed solvent-based paint for many years, relying exclusively on water-based formulations. In addition, most state DOTs have disallowed solvent-based paints.

Water-based paints are environmentally friendly, are much easier to handle than solvent-based paints, and greatly decrease the safety hazards to workers. Water-based paints also become track-free much quicker than solvent-based paints. Humidity has very little effect on the track-free times of water-based paints because these paints begin to set as a result of the drop in pH due to evaporation of the ammonia.