Non-Skid Flooring
Just about any floor surface that routinely gets wet, oily and slippery should be treated with non-skid coatings to prevent falls and injuries. The safety that a non-skid floor provides is well worth the investment of time and money. Creating durable non-skid flooring will provide peace of mind and reduced liability from slips and falls.
Uses for Non-Skid Coatings/Flooring
The number of places in which to use a non-skid concrete floor coating is almost endless; in fact, just about any surface that gets walked on has a need for an anti-slip floor treatment. Here are just a few places where a non-skid floor coating would be benficial:
- Public building entrances and exits (inside and out)
- Boats
- Garages – home and business
- Pools
- Ramps
- Loading docks
- Utility rooms
- Laundromats
- Daycare centers
- Warehouses
- Storage areas
The entire floor does not have to be made non-skid, just the areas most likely to have water or slippery substance spills occur.
Application of Anti-slip Floor Coatings
The secret to an industrial floor coating to make it a non-skid floor is the use of abrasive media particles in between the layers of coating. Generally there are three kinds of media used for the particle layer:
Which media to choose when making a non-skid floor depends upon where the floor is located and what kind of liquid might be spilled, dripped or dropped on it. Also consider the amount of traffic the floor will receive as well as aesthetic concerns.
You will need the following items in order to do a non-skid flooring project:
- Floor coating base and top coat
- Abrasive media
- Paint brush and/or roller
- Gloves, goggles, mask and protective clothing
Before applying the base coat to the floor, thoroughly clean and completely dry the area where you plan to apply the non-skid floor coating. Consult with a coating supplier or manufacturer to ensure that the floor surface is prepared properly. Apply the base coat using either a brush or roller depending upon the size of the floor you are coating and the type of coating being used.
While the base coat is still wet, apply the media all over the coated floor. Cast the grit over the entire surface as evenly as possible. The amount of abrasive needed for the project will vary depending on the requirements for the specific application as well as how much anti-slip property is required.
Let the media sprinkled base coat dry completely and then apply the top or sealer coat to lock in the abrasive and create the desired non-skid floor. Do not walk on the freshly treated floor until it is totally dry.