System
Anti-slip floor coatings
Slip resistance is a texture decision made for a specific exposure: water, grease, oil, salt or slope. More grit is not always safer if the floor can no longer be cleaned.
- Typical settings
- Kitchens, ramps, wash bays, garage entries, loading areas
- Methods
- Broadcast aggregate, grit in topcoat, textured trowel finishes
- Trade-off
- Traction against cleanability and wear
Choosing a texture
| Texture | Typical use | Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Fine grit in topcoat | Dry or occasionally wet floors, retail, clinics | Easy to clean; modest wet traction |
| Broadcast quartz or flake | Garages, warehouses, back-of-house | Good general traction; texture set by media size |
| Aluminum oxide | Ramps, high-wear wet areas | Hard and long-wearing; rougher on mops and pads |
| Heavy broadcast or trowel | Kitchens and processing with grease and water | High traction; needs a deck brush or scrubber to clean |
Testing and expectations
Some specifications or insurers reference a wet dynamic coefficient of friction measured by a method such as ANSI A326.3 or another test named in the specification. If your project has a target, tell us and we will review it against the system data before quoting. Texture wears with traffic and cleaning, so slip resistance should be checked over the life of the floor, not just on day one.
OSHA’s walking-working surface requirements are the primary regulatory reference for workplace conditions. For a plain-language overview of terminology—not a project specification—see floor slip-resistance testing on Wikipedia.
Real questions people ask
Does more grit always mean a safer floor?
No. An overly rough floor can trap grease and become harder to clean, which creates another hazard. Texture must match the contaminant and cleaning method.
Can slip resistance be measured?
Yes, when a project or insurer specifies a method and target. The test method, wet contaminant and maintenance condition must be stated with the result.
Will the texture wear down?
All textures change with traffic and cleaning. High-wear ramps and entries need a harder aggregate and periodic inspection.
Related pages
Tell us about the floor
Note the wet or oily areas. Add photos or a share link of ramps, entries or drains if available, or continue without visuals for now.