Slip resistant products for timber flooring???

Hi Michelle, I undertand his issue.

I would have thought the slip resistant applications that they are offering for tiles etc would do the same trick.
Steve

Sorry Steve, but NOT SO.............

The kind of treatments that are referred to in the link Michelle posted, and most other anti-slip treatments are designed for tile or stone surfaces, and are NOT SUITABLE for timber floors.

They work by etching the surface of the tiles. The common chemical applied is HYDROFLUORIC ACID. This is a deadly toxic acid that is highly regulated, and one of the most dangerous chemical used in industry. H/F acid will etch glass!

Timber is a completely different matter, and I'm not sure what could be done to satisfy Michelle's customer, I'm afraid.

I'd be interested if Michelle does find a solution, by my feelings are that there is probably no magic solution, just commonsense management.

Ash.

Thanks Ash,
I was not aware they etched tile.
I thought it was a spray on surface.
Good to hear you've found something Mish.
Steve

Yep, and because most of these treatments act tthis way, they have the trade-off of requiring more maintenance.

I went to Sydney for a tradeshow called Ausclean, where there were a few different anti-slip products on display. I checked them out, and they all were H/F acid based treatments, (although one offered a range of peel-n-stick traction mats as well).

Of note is that a few weeks ago the Australian Standards pertaining to slip resistance of ceramic floors was under review, and on the table was the proposal to introduce standard slip resistance standards on all floor tiles including domestic. I know the President of the Australian Tile Council, and they were lobbying hard to counter this proposal.

The bottom line is, the more slip-resistant the tile, the more maintenance and cleaning it will require, due to the irregularity of the micro-surface.

However, there are some topical coating types that containing a fine micro-traction dust like silica or ground walnut shell. These are a nightmare to maintain, as the grittiness catches everything including mop fibres. They also are highly prone to peel and come off, leaving ugly patches all over the place, as a glazed ceramic tile provides a poor surface for the coating to attach to.

Another factor that is often overlooked with any anti-slip treatment, is its designed to improve slip-resistance when wet, BUT actually reduces slip-resistance when the surface is dry. Consider formula 1 racing cars.... they have slicks on (maximum surface area contact) in dry weather, and they change to grooved tyres in the wet (to reduce the chances of aquaplaning).

The decorative floors Michelle found look interesting, (and I'd guess expensive). Looks like a spray on coating similar to the rhino-lining in my truck.

Ash.

Thanks for the prompts Michelle...This is a contact number for Mirage systems...88 68 6888.

Just used this product at the Sahara Boutique ( 2 coats of base coat, 4 coats of Safe-T-seal.)...can be used on all flooring products ...including Timber

The final result is a floor sealer, when using the maintenance programme, which consistently exceeds both Australian and New Zeland Standards 4663-2002 (dry test) and 3661-1-1993 ( wet test).. In real terms this means that building owners can fight back against the tide of litigation that has affected public liability insurance costs over the last few years!

regards
Adam Like  ⋅  Add a comment  ⋅  Pin to Ideaboard  ⋅  Share