Concrete floors are one of the most affordable flooring options available to consumers. However, they are dangerous when wet. Concrete that is polished or color hardened is more likely to cause accidents, as the texture of the material changes when extra treatment is added.
If you are looking to avoid a potential lawsuit whilst still maintaining a professional appearance, continue reading. We will explain why concrete is so slippery and the top three ways to make your concrete floor slip-resistant.
Why Is Concrete Floor Slippery?
When two surfaces come into contact with one another, a force known as friction occurs. Through a scientific lens, friction slightly or fully prevents these two objects from continuing to move when they touch. The more friction there is, the less likely the two objects are to move.
Physics defines the strength of friction between two surfaces as the ‘coefficient of friction.’ By increasing the coefficient of friction, you increase the power of the force itself, thus leading to surfaces that are non-slip when they come into contact with shoes or feet.
To raise the coefficient of friction, you must add texture to the surface of the concrete. Irregular surfaces with dents and dimples provide more friction than sleek surfaces.
Therefore, though polished concrete floors, for example, may look professional, they can be detrimental if you’re looking for the best non-slip option. When installing concrete flooring, you must consider both beauty and functionality. To increase the coefficient, you have three options.
Options to Make Your Concrete Floor Non-Slip
The three best concrete flooring options to increase the friction coefficient are:
- Add Texture to the Concrete
- Use an Anti-Slip Seal
- Apply Slip-Resistant Strips
Add Texture to the Concrete
There are a variety of texturing options to apply to concrete floors during installation, though they may not look as professional as option two.
- Rock Salt: Sprinkle rock salt over slightly-wet concrete and smooth it over with a concrete trowel. When the surface has dried, dump water over it to wash the salt out. It will leave behind small and mostly uniform dimples.
- Seeded Aggregate: After the concrete has begun drying, you can place decorative stones as desired throughout the surface. They will dry as a part of the concrete, leaving behind an attractive non-slip surface.
- Brooming: When the concrete has somewhat dried, you can take a concrete broom and scratch texture into the surface. When the concrete dries, your desired design will stay in place.
Use an Anti-Slip Seal
If you already have a concrete floor, or you want a floor with a polished and professional appearance, this is the better option. Though you can always apply a non-slip additive to the surface, using epoxy or polyaspartic coatings is recommendable.
The polyaspartic and epoxy materials are floor coatings that function similarly with notable differences such as price and lifetime. Both coatings offer slip resistance, waterproofing, and a professional, high-gloss appearance. They can even renew the appearance of old floors.
Epoxy is more affordable than polyaspartic coating. However, it can yellow over time with prolonged exposure to UV and takes longer to install. Polyaspartic is more expensive but is ultra-durable against impact, heat, and even mild acids.
The benefit of using anti-slip seals boils down to enhanced floor appearance and added benefits such as easy cleaning and 100% protection of the floor. Your normal floor can also show through, so if you love the appearance of your stained concrete floor, you can keep it.
Apply Slip-Resistant Strips
This is likely the least attractive of the three options, but it is highly useful in high traffic or risky areas. Mats are highly useful doorways, stairs, garages, etc. where a fall is likely to occur. You can easily paste these strips on top of concrete to create a non-slip surface.
You should only apply slip-resistant area rugs where you are either not concerned about the appearance or where a fall is most likely to happen. These rugs can look bulky and out-of-place, particularly in professional settings like offices or restaurants.
Looking for Slip-Resistant Floor Coating Installation in Weld County, CO?
The best way to create slip-resistant concrete floors is by applying a non-slip coating from materials such as epoxy or polyaspartic. If you’re looking for high-quality coating services in Greeley, CO, Contek Floors can help. We offer a 10-year residential warranty.
Our policy is to offer honest and fair pricing as soon as we give you your first free quote. So, for residential, commercial, and/or industrial coatings, call us at (970) 632-0648 today.
One Response