Customized Stop-the-Slip Solutions
For Your Unique Conditions
Your Stop-the-Slip Solutions Graded:
ClearGrip Treads
A
Grit-Treads
B
Mats or Rugs
C+
Anti-Slip Paint
D
ClearGrip Treads & Tape: A
For natural stone floors inside your home, ClearGrip Treads and ClearGrip Tape provide and excellent way to improve traction while allowing the natural beauty of the stone to shine through. ClearGrip rubberized vinyl enhances safety and is easy on bare feet, socks, slippers, shoes and even pet paws!
The non-slip vinyl treads and tape are easy to apply with an adhesive backing that keeps the vinyl securely in place, but that also can be removed in the future. ClearGrip Treads come in either 6″ x 24″ or 6″ x 12″ sizes that can be trimmed to size. ClearGrip tape comes in 15-foot roles in a 2-inch width that can be tailored to suit your needs.
ClearGrip Treads and tape are easy to install on ceramic tile as you simply peel off the backing and place the vinyl onto a clean, dry surface. It’s best to avoid covering a grout line, if possible.
Maintenance of ClearGrip vinyl treads and tape is cleaning-friendly. You can wipe down the treads and tape with a mop, soap and water without worry. ClearGrip Treads and ClearGrip Tape will last for 3 to 5 years, depending on the foot traffic.
It’s important to remember that the darker the color of the natural stone, the more visible the ClearGrip products will be. On light wood the vinyl tread is nearly invisible.
Total Score: A
Effectiveness: A
Installation & Maintenance: A
Durability: A
Initial Price: B
Long-Term Value: A
Non-Slip Grit Treads: B
Handi-Treads Stop-the-Slip Grit Treads greatly improve traction on natural stone floors where a maximum amount of traction is required and you’re not concerned about appearances. Because most people don’t want to hide the beauty of their natural stone floor, Grit Treads are less effective for in-home uses.
The commercial grade non-slip grit treads provide a high traction surface for tile floors in the work place or at home in wet, dry and oily conditions. Stop-the-Slip Grit Treads are intended for areas where footwear are normally worn. They are not appropriate for floors where socks and bare feet are the norm.
These non-slip treads are 6″ x 24″, meet Prop 65 and ADA standards, are NFSI certified for “High Traction”, and can be cut to meet custom size needs. Treads come 4 per package and are available in black, black with glow strip, black with reflective strip, and in a luminescent (glow-in-the-dark) form.
Installation is simple and fast. The peel-and-stick backing of the grit treads provides maximum adhesion to properly cleaned surfaces an is intended to last for many years. No maintenance is required for grit treads. Grit treads will maintain their effectiveness, depending on the level of use, from 2 to 4 years.
Total Score: B
Effectiveness: C
Installation & Maintenance: A
Durability: B
Initial Price: B
Long-Term Value: B
Rubber Mats or Area Rugs: C+
Rubber mats, or area rugs can be an effective, temporary way to increase the traction in certain areas of a natural stone floor. Rubber mats are frequently associated with professional kitchens where their ability to improve traction on wet tile floors make them especially useful. These very same qualities make them a good candidate to reduce the risk of slips in laundry or utility rooms where appearance is less important.
Mats can also be a potential source of trips and falls if one were to catch their foot on the edge. This is why it’s especially important that rubber mats have a beveled edge to reduce the chance of catching a toe. Area rugs, however, don’t have beveled edges making them less suitable as a safety device.
There is no installation required with mats or rugs as they can be laid down in the area where you need the extra traction. You must pick up mats and area rugs to sweep up under them on a regular basis, increasing their maintenance requirements.
Depending upon thickness and quality of the material you can expect the mats and area rugs will last 2 to 4 years.
Total Score: C+
Effectiveness: C
Installation & Maintenance: B
Durability: B
Initial Price: C
Long-Term Value: C
Anti-Slip Paint or Finish: D
Grit paint is not typically appropriate for interior natural stone floors. First, the grit paint often doesn’t adhere well to the smooth surface of natural stone. Second, unless the floor is in the basement, garage or utility room where shoes will be worn, the grit in most anti-slip paints is too aggressive for socks or bare feet.
Grit paint is also unattractive in a residential setting, making it a poor choice where aesthetics matter.
There are some chemical sprays and treatments on the market that are meant to “rough up” natural stone, but we don’t have the experience to recommend these products.
Grit paint can be difficult to apply as surface preparation and careful application is critical. Once applied to tile it’s almost impossible to successfully return it to its natural wood finish. The cost of anti-slip paint is $60 to $120 a gallon. Used inside the home, grit paint will last for 8 to 10 years
Total Score: D
Effectiveness: C
Installation & Maintenance: D
Durability: B
Initial Price: D
Long-Term Value: D