PB Non Slip Floor Paint

It is obvious that a non slip floor paint is wholly reliant on the aggregate being strong enough to resist heavy wear and tear. However, it is only too well known that the aggregate in most anti slip coatings wears down (or off completely), after only a short space of time, especially under heavy use.

The reason is due to the type of ‘aggregate’ used in the floor coating, in order to achieve a slip resistant finish. This matter is rarely highlighted but when the ‘so-called’ non slip floor paint comes with aggregate included within the paint, then the aggregate used is often a polystyrene bead!

This might sound unbelievable but whatever aggregate is used in the floor coating, it has to be very light in order to remain suspended within the paint and such lightweight aggregates prove not to be tough enough when used on a hard wearing surface and is simply why so many anti slip floor paints wear smooth after only a short space of time.

The aggregate used in our anti slip coating is a calcined bauxite aggregate. It has been independently tested and is not only extremely tough but has one of the highest levels of ‘Shore Hardness’ and offers outstanding slip resistance. It will not crush and with a Mohs level of 8.5, can withstand both constant and heavy traffic and still maintain good anti slip substrate for many years.

For more information on the Mohs levels, see https://www.nps.gov/articles/mohs-hardness-scale.htm

This gives the applicator a much greater versatility in the amount of aggregate used. Rather than having a fixed (ready mixed) amount included within the paint, this allows the applicator to apply the aggregate more heavily in areas requiring a greater slip resistance such as outdoor areas and ramps, especially where forklifts are ever present or indeed where employees have to pull heavy pallet over the concrete area.

Alternatively, a lesser amount can be applied in areas such as kitchens and food processing areas which need to be easily cleaned. Remember, the more aggregate use, the greater the slip Resistance, but the harder it is to keep the paint clean.

Another benefit is that a lot of customers prefer to have areas that are ‘not’ non slip, due mainly to the issues with cleaning as mentioned above such as under machines, or sinks and kitchen units, where the coating (without the aggregate) is perfect on its own, leaving the areas smooth for easy cleaning.

It might also be that factory or warehouse managers want to paint their interior concrete floors with the paint and then only include the aggregate on specific areas only, such as in loading bays, in front of sinks, corners and junctions within the warehouse. For instance, in straight lines between the racking (and indeed under the racking), in 99% of situations, a non slip paint is simply not necessary. Not only does this save money on the cost of the aggregate but it also means a smooth floor that is much easier to keep clean!

This purely comes down to preference but there are two main ways to add/apply the aggregate to the floor paint.

1) Broadcasting over the top of the first coat. This is a popular way with contractors whereby the first coat is laid and whilst wet, the applicator (wearing spiked shoes) walks over the wet coating and sprinkles the aggregate over the first coat of the floor paint. The aggregate is then encapsulated and fully sealed in with the second (top) coat. However, please note that it is important to make sure the aggregate is sprinkled evenly so that you achieve a nice even paint finish.

2) Mixing the aggregate into the paint. A lot of people apply the aggregate in this way, particularly if they are unused to applying paint. It is very easy to do but just remember that the aggregate is not lightweight (as explained earlier) and will therefore continually sink to the bottom of the application tray. Therefore, having mixed the aggregate in in the first instance. it is important that you push the roller to the bottom of the tray and continually take the paint from the bottom. this way, you will be constantly agitating/stirring the paint and prevent a build up of aggregate at the bottom.

Please note, this is VERY important, otherwise you will have no aggregate in the first section of the floor and a heck of a lot in the last section!!! Again, it is VERY easy to apply, you just need to make sure you take from the bottom of the applicator tray.

We can supply whatever is required. However, we have 5 standard aggregates that will cater to 99.9% of needs, indeed for both interior and exterior use, in both wet conditions and dry conditions.

We have the Guyanan calcined bauxite aggregate in fine, medium, and coarse.

The fine grade is best for single pack anti slip paint, both water and solvent based paints, where the paint is applied in thinner coats.

The medium grade aggregate is mainly used with a twin pack coating and high build epoxy coatings where a lot of the fine aggregate would become lost within the paint layer. Ideal for areas such a stairs and cold stores.

Finally, the coarse grade aggregate. this is really only recommended for roads (such as seen on roads on the approaches to roundabouts, traffic lights and pedestrian crossings), car parks, or on external vehicular ramps where any specific slip hazard area needs a more aggressive slip resistance.

For slippery surfaces in kitchens and wet rooms, PB Non Slip Paint can be supplied with an aggregate we call Food Grade 60 (FG60) which is the same size aggregate as found on 60grit sandpaper. This gives a degree of slip resistance on all wet or damp surfaces but leaves a finish that is much easier to keep clean.

Finally, we have an extremely fine polymer bead anti slip additive that is used for bare foot areas such as in shower and wet rooms, and around swimming pools. This is applied by sprinkling onto the top coating whist still wet and leaves an extremely fine but very effective slip resistant finish, that is still comfortable on which to walk with bare feet. Indeed, this is also commonly used in kitchens, toilet areas, laboratories and offices so certainly not limited in areas of use.

There is certainly nothing ‘wrong’ with our PB Non Slip Floor Paint. However, it would be undeniable that a twin pack epoxy or polyurethane resin coating offers excellent adhesion and achieves a much stronger and longer lasting floor, especially for industrial users with areas experiencing frequent heavy use and abuse!

The main reason for this is an epoxy floor paint has one of the world’s strongest forms of adhesion. Furthermore, the two-part system consists of a resin and a hardener and when mixed together, the coating cures chemically, rather than atmospherically as with single pack paints and thus, achieves a totally impervious finish. A twin pack floor paint will not only prove far tougher, with greater impact and abrasion resistance, but also has excellent resistance to most chemicals. The end result is a longer lasting coating with a totally impervious finish is much easier to keep clean.

A single pack paint cures atmospherically, where the solvent or water disperses atmospherically, which then allows the paint coat to cure. However, when a single pack product cures, it naturally leaves a micro porous finish which is the most basic reason why ‘standard’ paints are hard to clean. It is also why single pack paints are not acceptable in kitchens due to the possibility of harbouring bacteria as well as in toilet and washrooms areas where they allow liquids to penetrate, which then increases unpleasant odours.

We understand the temptation to save money but failing to put a coating on your concrete flooring can lead to a host of issues further down the line. This kind of coating can significantly extend the life of your concrete floor. Concrete surfaces are not as durable as you think. Without a specialised coating it’s more prone to damage, especially if you are using heavy duty machinery. Safety is a good reason to invest in a floor paint. You might want a floor coating that’s anti-corrosive if your business uses harsh chemicals that could be spilt. Or maybe it’s worth investing in one that has an non-slip floor paint to keep your workers safe. Also, concrete is surprisingly difficult to clean when it’s not been coated. It will stain as it has a porous surface. Compare that to a concrete floor with an epoxy coating, which doesn’t absorb any liquids, is easy to sweep and wipe down, and that won’t retain moisture.

To answer this question, we first have to establish why you want to paint the floor. Some of the most common reasons are to stop dust, waterproof the floor, prevent oil penetration or chemical attack, prevent wear and tear and impact damage, for safety/ anti slip reasons. prolong the life of the concrete or it might simply be for aesthetic reasons. Once this is known we can advise exactly what paint is required. Single pack floor paints can be very good but for areas of heavy duty wear and tear, twin pack epoxies will last far longer. Furthermore, due to the fact that they can cure to an impervious finish, they are also far more waterproof and/or chemical resistant and also, far easier to keep clean. Floor coatings such as Flortex Professional (also available in an anti slip version) are strongly advised for areas such as factories and warehouses with the constant trafficking of heavy forklifts and pallet trucks.

Before painting a garage floor, it is important to understand what the problem areas are in order to choose the most suitable product as a solution. Our technical team will go through some more detailed questions to establish what paint will be best for your garage floor. It is also important to treat your floor before coating it. You will need to repair any cracks, holes, or expansion joints to prevent an unsightly finish to your flooring once it’s painted. Then you will need to prime the surface. Polycote have a variety of primers available. Professional primers are specially formulated to penetrate deeper into the pores of the substrate in order to achieve a better mechanical bond. They are also formulated to solve many common problems such as rising damp, oily surfaces, dusty concrete, and unstable substrates. If a durable surface that is both wear and oil resistant is required, the recommendation is to choose a twin pack resin coating, it will usually be a 100% solids epoxy. The cured product will most likely be much stronger than the original concrete.

When selecting your floor paint, it is important to know the difference between a non slip paint and a slip resistant paint. Whilst it could be argued that they both mean the same thing, it is generally agreed within the trade that a ‘non slip’ paint is more aggressive than a slip resistant paint. The more slip resistant the paint, the easier it will collect the dirt and the harder it is to clean. A non slip surface can have anything from 2 times to 10 times as much aggregate as a slip resistant coating would have.  So, in order to achieve a truly non slip surface, we recommend that you cover the surface with 2kgs of aggregate per square metre. Alternatively, to achieve a slip resistant surface, you can add just 0.5kg of aggregate to a 5L unit of paint covering a total of 30 square metres.