Reduce Slip, Trip & Falls On Trex And Synthetic Wood Decks

Also check the technical specifications, specifically the slip resistance value. Most non-slip composite decking products would have been tested in the laboratory using the pendulum slip resistance test.

If you have children or pets that frequent your deck throughout the winter, ensure your chosen product is safe for them as well. Avoid any ice melting products with added colorant to avoid staining your composite or PVC deck. The best way for you is that you can choose the slip-resistant composite decking, with the regular routine of cleaning and maintenance once a year. Composite decking is the building material with low maintenance, all you do is to keep it clean and tidy. Nice composite decking board becomes an extension of your home building material to expand your options to beautify your living space. Composite decking board is really a nice spot where you can spend a good time with your children and family members. If you found this article helpful, please feel free to share it with others who might need help preventing their decks from becoming a slippery mess!

How To Prevent Slippery Wood Deck Surfaces

If your deck seems to be slippery too often, then the problem might be what it is or isn’t coated with. Many decks are painted with normal paint or stained with a regular wood stain. While this might look great, it’s not the best choice when it comes to providing traction and grip. If your deck is slick and slippery, you probably already have algae, mold, and/or mildew building up. To make your deck safe for walking again, you’ll need to remove that algae and mold.

Wet-mop the mixture on the deck boards and let it sit for 15 minutes, or apply it with a pump sprayer. Scrub the deck boards with a deck scrub brush attached to a wood handle or with a stiff broom.

Decking & Railing Duos

Pressure washing your decking, the use of wood cleaners, gritted paint or tape offer only a short-term solution to the problem, and need to be repeated at regular intervals. Wooden decking is an attractive addition to many homes and gardens in the UK. However, rain and the build-up of algae or moss on the timber can make your decking extremely slippery and dangerous. Autumn leaves, rain, damp and frosty weather only compound the problem. If a power washer is not available, a wet-mop or pump sprayer will also get the job done. Apply the cleaning solution and allow it to sit for 15 minutes.

Clear Leaves And Debris From Your Deck:

Can be prone to algae, mold or mildew, if the composite absorbs water. Wood is more likely to have smooth spots created by wear; such spots may be slippery when wet. Most brands of composite decking have textured finishes to make them slip-resistant.

The 2012 Trex recommendation of painting first-generation Trex decks with enamel paint with grit additive makes sense to us. However, if you want a longer-lasting, more resilient traction paint, we recommend the Slip Doctor product line of epoxy grit pain. The use and application can vary from product to product so always read and follow the manufacturers instructions on the tin.

However, the strips of tape are prone to curling and peeling up from the deck. If you want strips covering your entire deck, you may want to consider covering your deck with anti-slip decking boards. Some styles have abrasive strips embedded into the board, which will add texture to the entire deck. This is especially true of decks built around swimming pool areas. There are a number of ways to make the deck surface easier to grip, reducing slips and making your deck safe. Many of these methods are easy to do yourself, and you can find a method that meets your needs and abilities.

This solution to a slippery deck should be chosen with caution. Using a power washer on the deck can cause damage to its surface which can lead to it deteriorating or rotting more quickly. However, it is an effective “last resort” solution when the deck has large areas affected by algae, mold or mildew. Set the pressure to no more than 1,300 PSI to prevent or limit the damage. A pressure-washed deck should be allowed to thoroughly dry and then sealed with a high-quality product. For this reason, it makes sense to wait to power wash it until several days of sunny, dry weather are in the forecast. When deciding the best means for making your deck less slippery, choose calcium chloride-based “ice melt” or rock salt to remove snow and ice from your composite decking.

Why Your Deck Is Slippery

Today Trex offers the industry’s widest array of high-performance composite products, available in more than 29 countries around the world. Take the action to clean the composite decking is a great way to keep it tidy and clean.

• A prudent maintenance schedule can help keep the deck clean and reveal the natural grain of the wood, providing traction and slip-resistance.
• Even when wet, wood deck surfaces typically present less risk for slipping than composite deck boards -- unless they become dirty and neglected.
• Mold, mildew, moss, pollen or algae growing on a wooden deck in the shade or in a moist climate can become slippery, posing a special risk to elderly homeowners or guests.
• And there are things you can do to increase the surface traction.
• This solution to a slippery deck should be chosen with caution.

One concern about nonwood decking is how slippery it can be when wet. According to Richmond, who installs plastic and composite decks, all-plastic planks seem to be a little more slippery than regular wood, whereas composites are not.

Ice melt is the ideal choice, since sand is naturally abrasive and could easily damage the surface of the deck boards. Look for phrases such as “safe for concrete”, “safe for flagstone”, and “will not kill grass” in the ice melt product description. If you’ve been struggling with a slippery deck, trying to figure out how to make decking non slip, then I’ve got some excellent slippery deck solutions for you. From non-slip coatings and paints to effective methods to clean algae off a wood deck, one of these methods is sure to be your slippery decking cure. There are also anti-slip rugs or mats you can buy and place over a bigger surface of your composite decking. This, of course, wouldn’t be visually appealing but it would do its job of keeping the floor safe to walk on.

There are serious inherent design problems with the composite decking product. I am in the process of switching over to aluminum boards which are more expensive. As my father used to say, quality remains long after the price is forgotten. As soon as winter arrives, keeping your deck clean and safe becomes a challenge. Ice and snow increase the chances of slip and fall, which can cause serious safety risks.