Anti-Slip Treatment Verification

How pool anti-slip treatments work

• Chemical etching — acidic or fluoride-based treatments that micro-roughen polished tile or natural stone. Visual finish broadly preserved; PTV uplift typically 10–25 points wet on Slider 55.
• Applied anti-slip coatings — clear or coloured coatings with embedded grit aggregate. Visual finish noticeably altered; PTV uplift can be substantial but coating durability under pool plant chemistry varies.
• Mechanical re-finishing — diamond grinding or shot-blasting to expose fresh aggregate. Aggressive but durable; PTV uplift can be the largest of any treatment.
• Anti-slip tape on stair nosings and ladders — physical addition of high-friction surface; suitable for transitions but not main surround.

Why independent verification matters

Treatment providers will quote a typical or expected PTV uplift, but actual uplift on a specific pool surround depends on the substrate condition, the application technique, the cleaning and chemistry regime that follows, and the curing conditions. Independent UKAS-accredited testing measures what was actually achieved on this surround, not what was achieved on the manufacturer's reference samples.

The before-and-after methodology

• Before — pendulum testing across the zones to be treated using Slider 55 (and Slider 57 where sock environments adjacent), recording PTV wet and dry, with Rz at the same points and photographic record of the surface condition
• Treatment carried out — by the treatment provider, to their specification
• Cure period — typically 7–14 days, depending on treatment chemistry, with the pool returned to normal plant chemistry
• After — repeat pendulum and Rz testing at the same locations using the same methodology, recording the post-treatment values
• Report — comparative analysis showing the uplift achieved at each test location, with both PTV and Rz delta

Durability — the second test

Initial post-treatment PTV is one piece of evidence. Durability of the uplift in pool conditions is another. Pool plant chemistry — chlorine residual, salt cells, periodic shock dosing, calcium hardness, pH excursions — is more aggressive than typical commercial floor environments and can erode treatment performance faster than the manufacturer's general durability claim suggests. Follow-up testing at 6 and 12 months captures whether the treatment is holding.

When treatment is the right choice for a pool

Anti-slip treatment is most appropriate where:

• The substrate is intact and visually acceptable
• The slip-resistance shortfall is moderate (PTV gap of 5–25 points)
• The pool plant chemistry is stable and well-managed
• Surround replacement would mean significant operational disruption (closure of the pool)
• The pool is heritage or listed and replacement materials are constrained

For severely worn, mechanically damaged or fundamentally mis-specified pool surrounds, replacement is often a better long-term path than treatment.