Anti-Slip Treatment
Anti-slip treatment is a chemical process — sometimes followed by a mechanical treatment — that increases the coefficient of friction on hard-surface flooring to reduce slip-and-fall risk when the surface is wet. The most common chemistry for stone, porcelain tile, and concrete is a mild hydrofluoric-acid-based etchant that micro-pits the surface invisibly, creating thousands of tiny suction cups that grip wet shoe soles. On glazed tile and quartz, polymer-bonded non-slip coatings add a textured clear layer that does the same job without etching.
In depth
Anti-slip is a specialty add-on most commonly requested for commercial restroom floors, pool decks, restaurant kitchens, and residential entryway stone that becomes dangerous when wet. A proper application includes a thorough clean, a slip-resistance test before and after (typically a BOT-3000 or similar wet dynamic coefficient of friction meter), and sometimes multiple passes. For any commercial property, a documented anti-slip treatment with before/after numbers is a strong insurance and liability defense.
How this shows up on our jobs
We offer anti-slip treatment as an add-on for commercial restrooms, pool decks, and residential stone entryways. Documentation of before/after friction numbers matters for insurance.
Services where this matters
Related terms
Polymer Sealer
A polymer sealer is a protective coating applied to a cleaned and dried surface — glass, concrete, wood, metal, brick — that forms a long-molecule chain on the surface to repel water, dirt, and staining. In window cleaning, glass-specific polymer sealers (often silicon-dioxide based, sometimes called "glass coats" or "hydrophobic treatments") cause rain to bead and sheet off, which keeps windows cleaner 2-3x longer between professional cleanings. On concrete, acrylic or urethane sealers protect against oil, rust, and de-icing salt.
Acid Wash
An acid wash in exterior cleaning is the application of a dilute acidic solution — most commonly muriatic (hydrochloric), phosphoric, oxalic, or a proprietary masonry blend — to dissolve mineral-based staining that bleach and surfactants cannot touch. Typical targets include efflorescence on brick, heavy rust from fertilizer or irrigation, mortar haze on new brickwork, mineral deposits on glass, and battery acid on concrete. Acid wash is not a general cleaning method — it is a targeted chemistry tool for specific stains on specific substrates.
Damp Proofing
Damp proofing is the application of a moisture-resistant coating or membrane to a masonry surface — most commonly foundation walls, brick veneer, and chimneys — to slow water absorption and reduce efflorescence, spalling, and interior moisture problems. It is less robust than true waterproofing (which forms a continuous, pressure-rated barrier) but more cost-effective and better-matched to surfaces that need to breathe.