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Are polished concrete floors slippery?

From huge stores like Wal-Mart, to corporate offices, schools, hospitals, churches and homes – polished concrete is growing in popularity all the time for the many practical benefits it offers.

One of the main ‘wow factors’ of polished concrete is undoubtedly the shiny, smooth as glass appearance that can be achieved through a high-quality polishing process.

Yet while this glossy appearance may leave you wondering whether polished concrete floors are slippery, they are in fact remarkably slip-resistant when installed and maintained correctly – hence why it is often the flooring of choice for busy buildings with high volumes of footfall.

Polished concrete has a relatively high coefficient of friction which can make it non-slippery and can also be further treated to boost its slip resistance.

Polished concrete also prevents a build-up of dust mites and mould, which could present a slip hazard on other types of flooring.

Polished concrete floors slip resistance

At Midland Polished Concrete, we place a high value on quality and all our products and flooring are put through robust testing procedures to ensure you only get the best available.

This includes testing the slip resistance of polished concrete floors we produce.

The Pendulum Slip Test

Our flooring is subjected to the Pendulum Slip Test, which gives a definitive answer as to whether a floor is fit for purpose underfoot in both dry and wet conditions.

The test instrument stands about two-foot high on a tripod that takes up one square metre on the floor. A horizontal arm is released with a rubber shoe at the end. The spring-loaded shoe hits the surface and stays connected to the floor, carrying a marker that resembles a needle. The needle travels through a numbered scale before stopping at a given level of resistance. This reading determines how suitable the floor is in terms of anti-slip.

Health and Safety Guidelines rate the Pendulum Test Values as follows:

  • 0-24 = high risk
  • 25-35 = moderate risk
  • 36 and above = low risk

We guarantee a minimum polished concrete floor slip resistance level of 58 in dry conditions and 36 in the wet.

Boosting the slip resistance of polished concrete floors

Polished concrete floors are low maintenance as a rule and are more durable and easier to clean than many other options. There are many different ways you can further protect your floors from general use, such as using densifier. Densifier has many benefits, including hardening the surface, preventing dust build-up and increasing slip resistance.

Regular maintenance through mopping with warm water and a special flooring conditioner also helps to reduce any build-up of oil, grease or standing water.

More information is available in our guide to maintaining your polished concrete flooring.

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