Slip treatment that starts with a slip test
If a floor is below the slip rating it needs, Premrest specifies the pathway that matches the surface, from a thorough clean or stone honing through to an anti-slip treatment or non-slip coating, then we retest to AS 4663:2013 so you have a documented result. Available across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
A slip treatment is only useful if you know the target
Facility managers usually arrive with a product name, Swiss Grip, Stellmann, Dr Schutz, or a request for "the non-slip coating". Those systems can be the right answer. They are not a substitute for knowing the current slip rating and the classification HB 198:2014 recommends for that location.
Slip Audit tests the floor in place. Premrest then specifies the pathway, applies it, and we slip test again. You get a before-and-after record, not a tin of product and a hope. Sometimes the answer is a thorough clean or a honed stone surface, not a coating at all.
- Matched to the substrate. Porcelain, natural stone, vinyl, timber, concrete and coated floors do not take the same treatment.
- Matched to the location. An entry foyer, a commercial kitchen and a pool surround need different slip ratings.
- Proven on site. A datasheet P rating is a laboratory sample. Your evidence is an on-site slip test after the work.
The treatment sequence
- On-site slip test to AS 4663:2013
- Compare each location to HB 198:2014 guidance
- Specify the pathway: clean, hone, treat or coat
- Premrest applies the works
- Retest and document the new slip rating
The scope of works and quote land in your client app. You can accept it or take the same scope to another contractor.
Slip treatment options we specify
The pathway is chosen after the slip test, not before it. These are the options Premrest specifies most often on commercial floors. A coating or chemical treatment is not always required.
Thorough cleaning
Sometimes it is just a matter of thoroughly cleaning the surface. Soapy residues and soil build up and stop the floor from providing the grip it already has under foot. A proper strip and clean, not a routine mop, can restore that texture. We specify this first when residue is the likely cause, then retest.
Honing a stone surface
On marble, limestone, travertine and some other natural stone, honing the surface can give it more grip without a film or an etch. The polished face is removed so the stone presents more texture under foot. It is specified where the stone is sound and a honed finish is acceptable.
Anti-slip chemical treatments
For tiles, stone and other mineral surfaces, etching treatments increase microscopic texture. Applied well, they can lift a classification without a visible film. They are not suitable for every stone, and they wear, so they belong on a retest cycle.
Transparent non-slip coatings
Film-forming coatings such as Swiss Grip and Stellmann coatings sit on the surface rather than etching it. They are commonly specified where appearance matters and a published P3, P4 or P5 system is required.
PU slip treatments
Dr Schutz PU sealer with R10 or R11 anti-slip additive is a frequent specification on vinyl and other resilient floors that already have, or need, a wear layer. The additive is what changes the slip rating, not the sealer alone.
Need a coating rather than a treatment? See our non-slip coating page. If a floor fails, start with what to do when a floor fails a slip test.
Where slip treatment is usually the answer
- Entry foyers and lobbies that polish smooth
- Bathrooms, change rooms and wet areas
- Commercial kitchens and hospitality floors
- External ramps, stairs and walkways
- Aged care corridors and ensuites
- Pool surrounds and barefoot zones
Slip treatment in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane
The same sequence in every city: slip test, treat, retest. Premrest carries out the works, and Slip Audit documents the slip rating so you can show insurers, auditors and boards what changed.
- Slip testing Melbourne, with treatment from our Thomastown base
- Slip testing Sydney across the CBD and greater metro
- Slip testing Brisbane, including wet-weather entries and outdoor tiles
Slip treatment questions
What is a slip treatment?
A slip treatment is any process applied to an existing floor to increase its slip resistance. Common options include thoroughly cleaning soapy residues or soil that are stopping the surface from providing grip under foot, honing a stone surface so it has more texture, chemical etching treatments on mineral surfaces, transparent non-slip coatings such as Swiss Grip or Stellmann, and polyurethane systems such as Dr Schutz PU sealer with anti-slip additive. The right choice depends on the substrate, the location and the slip rating the area needs under HB 198:2014.
Do you apply Swiss Grip, Stellmann coatings or Dr Schutz slip treatment?
Premrest specifies and applies the treatment that matches the floor and the target P rating. That commonly includes named systems facility managers already search for, such as Swiss Grip, Stellmann coatings (often searched as Stellman) and Dr Schutz slip treatment (sometimes written Dr Shutz). We do not start with a brand. We start with a slip test, then choose the system that can actually deliver the required classification on that surface.
Do you always apply a coating or chemical treatment?
No. A surprising number of floors already have enough texture. Soapy residues, detergent films and soil stop that texture from providing grip under foot, and a thorough clean is often enough. On stone, honing the surface can add grip without a coating. Premrest specifies the least invasive pathway that can achieve the required classification, then we retest.
Should I treat a floor before getting a slip test?
No. A slip test first tells you the current slip rating, whether treatment is needed at all, and which locations actually fall short of HB 198:2014 guidance. Treating blind wastes money, can damage the wrong substrate, and still leaves you without evidence that the work achieved the required classification. Use the slip rating checker if you already have a pendulum reading.
How do you prove a slip treatment worked?
By retesting the treated surface to AS 4663:2013. Manufacturer classifications on a product datasheet describe a sample in a lab. An on-site wet pendulum slip test measures the floor you actually have, after application and traffic. Every Slip Audit treatment engagement closes with a retest and a documented before-and-after slip rating.