Making slippery steps less slippery

[pikey]

We have about 6 steps from the street to our front door. They're Victorian and hence Victorian step shaped. Over the years the've been painted many times, and right now are very slippy in the wet, and in the cold.

They really are an accident waiting to happen and I want to do something about it.

What's the best way to do this? Is there special 'step paint' that isn't slippy, some harsh surface coating or perhaps some grippy strips that'll stick to the step? The chap in B&Q says there isn't such a product, but I think there is.

Anyone?

[was8v]

Mix some sand into some paint?

[spdpug98]

I have used Watco products many times, not cheap but they do the job

http://www.watco.co.uk/watco-anti-slip-traffic-pai...

[Simpo Two]

Or use deck paint (as in boatdecks), which has fine grit in it and is obviously designed to be out in all weathers.

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 20th July 10:05

[pikey]

spdpug98 said:

I have used Watco products many times, not cheap but they do the job

http://www.watco.co.uk/watco-anti-slip-traffic-pai...

That looks good. Pricey though.

[randlemarcus]

was8v said:

Mix some sand into some paint?

Not expensive.

[pikey]

Surely that would then be slippery paint with bumps in?

[Goochie]

Why not strip the paint off? Un-painted steps will be a lot less slippery.

[pikey]

Goochie said:

Why not strip the paint off? Un-painted steps will be a lot less slippery.

Would probably look pretty naff. Rest of the house is painted, new drive and there's "flowers 'n ste" around the front.

And judging from how much paint is on there, over a VERY long time, I doubt removing the paint would be easy.

[randlemarcus]

pikey said:

Surely that would then be slippery paint with bumps in?

Funnily enough, its a non-slip surface. I used to paint my windsurfers with sandy paint, and its v v grippy.

Note to interested parties - use fine sand, rather than gravel, and its a good, non-bumpy surface, and cheap too.

[freecar]

+1 for the professional stuff. I have used it in the workplace to paint kerbstones for this very reason and it was hard wearing enough for an MOD sites worth of people!

[Nevin]

Simpo Two said:

Or use deck paint (as in boatdecks), which has fine grit in it and is obviously designed to be out in all weathers.

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 20th July 10:05

Do this, or mix sand in, exact same result. if you buy boat paint you need to mix it pretty much continuously while you are painting to stop the sand resettling on the bottom. Used to use gallons of this stuff every year when I had a boat fleet and its very effective.