By Nick Horell, SlipFix Australia · 24 May 2026 · 5 min read
The Short Answer
Anti-slip treatment is a chemical process that improves the slip resistance of a hard floor surface without changing its appearance. It works on tiles, concrete, stone, pavers and pool surrounds. The treatment reacts with the surface material at the microscopic level — creating micro-traction that increases grip in wet conditions. From the outside, the floor looks and feels identical. Underfoot, it is significantly safer.
Why Do Floors Become Slippery?
Most hard floor surfaces have surface topography at the microscopic level — tiny peaks and valleys that create friction between the floor and a shoe sole. When water is introduced, it fills those valleys and forms a thin film between the surface and the foot. This film reduces the contact area between sole and floor, reducing friction and increasing slip risk.
The smoother and more polished a surface, the more pronounced this effect. A highly polished porcelain tile or a honed marble floor can go from adequate grip when dry to genuinely dangerous in wet conditions — even with a small amount of water.
How Does Anti-Slip Treatment Work?
Anti-slip chemical treatment works by modifying the surface topography of the floor material. The chemical reacts with the surface — typically silica-based materials like ceramic, porcelain, concrete and stone — to create microscopic channels and pores in the surface. These channels allow water to drain away from the contact zone between the foot and the floor, maintaining dry contact even in wet conditions.
The result is that the surface now has more effective friction in wet conditions, without any visible change to the floor's colour, gloss level or texture to the touch. A polished concrete floor remains polished. A glazed tile remains glazed. The improvement is entirely at the microscopic level.
What Surfaces Can Be Treated?
Anti-slip chemical treatment works on silica-based surfaces. This includes the vast majority of hard floor materials used in Australian residential and commercial construction:
- Ceramic and porcelain tiles — including polished, honed, glazed and vitrified
- Polished and honed concrete — including exposed aggregate and painted concrete
- Natural stone — marble, granite, limestone, travertine, sandstone, slate
- Pool surrounds — all surface types in wet conditions
- External pavers — concrete, bluestone, sandstone
- Stair treads and ramps — all hard surface types
Not all surfaces are suitable. Some coated surfaces, some timber products and some synthetic materials may not respond to chemical treatment. A site assessment confirms suitability before any treatment is applied.
When Do You Need Anti-Slip Treatment?
There are four common situations where anti-slip treatment is required or strongly recommended:
1. Your floor has failed a slip resistance test
If a NATA-accredited slip resistance test under AS 4586 or AS 4663 has returned a result below the required P rating for your surface type and location, treatment is required to bring the floor into compliance. This is the most common reason clients contact us. See our guide: What happens if my floor fails a slip test?
2. You are approaching NCC construction handover
The National Construction Code specifies minimum slip resistance requirements for pedestrian surfaces in new buildings. If your floor surfaces have not yet been tested and there is any risk they may not comply, proactive treatment before the handover slip test is significantly cheaper than remediation after a fail result.
3. You have identified a slip hazard risk
Building owners and operators have a duty of care to maintain safe pedestrian surfaces. If you have identified a surface that becomes slippery in wet conditions — even if it has not yet been formally tested — treatment is a proactive step to reduce liability and protect building users.
4. You are responding to an incident
Following a slip and fall incident, treatment of the identified surface provides documented evidence of remediation — important for insurance, workers compensation and legal purposes.
What Does the Treatment Process Look Like?
A SlipFix treatment follows four steps:
- Free quote — we assess your surface type, location and area size and provide a quote within 24 hours
- Site assessment — a technician visits to confirm suitability and identify treatment zones
- Treatment applied — the chemical is applied and allowed to react. Most residential jobs take 2–4 hours
- Ready same day — surfaces are ready for foot traffic within hours. Written documentation is provided on completion
Is Anti-Slip Treatment the Same as Anti-Slip Coating?
No. Anti-slip coatings are surface-applied products — epoxies, paints or laminates — that sit on top of the floor. They change the appearance of the surface, add thickness, and can peel or wear away over time. Anti-slip chemical treatment penetrates the surface and becomes part of it. There is no coating to peel or wear, and the appearance remains unchanged.
How Long Does Anti-Slip Treatment Last?
SlipFix treatments are backed by a 12-month guarantee. In practice, treatments on well-maintained surfaces typically last considerably longer. High-traffic commercial environments may require retreatment sooner than low-traffic residential surfaces. Annual inspection is a sensible approach for commercial properties with ongoing compliance requirements.
Related: AS 4586 vs AS 4663 — Understanding Slip Resistance Standards | What Happens If My Floor Fails a Slip Test?