Composite decking might provide better slip resistance than other materials on the market, but composite decking can still be slippery when it becomes wet.
In fact, composite decking can be even more risky than wood decking when wet; therefore, a slippery composite deck can cause serious safety issues and you should address this issue to prevent slips and falls.
In this article, we will explore various ways you can make your decking safer from slipping.
What Makes Composite Decks Slippery?
The following are the most common reasons that can make your composite decking slippery.
Winter Season and Moisture
Regardless if you’re utilizing composite or any other type of material, moisture in the winter season can create a slippery surface on your decking.
The build-up of both water and ice on your decking can lead to falls and slips, and potentially damage your deck over time.
Mold and Algae
The growth of moss, mildew, algae, and mold is among the most common causes of slippery composite decks.
While rain and snow fall on your deck, because it is outside and exposed to environmental conditions, it is a little moist.
In addition to moisture – your deck will also be contaminated with food particles and debris left on your deck, which is a great recipe for growing mildew, algae, mold, and moss.
Debris
Debris like dirt and fallen leaves can also cause your composite decking to become slippery.
In the fall, a lot of leaves will accumulate on your decking and they are even more slippery once it rains on them.
Moist leaves can begin to rot on your decking, producing bacteria and mold.
In addition to increasing the slipperiness it can also affect your decking if it is not taken care of.
How to Make Composite Decking Less Slippery?
The following are some of the most effective ways you can use to make your composite deck less slippery.
Install Anti-Slip Tape
You can easily add high-quality anti-slip tape to your decking to increase its usability and make it slip-resistant. It’s a quick, easy, and inexpensive solution that you can apply within minutes to increase the safety of a slippery deck.
Anti-slip tape provides excellent traction like sandpaper and allows for good movement on your deck.
Just be sure to clean your decking thoroughly before applying so the tape sticks.
The best part of anti-slip tape that is it won’t raise your deck surface.
Like a roll of tape, it sticks to decking material and actually stays, while thinner tape may not stick very well.
Use Mold Cleaners
As we noted, the build-up of mildew, mold, and algae can create a slippery surface on your composite deck, especially when it is wet.
You will also want to use a proper mold cleaner to remove this build-up from your deck to help minimize slipperiness.
This cleaning solution should be applied to your composite deck and then scrubbed into the surface using a mop or stiff bristle broom.
Apply Anti-Slip Coating
When looking for extra grip and resistance, there are numerous kinds of anti-slip coatings that can be used on your composite decking.
If you want to diversify the appearance of your decking, try non-slip paint as an option.
Before applying the paint, be sure to clean the deck beforehand, allowing the paint to adhere firmly and completely to the composite decking.
The non-slip paint can be dispersed with a paint brush or roller, and should be applied in advance to provide adequate dry time.
This will provide an excellent look and a surface that prevents slipperiness from happening if you slip on it.
If you desire non-slip coating without altering the color of your deck, then using a sealer and sand mixture for another option.
From experience – mix the sand and the sealer in a 4-to-1 ratio and apply it to the deck. Allow the mixture to dry on the deck, and when it has dried, you can coat in an additional layer to be sure that there is adequate sand for gripping functionality.
Use Anti-slip Strips
Painting or sealing your composite deck can take plenty of time to complete.
If you have a busy day schedule, it may be worthwhile to look at anti-slip strips.
Anti-slip strips are made of durable plastic and do an excellent job of resisting slippage due to their textured surface on top. You can install anti-slip strips on your deck steps to make them slip-free also.
Most anti-slip strips will require you to screw them in place on your deck boards.
Ultimately, they are a permanent choice for your deck surface and do raise the surface of the deck which can then create a tripping hazard.
Place Slip Resistant Mats
Incorporating anti-slip inserts or mats to your composite deck is a great option to reduce the slipperiness of your deck.
The best part of this solution, is that you won’t need to make any permanent changes to your deck.
You simply place them on top of your deck boards, and they will stay in place by simply getting stuck into the grooves and creases.
Or you can use slip resistance mats to cover your entire deck and make it slip free.
The only drawback of this solution, is it can potentially hold moisture against your composite decking and damage them in the long-term.
If you are using this application, in order to prevent this from occurring, you will need to remove these mats when not using your deck.
Apply Waterproof Coating
As previously mentioned, moisture accumulation is one of the most significant reasons for your decking to become slippery. In addition to posing a safety hazard, moisture can also damage composite decking.
By far, the best way to combat this problem is to utilize a waterproof coating and coat your entire deck. This will reduce moisture accumulation and make your deck less slippery.
Applying a waterproof coating to your deck is relatively simple. You simply need a paint roller or brush that you would use when painting or a coating anything else.
Be sure to clean your composite decking before coating it with a waterproof coating. Also, be sure to allow the paint ample time to dry before using your deck.
The only downside with this solution is that the waterproof coating does deteriorate over time. So after a couple of years or so, you will have to reapply the waterproof coating on your deck to keep it waterproof and slip-free.
Install Slip-Resistant Composite Decking
If your existing composite deck is nearing the end of its useful life, you might plan for new decking to be installed.
If that is the case, we will recommend you choose slip-resistance composite decking.
This is a unique type of decking that is meant to not require different types of “solutions” to make the decking less slippery.
The best part of slip-resistance composite decking is that it will help prevent insect attacks and fungal growth.
Tips to Prevent Deck from Getting Slippery
Once you have taken the steps to make your composite decking less slippery, you must ensure it stays that way.
The following tips will help you maintain and keep your composite decking less slippery.
Keep Your Decking Clean
Just like you clean your home everyday to remove dirt and debris, your deck will also need cleaning on a regular basis.
You want to be sure that you are removing leaves and dirt from your decking so that it’s not trapping moisture.
This will help to prevent your deck from becoming a breeding ground for mildew, mold, moss, and algae.
You will only need to take a few minutes of removing loose debris and leaves from your deck with a broom.
You can also deep clean your decking with a mixture of mild detergent and hot water once every couple of months. This will help keep it clean, too, and keep things from getting slippery.
Improve Drainage
It’s exceedingly important that you ensure that your deck surface drains properly to maintain a slip-free surface.
In your composite deck boards, you’re going to notice a gap between each board. These gaps are left behind to allow for boards to contract and expand with temperature change.
They also help to allow moisture and water to drain out properly.
But with time, and without regular cleaning of your deck, these gaps can begin to build up with debris and dirt.
It keeps the water from draining out and eventually leads to a noticeable pooled water, resulting in a slippery surface on your deck.
At every cleaning of your deck, you are going to need to check these gaps to ensure they don’t become blocked. You can use an old knife or any pointy tool to remove dirt and debris from these gaps.
Remove Snow and Ice
Your composite deck can become slippery at any time of the year.
However, this issue usually occurs in the winter months because of the snow and ice that can build up on the deck.
Snow and ice can make any type of decking slippery, but ice has a more significant impact on composite decking than other materials, such as natural wood.
The only way to prevent snow and ice accumulation from being slippery is to use a shovel and remove loaded snow and ice on the decking.
The important part of this is to remember that ice can form under the soft snow, so if you would shovel the snow every time it snowed, the risk of ice forming on your deck will be significantly reduced.
Final Words
Having a slippery decking can be very dangerous because it can create unwanted accidents.
This typically occurs in the winter months because of moisture and the build-up of debris and snow over your decking.
We hope that this guide helps you to learn how to make your decking less slippery.
Please be sure to use the included tips to keep your composite decking clean, and to prevent it from becoming slippery again.