How to Make Tiles Less Slippery: Options That Work

Most tiles are manufactured with a smooth, glazed surface. This is what gives them their clean, polished appearance, but it is also what makes them hazardous under certain conditions. 

When water, cleaning product residue, soap film, or wet footwear introduces moisture, the coefficient of friction drops sharply. The thin film of liquid between foot and surface is what causes the slide.

The surfaces most prone to becoming slippery when wet include:

• Glazed ceramic tiles in bathrooms, kitchens, and commercial entries
• Polished porcelain tiles in lobbies, retail spaces, and hospitality venues
• Marble and granite once sealed or polished to a high sheen
• Acrylic and polyester surfaces in shower trays and bathtubs

Location matters too. Bathroom and shower tiles face constant moisture, kitchen tiles contend with water and grease, and commercial entrances deal with rain tracked in from outside.

Each setting creates a different slip risk profile, which means a single solution does not suit every floor. If you are unsure where to start, exploring how slippery your tiles actually are is a useful first step before choosing a treatment.

Slip Resistance Ratings in Australia

Before choosing a treatment, it helps to understand how slip resistance is measured. In Australia, AS 4586 classifies the slip resistance of pedestrian surface materials using three test methods depending on the use of the floor:

• P-ratings (wet pendulum test): For general pedestrian areas in footwear. P3 is the minimum for most commercial wet areas.
• R-ratings (oil-wet ramp test): For commercial kitchens and industrial floors where grease or oil contamination is likely.

The National Construction Code references AS 4586 for minimum slip resistance requirements in different building areas. Checking the current rating of your tiles before treatment, and confirming your chosen solution contributes to the required outcome, is worth doing before committing to a product. For professional applications, GripFactory can provide a post-treatment slip resistance certificate, which supports compliance records and audit documentation.

The Four Main Treatment Options

There is no single right answer for every tile floor. The best option depends on the tile type, the setting, traffic volume, and whether aesthetics matter. The four main approaches are liquid treatments, chemical coatings, anti-slip tapes, and physical plates and strips.

Liquid Treatments

Liquid anti-slip treatments create microscopic surface changes to the tile that allow water to disperse from underfoot more effectively. The tile’s appearance does not change, and once applied, the treatment bonds to the surface and is not removed by normal cleaning. This is the only genuinely invisible option available.

UltraGrip is the correct liquid treatment for tile surfaces, including ceramic, porcelain, marble, and stone. It creates microscopically small surface changes that allow water to disperse from underfoot, improving traction without altering the tile’s appearance or finish. For ceramic tiles specifically, Anti-Slip Tile Spray is an alternative option applied without deep pre-cleaning, neutralised with water after a short dwell time, and fully walkable within minutes.

Where this suits

Hotel lobbies, restaurants, residential bathrooms, swimming pools, change rooms, and polished commercial floors where the surface appearance cannot change. Also suited to large commercial floors where consistency across multiple tile types is needed in a single application.

Where this does not suit

Sealed tiles and heavily textured unglazed tiles where the treatment cannot bond effectively, or settings where a visible grip indicator is required for safety signage compliance. Maintenance with a soap-free cleaner is non-negotiable for sustained performance.

Chemical Coatings

Chemical coatings apply a transparent layer over a surface that provides grip through its own texture. This option is not intended for tile floors. SaniGrip is designed specifically for shower trays, bathtubs, and acrylic or polyester surfaces where a bonded coating layer is the appropriate solution. For bathroom tile applications and guidance on the distinction between liquid treatments and coatings, the guide to anti-slip coating for bathroom tiles covers the relevant decision points.

SaniGrip is a two-component polyurethane water-based coating that bonds to shower trays, bathtubs, and acrylic and polyester surfaces. It is transparent, does not significantly alter the appearance of the surface, and can be removed with a dedicated remover without causing damage, making it a reversible option where circumstances may change.

Where this suits: Shower trays, bathtubs, and acrylic or polyester bathroom surfaces where a bonded coating layer is the correct fit and reversibility may be needed.

Where this does not suit: Tile floors of any kind. For tiled surfaces, a liquid treatment such as UltraGrip is the correct starting point. SaniGrip applied to tile floors is not the intended use of this product.

Need grip on slippery tiles without replacing them? Browse GripFactory’s UV Grip tile coating.

Anti-Slip Tapes

Anti-slip tape is a pressure-sensitive solution applied directly to the tile surface, placing a textured, high-friction layer where foot contact occurs most. Tapes are visible, which distinguishes them from liquid treatments, but this is often an advantage in settings where grip zones need to be clearly marked.

GripFactory’s anti-slip tape range includes several variants suited to different tile applications:

• Standard Tape: Available in widths from 25mm up to 900mm on 18-metre rolls in a range of colours. Suited to stairs, step edges, and high-traffic tile zones.
• Aqua Tape: Designed for wet environments including pool surrounds and shower floors where continuous moisture exposure is the norm.
• Flexible Tape: Suited to curved or irregular tile surfaces where a rigid tape would not conform properly.

Where this suits: Stair edges, wet-area access points, entry thresholds, and emergency stair zones where a quick, cost-effective grip zone is needed. The guide to non-slip tape in wet areas covers which tape variants perform best under continuous moisture exposure.

Where this does not suit: Settings where floor appearance must remain unchanged, or surfaces subject to heavy scrubbing with industrial cleaning equipment, which degrades adhesive bond at the edges faster than normal foot traffic.

Physical Plates and Strips

For high-wear or high-risk zones where a surface treatment alone is not sufficient, physical anti-slip plates and strips provide a more durable structural solution. GripFactory’s PolyGrip range is made from glass-reinforced plastic and includes strips for tiled walkways and ramps, mini-strips for stair nosing zones and narrower tile formats, and larger plates for platform or landing areas requiring broad coverage.

Where this suits: High-wear industrial and commercial zones, external ramps and walkways, platform areas, and settings where durability over many years outweighs the visibility of the solution. Also appropriate where grip must be maintained under heavy equipment or trolley traffic that would wear through a coating or dislodge tape.

Where this does not suit: Settings where floor aesthetics are the primary concern, narrow tile formats where plate width could create a trip hazard, or smooth domestic surfaces where a liquid treatment would achieve the required grip without any visible addition to the floor.

How to Choose the Right Option

Matching the treatment to the surface and setting is the key decision. The table below maps common settings to their primary slip risk and the treatment approach most suited to that environment.

The option comparison table below summarises the key factors across all four approaches.

Use this numbered process to narrow the choice:

• Identify the surface type. Ceramic, porcelain, marble, and stone tile floors suit liquid treatments. Shower trays, bathtubs, and acrylic or polyester surfaces suit a coating such as SaniGrip.
• Assess moisture exposure. Pool surrounds, shower floors, and commercial kitchens need a solution rated for continuous wet conditions.
• Consider the aesthetic requirement. If the floor finish must remain unchanged, a liquid treatment is the only genuinely invisible option.
• Determine traffic volume. High-traffic commercial floors benefit from liquid treatments or physical strips. Lower-traffic areas can often be managed with tape.
• Check the compliance requirement. If a specific AS 4586 P-rating outcome is needed, confirm the product’s documented performance before committing.
• Decide on DIY versus professional application. Most GripFactory products can be self-applied, but professional applications provides a post-treatment slip resistance certificate and warranty for commercial settings.

For ceramic tile surfaces, UltraGrip is the correct starting point across glazed and polished finishes. For marble and granite, which are denser and less porous than ceramic, UltraGrip is equally the preferred liquid treatment.

Maintenance and Compliance

Treatment alone is not enough. Ongoing maintenance determines whether grip performance is sustained, and in commercial settings, documentation of that maintenance is part of meeting your duty of care. 

Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and its state and territory equivalents, persons conducting a business or undertaking must eliminate or minimise slip risks so far as is reasonably practicable, and that includes keeping treated surfaces in a condition that continues to perform. 

Maintaining records of what was applied, when it was last inspected, and when re-treatment occurred supports any insurance or compliance inquiry. For commercial operators managing hospitality or retail tiled floors, the guide to commercial non-slip tape and compliance covers documentation expectations in more detail.

The key maintenance steps to keep in mind are:

• Use soap-free cleaners. Soap-based floor cleaners leave a residue that builds up over tile surfaces and reduces friction over time. GripFactory’s UltraGrip detergent cleaner is formulated for treated surfaces and maintains anti-slip performance between periodic re-treatments.
• Inspect high-traffic lanes more frequently. Treated surfaces in entry corridors or checkout queues experience more concentrated wear than surrounding areas, and periodic spot re-treatment extends overall service life.
• Check tape edges regularly. The edges of anti-slip tape can lift in wet environments or under heavy traffic, and catching early failure prevents the tape itself from becoming a hazard.
• Confirm cleaning product compatibility. Some disinfectants degrade coating adhesion over time, so confirm compatibility with GripFactory before changing your cleaning routine.