I laid a path using tanalised decking this year and now, with the first frost of autumn, it has turned into a slide.
Any suggestions, please, for a slip-reducing coating that won't detract from the natural look of the wood too much?
-- Brian
Chicken wire? It's see-through and provides a good safety grip on a wet or icy wood surface. Used quite extensively at several boatyards and marinas on The Broads.
Unfortunately this is a well known disadvantage of wood. I decided against laying a path with it, which would have been easy, because the stuff I looked at did warn of this effect..
IIRC it's the tiny plant-life on the wood that makes it slippery. My dad's treated his (oak) deck with some anti-fungus stuff which seemed to work, and didn't discolour the wood.
HTH, Al
I think as this is freshly-laid planking (and "yes, I did put the ridged side uppermost!") it is the frost that is making it slippy.
I had an idea to paint it with polyurethane into which some sharp sand had been stirred, but thought I'd check here first to see whether there is a proprietary solution.
-- Brian "Let's be grateful for our Fridays and face our Mondays with good humour."
Fortunately, most decking in gardens is not used in winter.
Sharp sand isn't really sharp enough. Silicon carbide grit blasting media is much better. You only need a small quantity, so try scrounging.
I've got a gallon can of USAF wing-walk compound - perfect LandRover bumper paint. It's non slip to stand on, and it's chip proof.
-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods
Well, if I'm going to rule out winter, and we're just into autumn and it's already starting to be a problem, I suppose I'd better pray for a mild spring!
The chicken wire surface suggestion is a good idea, apart from the look of the thing.
-- Brian "posting from Sutton, winner of The English And Welsh Village Of The Year Award"
Does it come in "clear"?
-- Brian "Stuck down a hole, in the fog, in the middle of the night, with an owl."
Which Sutton?
Near Ely, Cambs.
CB6
-- Brian "Stuck down a hole, in the fog, in the middle of the night, with an owl."
I aggree, but paths are, so wooden paths, esp made from that grooved decking stuff, not a good idea. This morning I went on my deck which had frost on it and it was like a skating rink :-)
Sounds like he's telling you to tarmac your path :-)
Certainly Ive seen that used on boats as a non-slip surface.
Doesn't look like wood anymore tho.
Inspires a good thought, though.
The sort of varnish used on decks (as opposed to decking) must contain something to ensure it is anti-slip.
I'll try a chandlers.
-- Brian "Stuck down a hole, in the fog, in the middle of the night, with an owl."
And they'll gladly open up your wallet ;-) At Robbins in Bristol, a sometimes-snotty supplier of wood for marine types and general joinery, they sell "ordinary" yacht varnich (Rustins) for about 9quid a tin, and SuperUltraMagicBoiledByVestalsAndAlignedToLeyLines stuff from Holland
- Epiphanes - at maybe 16-17 quid the tin (which instructions to apply
5 or more coats leaving 24h between each, or some such). In the Epiphanes range they'll also sell you the same SuperUltra... with little polystyrene beads mixed in, and little pots of surprisingly-small-but-effective poly beads, for a cool 3.50 per pot, one pot adequate for 750ml: volume of pot I'd guesstimate at 40-50 ml.Wanting a non-slip coat for the cat-shelter-and-skateboard ramp I built a few weeks back (I thought I was making a wheelchair/limited-mobility access ramp, but the cats and the lad soon taught me the real purpose of my efforts) I did one coat of the Rustins-with-added-granules. Quite late in the evening. A bit of an error, that: under artificial light I brushed the gritted varnish out too thin, and discovered the next day that the grit-beads were patchy (stayed where first laid down, didn't want to travel with the brush). Back for another pot of somewhat overpriced beads, on with another coat breaking all the "several thin coats better than one overthick one". Result: functionally excellent - it really is nice and grippy now, though I don't know how well it'll wear; aesthetically so-so, as laying it on thick meant there are some runs I can't be arsed to sand down and recoat (as sanding down would b'r up the non-slipness).
Another time, I'd go for my original intention of using fine ("sharp") sand, or Andy D's suggestion of carborundum powder, and lay on a coat thicker than "normal" varnish but not quite as generous as my second coat. For a larger area of decking, a cost-effective additive would be all the more important. Or you can go cheapie and put down bits of rubber underlay during the winter months!
HTH, Stefek
Stefek Zaba wrote | > I'll try a chandlers. | And they'll gladly open up your wallet ;-) At Robbins in Bristol, | a sometimes-snotty supplier of wood for marine types and general | joinery, they sell "ordinary" yacht varnich (Rustins) for about | 9quid a tin, and SuperUltraMagicBoiledByVestalsAndAlignedToLeyLines | stuff from Holland - Epiphanes - at maybe 16-17 quid the tin ...
With what cable should I wire my in-boat hi-fi system?
Owain
I think it's going to be the polyu + sand solution.
-- Brian "Stuck down a hole, in the fog, in the middle of the night, with an owl."
One final thought, after doing yesterday's washing-up this morning...
*insert tongue in cheek* For the natural look, you could mix up some milk and Alpen, then spread it over the deck liberally. Once dry, it will certainly be non-slip and any amount of cold water will do nothing to remove it. Could this be the answer? *remove tongue*Al
Tee hee. Very good.
:-))
-- Brian "Stuck down a hole, in the fog, in the middle of the night, with an owl."
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