Discover the slip-resistant coating designed to protect the aesthetic integrity of your floors
As an entrepreneur, Jason Goldfinch has a keen eye for business opportunities. After renovating his family home, Goldfinch was looking for a solution to slippery concrete pavers when the idea for SlipSafe came to him.
“We put concrete pavers down outside, and then my daughter slipped over about three weeks after they had been installed. I didn't think concrete was slippery, but it can be. I thought, ‘I need to prevent this from happening again’,” Goldfinch explains.
“I looked for local solutions that could fix the problem, but there was nothing that would retain the visuals of the pavers. The anti-slip products on the market would completely change the look of the concrete. So, I looked overseas, found a couple of companies, and asked to try their products on the pavers. They were absolutely fantastic! They sent some samples over, and I asked them if they would be interested in an exclusive distributor partnership in New Zealand. They said yes, and that's how SlipSafe was formed.”
A Swiss-made solution
While there are a few anti-slip products on the market, Goldfinch says the most important feature, and SlipSafe’s point of difference, is effectiveness, durability and transparency. After all, who wants to spend hours choosing the perfect flooring material only to hide its beauty? Boasting a clear finish, with a non-slip rating of P3, P4 and P5, Swiss Grip is Goldfinch’s product of choice.
“Swiss Grip is made in Europe, and it's got the highest adhesion rating you can get on a coating. It comes in three different levels of anti-slip, all meeting New Zealand requirements, and it can be applied to any surface,” he explains.
“With Swiss Grip’s transparent coating, you can see right through to the floor below. If you put it on tiles, you still see the tiles and the grout; if you put it on timber, you can still see the grain. It's designed to have very minimal impact.”
How are non-slip coatings made?
Slip-resistant coatings typically contain small granules that bind to the coating to create friction between the foot and the floor, even when wet. These granules are incorporated into the coating, which is then applied to the surface of the floor.
“Swiss Grip contains tiny granules that are essentially translucent. The granules are mixed into a transparent coating designed to bind with the anti-slip granules, improving the durability and effectiveness of the anti-slip coating. For more slip resistance they use slightly bigger granules, but the coating is still transparent.”
Swiss Grip’s environmentally friendly water-based coating is UV resistant and will not damage or change the surface of the material it is applied to. It is also certified antibacterial, with water and dirt-repellent qualities, making it easy to clean and maintain.
Make your space safer with Swiss Grip
Though SlipSafe started at home, Goldfinch has a high number of commercial clients.
“We do a lot of outdoor surfaces, office building entryways, designated wet areas, and commercial kitchens. Really, anywhere that gets slippery when wet, our products can help minimise the risks of slips. We also have a coloured anti-slip coating for car parks, which is a lot cheaper than epoxy coatings, very durable and chemically resistant, and available in a range of colours.”
Alongside commercial applications, Goldfinch outlines a number of ways you can use Swiss Grip at home, including shower floors, bathtubs, garages, outdoor patio areas, timber decks, and even edging for stair noses.
“If your stairs are a little bit slippery we suggest adding a translucent strip to the edge of the stairs to stop you slipping on the nose. Shower bases and swimming pool surrounds are quite popular as well.”
For a do-it-yourself solution, Goldfinch recommends the Swiss Grip kits.
“We sell 1.2m2, 5m2, and 15m2 square metre DIY kits that come with installation and application instructions. If your space is larger than 15 square metres, we recommend getting our experienced Franchise partners in to apply the coating for you. They are experts in what they do. No area is too big or too small for our team.”
And, if you need to reapply the coating years down the road, a fresh coat can be applied without damaging your floor surface, Goldfinch says.
“You can remove the old Swiss Grip with our unique coating remover. The remover lifts the coating off the surface, and then you can scrape it up and reapply.”
Learn more about SlipSafe and Swiss Grip.
