Traction on Steps -- Skid Not

My basement steps are only 6in deep (quite a small step, fits half my foot in shoes) and covered in perhaps 5 layers of paint. This surface has become quite polished by many many many years of socked foot travel. (When I first moved in, I took quite a spill going down those steps with a big box in hand. )

I did a light sanding (maybe lead paint in an old house so wear resperator and use a vacuum and take other procautions) to take off any shine and cleaned up with some TSP. Because this was only the infrequently used basement steps I bought some cheap ($20/Gal) "Skid Not" paint from the Blue Box. It's worked quite well to put some traction on the surface. It needs to be mixed well prior to applying, but gives a high-grit-sandpaper type of surface. We'll see how well it holds up. It's amazing what paint can do! I'm thinking of painting my porch that is falling off the house!

Jason

Even cheaper way is to just throw some sand into paint (works the same as Non-Skid). Just make sure the sand is clean (no dust) before mixing in the paint.

I actually went to the Blue Box expecting to find some sort of additive like sand. They had this so I got it. I figured if I just put in some sand I might be stripping the steps in a few months or some how making more work.

Thanks for the tip,
Jason

Good suggestion

The adhesive strip set me back about $60 for one roll, enough for my front stairs with a few extra strips left over.