Traction Additives 101: Pros & Cons of Aluminum Oxide, Polyethylene, Polycarbide & More

Coatings that look great—but slip like ice? That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Whether you're coating a commercial kitchen, pool deck, warehouse, or entryway, traction additives are critical for keeping people upright and your client out of legal trouble.

But how do you choose the right one? From aluminum oxide to polycarbide, different materials offer different levels of grip, durability, and aesthetics.

Here’s your contractor’s guide to understanding, selecting, and applying traction additives the right way.

How Traction Additives Work

Traction additives (also called non-skid or anti-slip media) are broadcast into coatings or mixed in to create surface texture.

They improve the coefficient of friction (COF), helping prevent:

• Slips and falls

• Trip hazards in wet areas

• Equipment slide-outs in vehicle bays

💡 COF is especially important in places like ADA-compliant walkways, OSHA-regulated work zones, and outdoor walkways.

Breakdown of Popular Additives

🔹 Aluminum Oxide

• Texture: Very aggressive

• Durability: Extremely hard (rated 9 on Mohs scale)

• Best For: Industrial zones, ramps, mechanical rooms

• Pros: Inexpensive, long-lasting, excellent traction

• Cons: Sharp, hard to clean, not decorative-friendly

🛑 Not ideal for decorative or barefoot areas—it feels like sandpaper.

🔹 Polyethylene (PE) Beads

• Texture: Mild to medium

• Durability: Soft plastic bead, wears over time

• Best For: Retail, offices, light-duty interiors

• Pros: Easy to clean, low profile, minimal gloss disruption

• Cons: Not durable under heavy wear or chemicals

💡 Often used in urethane topcoats to meet basic slip resistance without rough texture.

🔹 Polycarbide

• Texture: Medium to aggressive

• Durability: Excellent—resists chemicals and wear

• Best For: Commercial kitchens, breweries, automotive bays

• Pros: Rounded edges = easier to clean than aluminum oxide

• Cons: Costs more, limited availability in some regions

🔥 A solid middle ground between industrial performance and customer comfort.

🔹 Quartz Sand (Silica)

• Texture: Fine to aggressive (based on mesh)

• Durability: Good, but breaks down faster than synthetic media

• Best For: Quartz broadcast systems, general-purpose floors

• Pros: Readily available, cost-effective

• Cons: Can yellow over time, lower hardness rating

⚠️ Avoid in UV-exposed or high-abuse areas without a proper topcoat.

🔹 Glass Beads

• Texture: Smooth, mild

• Durability: Low—wears quickly

• Best For: Decorative, indoor residential, low-use zones

• Pros: Adds reflectivity and sparkle to metallic systems

• Cons: Not functional for real slip prevention

Choosing the Right Additive

Use Case	Recommended Additive
Industrial Warehouse	Aluminum Oxide
Commercial Kitchen	Polycarbide or Quartz
Office or Retail	Polyethylene
Outdoor Walkway	Aluminum Oxide or Quartz
Pool Deck or Spa	Polycarbide or PE beads
Decorative Flake System	Light PE or Glass Beads

🎯 Always consider both foot traffic and cleaning expectations when selecting your grit level.

Application Tips

• Mix-In vs Broadcast: Broadcast gives better control and visibility. Mix-in works best for light additives in thin mil coatings.

• Backroll everything to embed media and avoid loose particles

• Test your coverage on a sample board to match desired slip + feel

• Topcoat to lock in—especially with flakes or broadcast quartz

Conclusion

Traction additives can make or break a floor’s performance, especially when safety is non-negotiable. From warehouses to walkways, the key is finding the right balance between grip, durability, and cleanability.

PNW ECS stocks the most popular traction media—and we’ll help you spec the best one for your coating system.

📍 Need Help Picking Grit?

Stop by Sandy or Fife and we’ll walk you through your options by texture, durability, and visual effect.