Adding non slip surface to shower for older person

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Watson524

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Hi all,

My mom is getting up there in years and has had a few falls recently. In her main bathroom she has a shower (with a seat so low it's useless, tho she's not at the point of needing a seat yet) with a sliding door. We've added 2 grab bars in the shower and one directly outside to assist her in getting in and out. I've put those non slip strips down twice now but they don't hold. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with adding a non slip coating to the bottom of a smooth shower pan. No idea why when the house was built 12 years ago they used a perfectly smooth surfaced pan (same in her guest bathroom tub/shower combo). If you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them.

thanks!
 

JohnfrWhipple

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You might look into products like this

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43963ded94957d88941e4ec5e63173e8_1.jpg


http://www.slipperytile.com
 

Watson524

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Thanks. I've seen things like that but didn't know if anyone had real life experience with them. Some are roll on, etc. Wondering how well they stick.
 

ShowerDude

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Thanks. I've seen things like that but didn't know if anyone had real life experience with them. Some are roll on, etc. Wondering how well they stick.

depending on how "Hi end" and nice your shower pan is... i have had great luck with seniors wanting a grip surface on prefab pans.

My 20 yrs of skateboarding paid off...

Grip tape comes in a variety of colors. It may be a bit ugly to some, but if you clean the surface well prior and install it properly it will last...

http://www.antisliptapeshop.com/Category/Skateboard/197?gclid=CM_M5o2vwMACFQctaQodvhoA2w
 

Watson524

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Ha! Standard pan, nothing crazy. And you know, I did a bit of that back in the day and have thought about using board tape! My concern was given how little luck I had with getting the home depot strips to stick (fully cleaned, rubbed with alcohol and dried thoroughly before application) I was hesitant to put down a "tape" product but heck, it stuck to the boards like no one's business.... might have to give it a go.
 

DonL

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It would be great if that Skate board stuff would hold.

I have had the same problems with the pre cut strips, lucky to get two weeks out of them.

I was about to put one of the Strips that they use to strip the roads down.

You could use a non slip Garage floor Epoxy paint, I would think.
 

ShowerDude

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My dear Watson!!!


like any other tape product you must source a quality thick gauge grip tape. If you source quality tape and clean with denatured alchol and set tape properly, id be suprised if you can get it back off.

sourcing quality tape and setting it perfectly the first time is key.

If your fiberglass pan has any "flex" or deflection when you stand on it. Id take that in consideration as to the product you apply and its flexibility???

just my 2 cents. good luck
 

DonL

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Denatured may be the key.

MEK should do the trick.

151 or Everclear may work, if it don't you won't really care.


Have Fun.
 
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Watson524

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Boy you're not kidding if I used the 151 LOL! I actually found some stuff at a skate tape place (they do other kinds as well) so I'm going to give it a try before I go putting something that's a spray on or etching type of product. I'll let you know how it works out.
 

DonL

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Please do report back, I could use some tips on how to do it right.

Good Luck.
 

Watson524

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Product arrived today from https://www.antisliptapeshop.com/ (I got the 1" clear coarse resilient). I put it down and so far it seems to be sticking better than the home depot stuff did even before it gets wet. It's not a sand feeling type tape as they recommended what I got given its use. Super fast shipping so the company already gets points for that. Anyway, I went to mom's and took the old stuff off. Cleaned it up with goo gone, then wiped all that out. Then I rinsed with water and wiped again. Then I scuffed up the surface a bit with some 22o grit sandpaper. Sure it takes the shine off the bottom of the shower but I'm not concerned about shine, I'm concerned about safety and I may go back with some "Buff Magic" that I use on my boat in between the strips if the dullness annoys me. Anyway, rinsed with water and dried again. Then gave it a healthy wipe down with rubbing alcohol, wiped it down and let it dry. Cut the strips and layed them down with no tension on them. Then I didn't have a suitable roller handy and soup cans have a ridge on each edge keeping the middle up so I used a beer can to roll them down really good. We'll see how it holds up but the initial impression is that they stick better than my previous two attempts. If it turns out they don't hold, I'll post back, otherwise assume all is ok.
 

DonL

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What brand of beer? ;)

lol

I would have used a wine bottle. If the beer can is full I guess it could work ok.

Empty Aluminum beer cans suck, Until you get 75 cents a pound when you recycle them.


Have Fun.
 

ShowerDude

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Your mom did something right..... You my dear watson are a seemingly good son.....!

On a side note 3m mKes a "marine grade " grip tape..... Boats and such..
 

Watson524

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Daughter actually ;-)

I was actually thinking of using something like the tape I have seen for boat trailers say up by the bow for grip if you have to step on the trailer but figured that might be a bit rough on her feet. Of course, it's like a free pedicure every time.... huh
 

Watson524

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Yep my parents raised me right :)

She used the shower tonite and all seems well. The strips are firmly stuck down which is more than I can say for the big box strips that didn't even stay fully stuck for 24 hours.
 

DonL

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I got my skate board Grip Tape installed.

That is some cool stuff.


Thanks CounterBalance for that tip.


Now I just need to learn how to skateboard in the shower.
 
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