Quick answer: Anti-slip tape is a textured, adhesive-backed strip that grips shoes (and paws, and wheels) to prevent slips on stairs, ramps, decks, and wet floors. Indigo Supplies stocks standard, coarse, extra coarse, glow in the dark anti-slip tape, conformable anti-slip tape, hazard warning anti-slip tape, water safe anti-slip tape, and marine grade anti-slip tape, with custom sizes and shapes available on request.
Gravity is undefeated. It's been winning since the apple hit Newton on the head, and it's not about to lose to your polished warehouse floor. The good news? You don't need to outsmart physics—you just need better friction. That's where anti-slip tape comes in: a humble roll of grippy genius that's quietly preventing workplace injuries, insurance claims, and some genuinely spectacular wipeouts, one step at a time.
If you've ever watched someone attempt the "ice skater shuffle" across a wet tiled floor, you already understand the assignment. Slips, trips, and falls remain one of the most common causes of workplace injury, and most of them happen on surfaces that could have been made safer with a few meters of textured tape and five minutes of effort.
This post walks through what anti-slip tape actually is, why businesses (and homeowners) rely on it, and how to pick the right grade for your situation—whether that's a boat deck, a hospital corridor, or a staircase that's been quietly plotting against your grandmother for years.
What is anti-slip tape, exactly?
Anti-slip tape, sometimes called non-slip tape, antislip tape, nonslip tape, or grip tape, is an adhesive-backed strip with a textured surface designed to increase traction underfoot. Picture sandpaper's more practical cousin: rougher than a welcome mat, stickier than your average decision, and built to stay put through heavy foot traffic, moisture, and the occasional forklift.
The tape is applied directly to the surface you want to make safer—steps, ramps, ladder rungs, decking, factory floors—and the textured top layer grips shoes (or boots, or bare feet, no judgment) to reduce the chance of a slip. It's a small, low-cost fix for a problem that can otherwise lead to expensive consequences.
Why do businesses and homeowners bother with it?
Because the alternative is usually a lawsuit, a workers' comp claim, or a very awkward fall caught on CCTV. Anti-slip tape earns its keep in a few key ways:
- Prevention over cure: It's far cheaper to apply tape than to handle an injury claim.
- Instant visibility: Bright colors (yellow, red, black and yellow hazard stripes) flag danger zones before anyone puts a foot wrong.
- Low maintenance: Once applied correctly, most grades last for years, even in heavy foot traffic areas.
- Versatility: It works indoors, outdoors, on metal, wood, concrete, and fiberglass.
For businesses specifically, anti-slip tape isn't just a safety nicety—it's often part of meeting health and safety obligations, particularly in kitchens, warehouses, and public walkways.
What types of anti-slip tape are available?
Not all grip is created equal. Choosing the right grade depends on where it's going and how much abuse it needs to withstand.
Standard, coarse, and extra coarse: how do they differ?
Choose standard grade if you're dealing with light indoor foot traffic—think office corridors or domestic staircases. Choose coarse grade if the area sees moderate traffic or occasional dampness, such as a shop entrance or school hallway. Choose extra coarse grade if you need serious grip for industrial environments, outdoor steps, loading bays, or anywhere boots and heavy machinery cross paths. The rougher the texture, the more aggressive the grip—and the more it may wear on softer footwear over time, so match the grade to the environment rather than defaulting to the toughest option available.
What is conformable anti-slip tape used for?
Conformable anti-slip tape is designed to mold around curved, uneven, or textured surfaces—diamond plate flooring, checker plate, pipework, or anything that would otherwise leave standard tape lifting at the edges within a week. If your surface isn't flat, conformable is the grade built for the job.
Why would you need glow in the dark anti-slip tape?
Glow in the dark anti-slip tape combines grip with visibility in low-light or emergency conditions. It's popular for escape routes, cinemas, theaters, basements, and any stairway that loses power during a storm at the worst possible moment. Choose this grade if visibility in darkness matters as much as traction underfoot.
When should you use hazard warning anti-slip tape?
Hazard warning anti-slip tape, typically striped in black and yellow or red and white, serves double duty: it grips the floor while visually flagging a hazard—a step down, a low ceiling, machinery, or a drop-off. Choose this grade whenever a surface needs both traction and a clear "watch where you're going" signal.
What makes water safe anti-slip tape different?
Water safe anti-slip tape is engineered specifically for wet or submerged conditions—pool surrounds, shower rooms, and boat decks. It's the correct choice for anti-slip tapes for wet areas, where standard adhesive would peel away the moment it meets consistent moisture.
Why choose marine grade anti-slip tape?
Marine grade anti-slip tape is built to withstand salt water, UV exposure, and constant moisture without lifting or degrading. Choose marine grade if the tape needs to survive on a boat deck, jetty, or any coastal application where saltwater is working against your adhesive around the clock.
What else do you need for a proper install?
Grip tape doesn't work in isolation. A couple of supporting products make a real difference to how long it lasts:
- Anti-slip tape primer improves adhesion on porous, dusty, or uneven surfaces before the tape goes down—skip it, and you're relying on hope rather than chemistry.
- Anti-slip tape edge fix seals the tape's edges to stop them lifting, which matters most in high-traffic or wet areas where edges take the most abuse.
Can anti-slip tape be custom made?
Yes. If the standard sizes don't fit your stairs, your boat deck, or that oddly shaped loading ramp someone designed without consulting a tape manufacturer, custom anti-slip tape can be manufactured to your specifications, including bespoke sizes and shapes. It's a useful option for anyone working with non-standard dimensions or an unusual surface layout.
Final thoughts: don't wait for gravity to make the first move
Anti-slip tape is cheap, quick to apply, and genuinely effective at reducing slip-related accidents, which makes it one of the better returns on investment in workplace or home safety. Whether you need standard grip for a quiet office corridor or marine grade anti-slip tape for a boat deck that's seen one too many storms, there's a grade built for the job.
Browse the full anti-slip tape range to find the right fit, or get in touch about a custom size or shape. Your floors—and your insurance premiums—will thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does anti-slip tape cost?
Pricing varies by grade and width, but basic rolls typically start under £15, while heavier-duty or specialist grades like marine and glow-in-the-dark cost more due to their additional materials and durability.
How long does anti-slip tape last once applied?
With correct surface preparation (and ideally a primer on porous surfaces), most grades last several years under normal foot traffic, though extra coarse and conformable options tend to hold up longest in demanding environments.
Is anti-slip tape safe for outdoor use?
Yes, provided you choose a grade suited to outdoor exposure—marine grade and extra coarse options are built to handle weather, UV exposure, and moisture without lifting.
Can anti-slip tape be used on wet or submerged surfaces?
Yes, specifically water safe anti-slip tape, which is designed for pool surrounds, showers, and other consistently wet areas where standard tape would fail.
Who typically needs anti-slip tape?
Warehouses, schools, hospitals, marinas, retail stores, and homeowners with slippery stairs or decking all commonly use anti-slip tape to reduce fall risk in high-traffic or wet-prone areas.