Non-slip for a hot tub?

randyjaco

randyjaco

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I recently got a hot tub /spa. The fiberglass shell is very slippery. I am trying to figure out what to put on the steps to keep me from slipping and busting my butt. The steps are constantly emersed with warm water. I can’t drill any holes in the shell, so I am guessing that glue is the only answer. I have some adhesive backed sandpaper like step treads that theoretically would be ideal. But I am presuming the water would cause the treads to come apart. Anyone have any ideas on what might work for this situation?
Thanks

Randy
 
Scuff the fiberglass with sandpaper and spray or roll on a coat of elastomeric urethane truck bed liner. Get the stuff where you can mix in some sand or granulated rubber for texture.

The urethane will hold up submerged and also generally bonds well to abraded FRP.

The other option is to use straight vinyl ester resin (same as the hot tub gel coat) and mix in some grit after catalyzing it. What you'll wind up with is similar to an FRP boad deck - i.e. non-skid.
 
Thanks guys. Where does one get bedliner?

Randy
 
I would check out the closest marine dealer. The type of material you are talking about is real common on boats for non slip surfaces and comes in black or white.
 
You might want to do some small scale research to be sure thst the dried bedliner material that is being soaked in 100°+/- a few degrees water Tay sulk be treated with some type of chlorine product to be sure it the bedliner will not get broken down and make a mess of your tub.

Have you thought of doing something that is removable? Maybe make a few steps of some tough thick plastic or vinyl materal or even some properly sealed plywood. Then you can securly attach the skid tape or bed liner or whatever you choose to use to the "step liners" on the top and then add a bunch of suction cups to the bottom! I would most likely go a bit overboard on the amount of suction cups I would Use but thats for my own OCD issues which i dont think would be necessary and will be more difficult to remove but you shouldn't need to worry about it moving beneath your feet. Plus it keeps your tub in an "Unmolested" condition which would be better for resale if ever the need were to arise and it will save your money on the water billl by not needing to drain the tub to apply the bed liner to the steps so theres that too, lol!

Edit....... After thinking for a minute the thickness of the material should not be relevant so long as it is durable, gives you a way to secure the Anti Slip surface as well as the suction cups and does not easily move under your feet!
 
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Ours is approaching 20 years in age. During the last water change I scruffed the devil out of the stepping areas.
Can't get too aggressive else you'll raise the 'fibers' which wouldn't be good.
Bed liner might be an idea, but you have to wonder about the temperature fluctuations.
same with any adhesive with it being submerged in water. I'll bet there are some available though.
I recall seeing them in standard swimming pools over the years on the ladders and such.
There's bound to be an epoxy solution...
 
I would be willing to bet that a swimming pool supply house would have the proper materials available. You can't be the first person to look for such a thing.
 
If you're worried about urethane dissolving, use the same material as the resin in the hot tub - i.e. polyester resin. Marine supply houses have good resin, appropriate thickeners, as well as agents for secondary bonding (new FRP to old FRP). Below is a 'finishing' resin that cures with a dry surface. 'Laminating' resins cure a leave a tacky surface.

http://fiberglasssupplydepot.com/Premium-Polyester-Resin.html

Here's some glass micro-bubbles that are mixed in to the resin to thicken it

http://fiberglasssupplydepot.com/GLASS-BUBBLES.html

Or just get one batch of their 'fairing' compounds (pre-thickened).

If you're worried about the chlorine content and heat of the hot tub, then use a premium vinyl ester resin instead of the polyester above. And a quart of resin will be way more than you need for some treads and plenty to practice with.

Scuff the surface, wipe with acetone, then lay out a 'tread' with painters tape. Catalyze a batch of resin a bit light (more pot life) and mix in some glass bubbles until the texture is like sour cream. Spread inside the tape area and roll with a loop paint roller to add surface texture. Peel up the tape before it's rock hard for a clean edge that will look factory. If it's not thick enough, add a second coat. Too thick or sharp - knock down the pointy bits with a block sander.

The resulting treads will be hard, grippy, and will never peel up or dissolve before the hot tub itself disintegrates. You'll have maybe $30-40 in materials and a couple hours of time.

If you want to get swank, you can pigment the resin (before catalyzing) to match or contrast the existing color.
 
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