Anti-Slip Boardwalk Decking

Re-Life GripMaxx anti-slip boardwalk decking — 94 PTV wet, independently pendulum tested.

Anti-slip boardwalk decking has to work where the risk is highest. Boardwalks sit closer to the water than anything else on a route: they cross wetlands, run beside rivers, and hold moisture along their length long after the surrounding path has dried out. Shaded sections grow algae. Exposed spans take the frost first. A deck surface that performs well enough in a dry showroom can become the highest-risk point on an entire right of way.

Re-Life GripMaxx is a recycled plastic deck board with a bonded anti-slip aggregate insert cast into a channel in the top face. It is built for surfaces that are wet more often than they are dry.

Independently Tested Slip Resistance

GripMaxx has been pendulum tested by FloorSlip Ltd to BS EN 16165 Annex C — the current UK method, which superseded BS 7976 in 2022 — following UKSRG guidelines, using the 96 slider on a horizontal surface.

Condition	Pendulum Test Value (PTV)
Wet	94
Dry	112
HSE target for low slip potential	36

The HSE classifies GripMaxx in the lowest slip potential band, with a slip probability better than 1 in 1,000,000.

The size of that margin matters more than it might appear, because the HSE scale is exponential rather than linear. A surface at 35 PTV carries a slip probability of 1 in 100,000; at 36 PTV it is 1 in 1,000,000. One point represents an order of magnitude. A wet result of 94 PTV is not a marginal pass.

Structural Performance Is Unaffected

Cutting a channel into the top face of a deck board raises a fair question: does it weaken the board?

Independent flexural testing by Stanger Materials Testing & Consultancy, commissioned through Perry Testing Ltd, compared five boards with the anti-slip insert against five plain boards under three-point bend testing.

	Plain board	With anti-slip insert
Mean flexural strength	25.16 N/mm²	24.07 N/mm²
Deflection at 3000N	8.6 mm	7.46 mm

Mean flexural strength fell by 4%. But under an identical 3000N load the inserted boards deflected less — the modified board is stiffer in service, not weaker, and sustains the same 5.0 kN/m² uniform load as the standard board.

For specifiers, that means a certified anti-slip surface with no structural trade-off and no separate load calculation.

Board Specification

Deck board width: 150mm
Board thickness: 38mm
Anti-slip insert: 72mm wide, 3mm deep, cast into the top face
Uniform load: 5.0 kN/m²
Wet slip resistance: 94 PTV (BS EN 16165 Annex C, Laboratory sample)

Where GripMaxx Boardwalk Decking Is Used

The surface is specified where standing water, algae and shade make timber unpredictable:

Wetlands and nature reserves — permanently damp routes with limited maintenance access
Coastal and estuarine paths — salt, spray and wind-driven rain
Riverside and lakeside walkways — flood-prone, slow to dry
Woodland trails — shaded decks where algae establishes quickly
Viewing platforms and passing places — where people stop, turn and cluster
Visitor attractions and country parks — continuous high footfall in all weathers

Why It Suits Remote and Sensitive Sites

The anti-slip surface is integral to the board, not a coating applied over it. There is nothing to wear through, reapply or reinstate. On a wetland boardwalk this is the whole argument: the structure is usually the hardest thing on site to reach with tools and materials, and every return visit costs disproportionately more than the work itself.

Integral anti-slip surface — no coatings to reapply
No painting, staining or chemical treatment
Will not rot, warp or splinter in permanently damp conditions
Manufactured from recycled plastic and recyclable at end of life
Compatible with recycled plastic and hybrid boardwalk sub-structures
Suitable for continuous high-footfall public routes

Specification and Supply

Built by Bison supplies GripMaxx anti-slip boardwalk decking systems across the UK, with technical support and specification guidance for projects of any size. Drawings, pendulum and flexural test certificates are available on request.

For bridge decks, cycle bridges and shared-access structures, see our GripMaxx anti-slip bridge decking. GripMaxx decking can be specified with our recycled plastic boardwalks, and viewing platforms. Full background on the testing is set out in our GripMaxx technical overview.

Start Building a Boardwalk Download Datasheet

Related Products

Explore other solutions designed to complement your project. From durable outdoor structures to practical access and safety features, our range helps you create functional, long-lasting spaces.