Is polished concrete slippery when wet?

It can be. A high-gloss, smooth surface has less grip when wet than a matte one. How much less depends on the sheen, the sealer and what is on the floor.

Can polished concrete be made less slippery?

Often, yes. The sheen can be kept lower, the sealer can be chosen for grip, and a honed finish stops before the gloss stage. The right option depends on where the floor is.

Should I use polished concrete outside?

For wet outdoor areas we usually suggest a honed or limestone finish rather than a glossy one.

Is polished concrete slippery?

People in Bunbury and the South West ask us this before almost every polished floor, and the honest answer is: it depends on the finish, not on the concrete.

Polished concrete floor in a Bunbury home

What decides grip

Grip comes from the surface texture, and polishing is the process of making that texture finer. The further a floor is taken up through the diamond grits, the smoother and glossier it gets. Three things matter most:

Sheen level. A low-sheen finish keeps more texture than a high-gloss one.
Sealer. Some sealers add a film, others sit inside the concrete. The choice changes how the surface feels, especially when wet.
What is on the floor. Water, dust, oil and wax all reduce grip on any smooth surface.

Dry indoor floors

Inside a dry room, such as a living area, shop or office, a polished floor is normally comfortable to walk on. Polished concrete is a good fit there, and the sheen can be kept moderate if you would rather not have a mirror finish.

Polished concrete floor in a dry indoor space

Wet and outdoor areas

Around a pool, on a patio or on a driveway, grip matters more than shine. A honed finish stops before the gloss grits, so it is flatter and grippier, and it avoids the sun glare of a polished surface. For a softer, easy-care result on larger floors, see burnished concrete. For vehicle areas, read how we build concrete driveways.

Honed concrete surface at a wet outdoor area

Questions to ask before you choose

Will the floor ever be wet, or used by people in socks, bare feet or work boots?
Do you need a lower sheen for grip, or is the look the priority?
For commercial or public floors, do you need a slip-resistance test result? If so, say so early.

If you are weighing the three finishes, our comparison of polished, honed and burnished concrete sets them side by side. Tell us where the floor is going and we will say which we would use.

Where we work: Bunbury and the South West of Western Australia.

Common questions

Is polished concrete slippery when wet?: It can be. A high-gloss, smooth surface has less grip when wet than a matte one. How much less depends on the sheen, the sealer and what is on the floor.
Can polished concrete be made less slippery?: Often, yes. The sheen can be kept lower, the sealer can be chosen for grip, and a honed finish stops before the gloss stage. The right option depends on where the floor is.
Should I use polished concrete outside?: For wet outdoor areas we usually suggest a honed or limestone finish rather than a glossy one.