1.Why choose Slip Free Systems over another company?
At Slip Free Systems we’ve been in business since 1988 so you know that when you hire us we will be around to answer your questions. We have the experience to back up our work. Our products have been on the market for even longer than we have, and they have a proven track record for excellence. The products we use are industrial grade materials available only to certified installers. They are not available to the general public. Our installers are trained professionals. All of our work comes with a written warranty. Our commercial insurance covers large scale industrial jobs all the way simple residential installations. You can check out positive reviews on multiple social media review sites.
If you decide to shop around for other companies remember to ask these questions and then make an informed decision:
How long have you been in business?
Are you a certified installer of the products you use?
How long have your products been on the market and are they industrial grade?
Do you provide a written guarantee?
Can you provide me with a client list so I can check previous projects you’ve done?
What products do you use and how often to they need to be re-coated for optimum effect?
What kind of maintenance does your product require?
Are you insured?
How thick will the finished product be?
How many coats of epoxy will be applied when the project is complete?
What product is used as my final top coat and will it fully cover any flake or aggregate that was used in the installation of my floor? Will there be an added charge for crack repair or is it included?
Will there be an added charge to treat the expansion joints?
How do you treat expansion joints?
What product are you using exactly?
2. Why choose epoxy rather than another product such as Acrylic or one of the snap lock systems?
Acrylic: Acrylic maintenance is suggested 1 to 2 years at 1/2 the cost for optimal functionality and durability. In a residential application we typically find that the durability ratio rises significantly, even doubles or more in most cases. Acrylic is easily scratched and requires a lot more maintenance. Acrylic will dull over time and will not hold up under the spill of orange juice or soda, for example.
Please note that some applications are actually better served with an Acrylic coating. Depending on factors such as moisture content in your slab or chemical composition of an existing overlay system an acrylic coating might be a good choice. Some manufacturers recommend acrylic topcoat for their products like stains and dyes. In that case we are happy to provide you with this alternative.
Epoxy: Epoxy & Urethane are chemical resistant, anti-microbial, seamless, long wearing, low maintenance and fade resistant.
Interlocking Systems: While these interlocking systems do provide a traction assisted surface, they do not provide a seamless protection for your concrete floor. They can be very difficult to clean due to their material composition, texture and installation technique. The cracks and crevices in these interlocking systems are a target zone for deposits of grease and dirt.
One popular lock tile type company sells their plastic product for $3.79 per square foot, uninstalled and before taxes. At this price you could have a beautiful Slip Free Systems floor installed and that includes tax. (Price based on minimum of 600 square feet on one color epoxy finish or concrete stain only-other options will affect price). Now consider the price. Weigh the cleaning qualities of this do it yourself tile versus the ease of maintenance and cost of our quality seamless coatings.
Rubber Restaurant Mats: Did you know that those thick rubber mats they use in restaurants not only cost more than epoxy floors but they are not conducive to a clean, germ-free restaurant environment? Rubber mats do reduce the likelihood of slips and falls in the kitchen as well as leg fatigue but at what cost? Rubber mats have to be removed and cleaned on a regular basis and they are a buffet for bacteria and other harmful contaminants. Epoxy coatings are seamless, antimicrobial and slip resistant.
3.What’s the cost comparison for Slip Free Flooring versus something like vinyl tile, ceramic tile or the newly popular interlocking industrial garage floor tiles?
Epoxy coatings for residential use are cost effective compared to tile in many ways. Consider the cost of one 12 inch square slate of tile from one of the major home improvement stores. Lets say one tile costs $3.50 and you want to do a 15 ft X 30 ft space, now add the cost of grout, adhesive and installation. By the time your new floor is installed you’ve spent a minimum of $7.00 per square foot, if not more, and that’s a conservative estimate.
For interlocking tile we’ve researched and found prices to be between $3.79 to 9.35 per square foot, un-installed and before taxes, so by the time we add installation and taxes you’re looking at a minimum of $5.00 per square foot. Depending on existing surface conditions your new Slip Free Floor will price in well under typical flooring options and will outlast them with proper maintenance.
Many of our floor treatments can be had for an approximate cost of $3.50 per square foot, including installation and tax. That price can decrease or increase depending on square footage and other factors. Our more decorative applications, such as the color quartz, faux granite, metallics and mica chips are naturally a little more. With so many options to choose from we are confident we can fit your budget and your design.
In a commercial setting our coatings are equally unbeatable for more reasons than just cost. When you choose Slip Free Systems for your flooring needs you have already won half the battle by preventing slip and fall accidents. Choosing epoxy coatings in your establishment actually reduces slip and fall accidents and their subsequent lawsuits. Did you know the average lawsuit from a Slip and Fall accident that goes to litigation costs on the average $100,000?
If Ford, Honda and other dealerships use it for their mechanics and auto body shops how much more wear will you get out of it in your home or business? If popular restaurants all over Houston and surrounding areas use it in their commercial kitchens how much better will it serve your needs?
4. Why should I bother to put anything on my concrete surface if I am happy with the natural appearance of it?
While concrete is a very durable product it does deteriorate over time as you can see from this photo taken on the loading dock of this department store in Downtown Houston. Over time your concrete will begin to fail. Now, you’re probably thinking this is an extreme case and that your concrete wouldn’t experience as much traffic. You think that for that reason it wouldn’t show these signs of wear. Take note of homes where concrete 
patios are exposed to the downspout off the roof. This area almost always reveals a place where the underlying aggregate is exposed.
Naturally it is more common on an older home because this is a process that tears down your concrete slowly over time. You might not notice it as easily on a newer home. The same principal applies whether it is a residential patio, a department store loading dock or your concrete driveway. The best way to assure yourself of years of aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound surfaces is to protect those surfaces.
With all that in mind, do not be fooled into thinking that because your home is new you will not have a problem. Inspect your exterior surfaces for signs of deterioration and if you see rough spots or exposed aggregate then a coating might be right for you. Coat your concrete, it is not only a beautiful thing to do, but also a smart thing to do.
5. If I have Slip Free flooring installed in my warehouse is there a provision for my existing stock or will I have to have my warehouse emptied in order for installation to take place?
Slip Free Systems wants this flooring process to go as smoothly as possible for you. In the event that flooring is installed in an area with volumes of stock or heavy equipment and/or machinery Slip Free Systems can schedule to install your new flooring in sections. We can provide you with options for your flooring installation.
6. If there are cracks in my slab will the show up after my epoxy installation?
Slip Free Systems can treat the cracks so they are either invisible or nearly invisible, but we cannot control movement in the slab. You will not see cracks just after the installation. It is possible that cracks could reappear over time due to acts of nature such as a growing tree roots, natural movement of the ground beneath the slab, settling or other natural occurrences.
7. Can you install epoxy coatings over my existing tile or does the tile need to be removed first?
It is possible to install epoxy over tile with good results. You should know that it is not ideal and epoxy for concrete floors was designed specifically to work on concrete and not tile. If the tile is properly prepared and properly applied under excellent conditions, it is possible to install epoxy over tile with good results.
We do not guarantee the same bond or longevity as when applied over concrete only because the manufacturer has not provided test results with that information. When possible, we suggest removing the tile before the application of epoxy.
8. If I asked for a slip free floor, will it always have the same texture?
We work very hard to provide our customers with a texture that is non-slip but still easy to clean but it is important to note that we use an aluminum oxide additive to add texture when necessary and over time surface wear and tear will smooth out the texture just a little. Some floor types, like our full flake system, naturally have a more textured surface than others. We leave the amount of texture a person wants up to the customer to choose.
9. When you install epoxy in my home or shop will it go all the way up to the edge where the floor meets the wall?
Each job presents a different set of parameters. Some of our equipment is rather large and does not lend itself to use in tight corners or tiny closets or smaller rooms. If your contract is for a commercial kitchen where epoxy cove is specified, then your epoxy floor coating will actually seal to the wall. In an older home with tight corners, we advise the homeowner that we will get as close as we can. Cove base and/or quarter round will cover the edges, or we will add a charge for detail work.
We always recommend the use of cove base or trim board or threshold transition strips to complete the finished look of any project where you are looking for sharp, rich, finishing details. If the surface in question is a floor that butts up to corrugated steel we will generally coat with a straight edge unless otherwise noted on the contract.
10. How come Slip Free Systems does not apply the epoxy coating on that strip (apron) under my garage door?
When we apply a coating under your garage door it prevents you from being able to close your door for 24 hours. This means that the evening air, dew, rain, stray animals and bugs all have free access to the wet epoxy on your floor. All of these factors can ruin your newly applied floor coating. Protecting the floor after we leave is up to the customer. We do not advise coating this area so you can avoid the unexpected pitfalls of nature and Murphy’s Law.
11. I have little white puffy clouds on my floor. What is that? (Click here for more)
When you see those little white puffy clouds, you probably have a moisture problem on your floor and in your slab. This generally occurs on floors built prior to 1984 on the Texas Gulf Coast. Over time this will create a huge problem for the homeowner. Moisture works its way up and through the slab creating mold and mildew in the home and even rotting out the studs in your walls if left untreated.
There are a number of options to slow down moisture mitigation in your floor but there are no known options that are guaranteed to stop moisture. If you elect to have a moisture vapor retardant installed, you can expect anything ranging from a complete stop of all moisture transmission to complete failure due to changing atmospheric conditions.
