In recent years, composite decking has become immensely popular as more and more people seek to elevate their outdoor space, and turn their house into a home.
There are a lot of advantages to composite decking that make it such an attractive option for people who are looking to add a deck to their home, with the most notable advantage being that it requires a lot less maintenance than wood decking does.
Freeing up time to enjoy your deck not maintain it.
A big concern about composite decking is how slippery it can become when wet.
Wolf Serenity PVC decking is popular low-maintenance decking to consider for your deck. But how slippery is Wolf composite decking?
Wolf serenity decking is one of the better composite deckings for traction and slip resistance. Ranked among the top ten for best composite decking traction with a slip resistance of 0.75 – 0.87 when wet and almost identical 0.74 – 0.85 dry.
This is based on my gathering of CCMC and other third-party decking traction testing and rating. If you want to see the full round-up of composite decking with the best slip resistenc
e, click the link.
But here we are going to stay focused and Wolf Serenity composite decking slip resistance and traction. Especially when it’s wet.
Is Wolf Decking Slippery When Wet?
Just like any other composite decking, Wolf decking can become slippery when it is wet.
But it has better traction than many other composite decking boards.
Wolf decking is rated quite high for slip resistance and traction, even in the rain.
One advantage of Wolf Serenity decking for traction is it’s a PVC board. It is the cap that creates traction on composite decking but PVC boards consistently score better for traction.
Wolf Serenity doe snot disappoint but along with many other PVC boards provides excellent traction.
What Is The Slip-Resistance Rating Of Wolf Decking?
Wolf Serenity decking, which is the Wolf decking material with the most traction, has a slip resistance rating of 0.74 to 0.85 in dry weather, and a slip resistance rating of 0.75 to 0.84 in the wet.
Meaning that the traction provided by the Wolf serenity decking material changes little when wet compared to dry.
In addition to this, when you consider that the recommended slip resistance score is 0.5, it means that Wolf decking’s composite material provides an above-average amount of traction, even in wet conditions, so it’s one of the leading materials in the market in this category.
When compared to other composite decking materials in the market, there are very few brands out there that produce materials that perform better than Wolf’s Serenity does.
Duxxbak’s decking provides a slip resistance of 0.9 when wet, and Zuri’s decking options have a slip resistance score of 0.89 to 0.97.
So, although there are some better options available on the market, Wolf decking still ranks incredibly high for composite decking, meaning that you rest assured that it will provide an adequate amount of traction underfoot, even during the wettest conditions you can imagine!
A major advantage of Wolf decking is the price. With Serenity, you get excellent traction for much less than many other brands with similar traction.
Why Does Composite Decking Become Slippery When Wet?
Although there are many factors that can contribute to decking becoming slippery when wet, the specific reason why it becomes slippery is interesting, and will also help you to better understand why choosing a decking material with a decent amount of traction, and a good slip resistance score, is going to be the best for you.
Traction, which can also be known as friction, is what determines how slippery a surface will be, whether it is wet or dry.
So, if you increase the amount of friction between the surface and your shoe, then the less likely you’ll be to slip.
However, rain is one of the most common causes for a reduction in friction, as it makes sliding your foot over a surface much easier than it would be when dry.
So decking that doesn’t pool water will provide better traction.
Along with raised fibres that provide grip despite a thin layer of water on the decking.
The key is decking is minimally impacted by water.
How To Increase Grip On Wet Composite Decking
One popular option is to install anti-slip treads on key areas, such as stairs, which will provide you with extra grip when walking on your decking when wet. This is especially helpful for key traction areas like stair treads or the edge of the deck. Where secure footing is critical.
Grit paint is another option that some people use on wood decking.
But because capped composite doesn’t paint well and the paint will damage the overall appearance of the decking I don’t recommend it for composite decking.
Summary
So, to summarize, when compared with many of the other composite decking material options currently available, Wolf decking ranks highly amongst them when comparing its slip resistance score, and whilst you should always be cautious when stepping out onto wet composite decking, Wolf decking should be safer due to the traction it provides.
Therefore, Wolf decking is great for creating a safe deck that doesn’t slip under your feet.
