When it comes to withstanding high foot traffic, being waterproof, resisting sun damage, and remaining consistently colored, laminate flooring is one of the best options on the market. It’s extremely durable and easy to maintain. But it’s not perfect. Most laminate flooring is shiny and slippery. This can be a tripping hazard for kids and the elderly. So, in today’s article, I’m going to share the best tips on how to make laminate floors less slippery.
The very first thing you want to do is test how slippery the floor is. Depending on the finish, it may not need much intervention to be appropriate for use. But if it has a glossy or wet finish, then you may need to implement more than one of the solutions discussed below.
What I want to do is briefly touch on some of these solutions in the form of a list on how to make laminate floors less slippery. Thereafter, I want to discuss each of these solutions in more detail to provide you with adequate information that can be utilized immediately in your home.
I’ll break down these tips into their simplest form so that you know exactly what to do and what to look out for.
With that being said, here’s a list of tips on how to make laminate floors less slippery.
- Add rugs or mats.
- Apply an anti-slip coating.
- Use furniture pads.
- Use non-slip shoes indoors.
- Clean the floor regularly.
- Use an anti-slip pad.
- Avoid applying wax or polish to the floor.
- Dry floors before use.
I would argue that most of these solutions can be done by yourself. You don’t need to spend ludicrous amounts of money trying to get someone to repurpose the entire floors unless they are too slippery.
8 Ways To Make Laminate Flooring Less Slippery

1. Add Rugs Or Mats
If you can identify problem areas on the floor, you could simply fix that by installing doormats, rugs, and carpets.
Not only will this minimize the amount of laminate flooring that is visible, but it will also offer an aesthetically pleasing appearance to a home.
Rugs and mats provide warmth and detail in living rooms, foyers, passageways, and dining rooms.
Near liquids, I would advise you to opt for rubber rugs or mats because they are far more resistant to water damage than carpet.
But, in general areas like the living room, bedroom, or passageway, you could select any type of rug or carpet that suits your needs. Make sure that the rug is heavy so that it isn’t prone to slipping as well.
Alternatively, place a thin rubber mat on the ground before placing the carpet, rug, or mat on it.
This should minimize any movement on the floor.
2. Apply an anti-slip coating.
There are products on the market that are designed to remove or dull some of the glossiness and wetness of laminate flooring.
No matter the condition, some of these products will increase floor grip, irrespective of whether they are wet or dry.
Typically, these coatings are clear and do not leave behind a shine or any visible layers.
In fact, some describe it as the process of using an acid that attacks the compounds of the flooring. It changes the structure, which will improve slip resistance.
3. Use furniture pads.
Moving pads, or furniture pads, were designed to protect furniture from damage due to slipping or moving.
By applying these pads to the edges of the furniture or onto the legs of the furniture, it decreases the amount of slip that may occur.
This simple hack will minimize furniture slipping and moving on the floor while also protecting both the furniture and floor from being scratched, nicked, or dented.
Be sure not to use any type of material that is too smooth.
4. Use non-slip shoes indoors.
I’m a huge advocate for indoor shoes.
It ensures that the floors are protected from unnecessary dirt and grime underneath shoes that were worn outside.
You won’t have to clean your floors,, and that’s something most of us would love.
But if you’re not in the mood to invest more money or time into making the entire laminate floor less slippery, purchase non-slip shoes or slippers.
As long as the sole has a grip and is designed to be non-slip, it should minimize the effects of walking on slippery laminate flooring.
5. Clean the floor regularly.
If the laminate floor is already slippery, the last thing you need is more liquid or substances that will exacerbate the situation.
This is why it’s important to have a cleaning schedule that washes away dirt and cleans the floor.
Also, what I’ve noticed is that floors tend to lose their glossy feel and shine over time, especially as you wash and clean.
So, it naturally follows that cleaning your floors regularly will help minimize the slippiness of laminate flooring.
6. Use an anti-slip pad.
This is considered more of a spot treatment than anything else, but it’s an effective way to add grip to a certain section of the floor.
Early in this article, I suggested using something as a buffer between the floor and carpet to prevent movement and slipping.
This is what I was talking about.
Anti-slip pads are relatively thin. They can be flat, bubbled, or in the shape of a mesh/net. They’re usually made from rubber, which is extremely resistant to slippery floors, especially when they are designed with groovers.
The wonderful thing about anti-slip pads is that they are super cheap. For a couple of bucks, you can find them in a lot of hardware, flooring, and home stores.
7. Avoid applying wax or polish to the floor.
Anytime someone applies wax or polish to a surface, that surface appears shiny, glossy, and slippery.
That’s just a fact.
If you were to apply wax or polish to laminate flooring, it would be like throwing gasoline into a fire and expecting to extinguish the flames.
Even certain cleaning products that promise a smoother surface may be problematic for your type of flooring.
Perhaps, your floor isn’t as slippery as you think, and it’s the products you are using that are aggravating the situation.
It’s best to use a simple and uncomplicated cleaning solution for the floors.
I would actually advise you not to waste your time with all these expensive and fancy products because they won’t help the situation.
Use a simple cleaning solution and avoid applying anything like wax or polish to the floors.
8. Dry floors before use.
If your HVAC system is not operating correctly and the moisture levels in your home are too high, it’s going to make the floors more slippery.
Alternatively, invest in a dehumidifier to reduce the amount of moisture in the air to acceptable levels.
When it comes to spills or wet floors, avoid walking on them until they are dry.
Most of the time, wet floors are a tripping hazard.
So, make sure to keep the floors as dry and liquid-free as you can.
Final Thoughts
That brings us to the end of this article on how to make laminate floors less slippery.
I’m pretty sure that if you were to apply even three of the solutions in this article, you should be able to drastically reduce how slippery the laminate floors are.
I tried my best to include cost-effective and simple solutions that are effective.
I hope that you give them a try and that they make a difference on your floors.
With that being said, I hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful. If you would like to read more like this, check out some of my other flooring articles below.
6 Problems with loose lay vinyl flooring