Lido: Coating turns wet architectural concrete into anti-slip surface
The Lucerne Lido is regarded as one of the most beautiful lakeside resorts and is located in the very heart of Central Switzerland. The curved building designed by the architects Max Bosshard and Christoph Luchsinger snuggles against the seashore line of Lake Lucerne. The place of excursions for young and old provides for swimming fun with a stunning panoramic view of the Alps.
A surface area of 45,000 m², 300 m of sandy beach, and up to 6,000 visitors per day at record temperatures – this is the track record of one of the largest lidos in Switzerland. The huge crowds make an expansion of infrastructure necessary. Last spring, the Lido took action in due time and with appropriate foresight: “We observed time and again that the area around the changing rooms as well as in front of the showers and rest rooms became slippery,” Marcel Wiesler, General Manager of Strandbad Lido AG Luzern, remembers. The architectural concrete floor became a real skating rink. “This was a real risk in our lido, in particular, for fast running children and elderly people,” Wiesler states.
Accessible again after only twelve hours
Searching for a fast and pragmatic solution, the operator decided in favor of the GriP Anti-Slip coating. Dieter Stelker, technical engineer of GriP Safety Coatings AG, was responsible for the application. He mixed the water-based two-component coating on site, and then uniformly applied the coating by means of a roller. “The product is transparent and solvent-free; thus, the surface is neither changed, nor damaged,” Stelker explains.
He worked on four days in short periods during fully running swimming activities. The partial areas were accessible again after only 12 hours. GriP Anti-Slip Floor was used for the overall 80 m², this specification guarantees slip resistance class R11. Consequently, the only certified anti-slip coating all over the world meets the requirements for commercial use and provides for permanent slip resistance and fall safety.
Lido Director Wiesler is convinced that the grainy surface provides a real strong grip, stating: “In the past, people walked around like being on an ice rink. Our visitors are very happy about the new situation. I get a lot of positive feedback.” Low-maintenance is an important point for a swimming facility, too: Grip Anti-Slip meets all usual sanitary standards and is insensitive to disinfectants. The surface can be easily cleaned with usual floor cleaning agents, high-pressure washers, and spray brush vacuum cleaners.
