Why anti-slip matters in apartment buildings

A staircase in an apartment building is used far more intensively than a staircase in a private home. Residents, visitors, parcel couriers, maintenance companies and emergency services pass through the same stairwell every day.

This gives safety a different meaning. Where a private owner looks at appearance and comfort, the boards of a VvE — the Dutch owners' association — also look at risks, liability and long-term reliability. Anti-slip plays a central role in this. The broader requirements for communal stairwells can be found in stair renovation for owners' associations and commercial buildings.

Short answer

Anti-slip helps reduce the risk of slipping and contributes to the safe use of stairs in apartment buildings. Because a VvE is responsible for communal spaces, renovations are assessed on grip, wear resistance, maintenance and long-term performance.

Why the risk of slipping is not always visible

Many accidents do not happen on visibly damaged stairs. Wet shoes, sand, dust, cleaning agents, smooth finishes and wear — small factors that mean a staircase that looks fine still offers less grip than expected.

Why grip becomes more important with intensive use

The more people use a staircase, the greater the chance that circumstances coincide: rainy days, winter conditions, busy moving days. Property managers therefore look beyond appearance alone.

Which anti-slip solutions exist?

Anti-slip strips, anti-slip tape and metal profiles are visible additions on the tread. Integrated surface structure — as with recycled natural stone composite from Omnistair — incorporates the grip into the material itself.

EverStep Solid complies with NEN 7909 — the Dutch standard for the slip resistance of walking surfaces. GripStep Pro also complies with NEN 7909 and is available as an interim solution without a full renovation.

An extensive comparison of these solutions can be found in which stair renovation has the best anti-slip. And how this translates into a system choice for your building can be found in which stair renovation is suitable for an apartment building.

Why anti-slip is connected to liability

A VvE manages communal spaces on behalf of all owners. Boards therefore look not only at costs and appearance, but also at safety, risk reduction and documentation. That is precisely why anti-slip receives extra attention in renovation projects.

Alongside grip, fire behaviour also comes into play — more on this in why fire classification matters in a VvE stairwell.