Abrasive, Slip-Resistant Powder Coating for Extruded Aluminum Walkways

Client: Bleacher Manufacturer (Stadium & Venue Seating Supply Chain)

Project Focus: Eliminating outsourced blasting/etch/anodize while improving walkway traction

Coating Type: Aggressively abrasive finished powder coating (standard colors + custom match)

Project Overview

Bleacher and grandstand manufacturers often rely on extruded aluminum walkway sections for lightweight strength and corrosion resistance. The challenge is that as-supplied extrusions typically have smooth surfaces, which can be slippery—especially in outdoor venues and high-traffic environments.Our customer needed a safer, more production-friendly path to a durable, traction-enhancing surface without the complexity (and delays) of traditional finishing.

The Challenge: Smooth Extrusions + Complex Finishing Workflow

Historically, the customer’s approach required multiple steps and outside vendors:

Media blasting to roughen the surface

Etching to prep and condition

Anodizing to protect and finish

While effective, this workflow created problems that impacted production schedules:

Multiple contractors and handoffs

Freight coordination and lead-time uncertainty

Increased risk of surface variation from step to step

Delivery and rework issues when timing or quality slipped

They wanted to keep the advantages of aluminum extrusions—but bring the process in-house and make it more repeatable.

Our Solution: A Highly Abrasive Powder Coating That Replaced Outside Vendors

OnlinePowderCoatings.com provided a purpose-built, aggressively abrasive finished coating engineered to deliver traction and durability—without requiring blasting/etch/anodize outsourcing.

Instead of sending parts out, the customer could use a familiar powder coating workflow:

Clean + Pretreat

Using standard powder coating pretreatment options

Apply the Abrasive Powder Coating

Similarly to conventional powder

Cure

To produce a consistent, high-traction finish designed for walkway performance

This gave the customer a single-stream finishing approach that fit their existing manufacturing flow.

Why It Worked: Production-Friendly Application + Real-World Walkway Performance

This project succeeded because the solution was designed around two priorities:

1. Process Simplicity

No outside finishing contractors

Fewer scheduling variables

Reduced logistics, deliveries, and touchpoints

2. Functional Surface Improvement

A traction-forward surface profile to address smooth extrusion slip concerns

A consistent finish achieved through normal powder coating practices

Color Options & Custom Matching

Because these walkway sections are part of visible assemblies (bleachers, platforms, and access areas), appearance still matters.

These coatings are available in:

Several standard colors (ready for repeat production)

Custom color matching to meet customer requirements and branding needs

The Outcome

By switching to an aggressively abrasive powder coating system, the customer was able to:

Eliminate the outside contractor chain (blast/etch/anodize)

Reduce delivery delays and scheduling headaches

Streamline finishing into a familiar powder coating workflow

Maintain flexibility with standard colors and custom matching

Where This Solution Fits Best

This approach is ideal for manufacturers producing:

Bleacher and grandstand walkway sections

Stadium/venue
access platforms

Industrial walkways, steps, and foot-traffic components

Extruded aluminum parts that need traction + durability without multi-vendor finishing

Ready to Solve a Similar Problem?

If you’re currently outsourcing surface prep and anodizing—or fighting delivery delays tied to multi-step finishing—OnlinePowderCoatings.com can help you evaluate an abrasive powder finish that integrates into normal pretreatment and application methods.