Installing SAFEGUARD® Covers

SAFEGUARD® Covers can be installed over any surface to provide a safer walking and working antislip environment, including steel or aluminum plate of any type, grating, wood*, tile and concrete.

Grating Grip-Strut Diamond Plate
Concrete Ladder Rungs Wooden Steps

SAFEGUARD® Covers are not load bearing and are only for installation over existing surfaces. Installation is typically achieved quickly with little or no downtime, both in retrofit and new construction. Safeguard provides a complete range of fastening accessories, as well as technical drawings for installation.

Substrates
Installation Over	Fastener(s)	Adhesive
Grating: Fiberglass Grating Steel Grating Serrated Grating/Gripstrut	Universal Saddle Clip Assembly
Concrete	Masonry Fastener or Tapcon	Sikaflex 252 or Sikadur 31
Steel: Diamond Plate Flat Steel Aluminum	Self Tapping (Truss Head) or Self Drilling (Pan Head) Screws	Sikaflex 252
Wood	Self Tapping (Truss Head) or Self Drilling (Pan Head) Screws	Sikaflex 252 * Caution when installing over treated wood. Chemicals may inhibit the adhesive bond capability.

Fastening Accessories

Mechanical Fasteners

Using Saddle Clip Assemblies, Self-Drilling (Tek) Screws, Masonry Fasteners, or Rivets

Position the Safety Cover. Note any impediments to the fasteners in the substrate that will require adjustments to their position.
Drill appropriately positioned holes in the back of the Safety Cover. Holes must be drilled from the REAR and be at least 1⁄2” from the edge. The holes should be somewhat larger than the barrel of the screw to allow for any significant difference between the coefficient of expansion of the Cover and that of the substrate.
For Example:
#8x1” Screw Use 7/32” diameter drill bit
#10x1-1/2” Screw Use 9/32” diameter drill bit
1/4” Bolt Use 3/8” diameter drill bit

TiAlN (titanium aluminum nitride) drill bits are recommended especially for stainless steel. Alternatively, solid carbide drills designed specifically for stainless applications could be used. All fasteners should feature low profile heads, such as Truss Heads supplied by Safeguard.

Countersinking:
Due to the low profile of the Safeguard Covers, countersunk holes are limited to the Pultruded FRP (Fiberglass) base construction products. It is recommended that countersunk holes are specified prior to manufacturing.
Drill holes in the substrate corresponding to those drilled in the Safety Covers.
Each Tek screw works like a drill to create its own hole, tapping a thread and fastening the Covers, all in one operation. Use a standard power driver. Position the Safety cover and drill from the top through the Safety Cover and into the substrate.

Note on Walkway Cover Installation:

The sizes of the holes to be drilled have been covered above. To allow for differences in the coefficients of expansion of the Cover and the surface over which they are to be installed, it is also important to leave a small space between the Walkway Covers. For example, a space of approximately ¼ inch should be left between 4ft. x 8 ft. sheets.

The larger holes and space between sheets to allow for expansion difference is especially important when the Covers are installed outdoors, or in any area where significant temperature variations are experienced.

Careful attention should be paid when installing covers over wood surfaces in outdoor applications due to the exaggerated expansion/contraction experienced with weather fluctuation.

Adhesives

Use a quality adhesive, such as Sikaflex 252, Sikaflex 221, or Sikadur 31 Hi-Mod Gel. These products and data sheets are available from Safeguard Technology.

Prepare surfaces. All surfaces to be fastened with the adhesive must be clean, dry and dust-free. Any coating over which SAFEGUARD® Covers are to be installed should be firmly bonded to the surface. If not, it should be removed. If the coating is firmly bonded, it should be lightly abraded, using a Scotch-Brite pad (or similar type) until the surface shine is dulled. The contact points for adhesive on the underside (back) of our pultruded FRP (fiberglass) Covers should also be sanded lightly.
NOTE: Additional information on the preparation of steel prior to the application of adhesive is shown below.
Apply the adhesive to the steel or FRP back of the SAFEGUARD® Cover, around the perimeter, approximately 1” in from the edge. For larger Covers, apply adhesive, in the shape of an “X”, from corner to corner. Position the Safety Cover, adhesive-side-down, and firmly press in place. The gritted, or non-slip surface, will be uppermost. Refer to the cartridge for cure-time relative to the temperature and humidity of your environment. Typically allow 24 hours for the adhesive to cure.

Preparation of Steel for Adhesive Application

Stainless and Galvanized Steel

Steel should be thoroughly cleaned to remove any dirt, oil, grease, etc.

Carbon Steel

Thoroughly clean steel rungs, walkways, etc. to remove any dirt, oil, grease, etc.
Abrade to remove any rust
Apply a metal primer followed by high quality industrial coating which does not contain silicone or Teflon
When topcoat is dry or cured, scuff lightly with sandpaper to remove gloss.
Adhesive such as Sikaflex 252 can now be applied.

CAUTION: Adhesive is difficult to remove from the rough, gritted surface of SAFEGUARD® Covers.

Tack-Welding

Use the appropriate welding method for steel Safety Covers with bare edges.

Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive

To install SAFEGUARD Flexible PVC Walkway Covers, they should be at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius before installation. Your surface should be thoroughly cleaned, dry and dust free before applying the Vinyl covers.
The Cover should be manufactured to your exact specifications. If trimming is necessary, use a utility knife and cut from the BACK (non-gritted) side.
Simply peel back the release liner and firmly press the Cover in place.

CAUTION: Once the vinyl sheet is adhered to the substrate, it is very difficult to adjust.

Should you have any installation questions, please contact Safeguard Technology.

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