Slippery Winter Paths and Decks? This Easy, Natural Fix Adds Instant Grip Without Harming Grass or Plants

If you’ve ever experienced the pain (and humiliation) of slipping on ice, then you’ll know how vital it is to keep hard surfaces safe in winter. It’s not just about keeping family and pets safe, either – if you don’t take reasonable steps to provide a safe route of access to your home, you could be held liable if a visitor has an accident, leading to costly legal bills.

While deicing salt or chemical deicers might seem like the obvious answer, they’re bad news for grass and plants. They can scorch your lawn and plants that border walkways, and can be harmful for wildlife too.

Luckily, there is an alternative solution for slippery walkways that’s just as easy and cost-effective as salt, and adds instant grip without causing damage. You may even have some of it lurking in the back of your shed now. All you need is a bag of sand.

Why Winter Walkways Need Attention

Even if you don’t get deep snow in your area, the cold winter weather can still turn paths and decks into an ice rink. Frost forms on these surfaces because the hard materials are quick to cool, and moisture in the air condenses and freezes on top.

Shaded paths are the worst areas for slip, because they stay damp for longer – so pay close attention to areas beneath trees, fences, and hedges. Decking can be particularly treacherous, as a thin film of ice can form between boards, and algae can make the surface even slicker. It’s a perfect recipe for slips.

The Simple Solution

When ice forms, you can either melt it or make it safe to walk on. The safest approach in garden areas is often the latter – and that’s exactly what sand does. Simply scatter sand over icy surfaces to create a rough texture that helps shoes (and paws) to grip. It doesn’t need to melt the ice to work; it simply provides surface grip.

The crucial point for gardeners is that sand is unlikely to damage grass or plants in the way salty de-icers can.

If you'd rather melt the ice, then use a salt-free deicer, like Safe Paw Pet-Safe Ice Melt.

Why Sand is Better than Salt

Salt does work quickly, but it comes with drawbacks – especially in a garden setting. When snow melts and salt washes off paths and decks, it ends up in borders and lawns. It can:

• burn roots
• dehydrate plant tissue
• damage soil structure over time
• harm pets’ paws

Sand doesn’t have these issues, so you can use it freely around lawns, beds, and wildlife-friendly areas without worrying about ruining your soil.

What Kind of Sand is Best?

You don’t need anything fancy, but the type of sand does make a difference. The best options for grip include:

• Horticultural sand – clean, sharp, and safe around plants
• All-purpose or builder’s sand – often the best for grip, as the grains are larger and more angular

This Quikrete All-Purpose Sand from Amazon is ideal, though you can use finer sand if you mix it with a natural, gritty product like Walk on Ice.

If you have play sand from your child’s sandbox, it can work in a pinch, but it is too fine to be really effective. It can quickly clump or disappear into meltwater. For maximum grip, you can also try mixing in a little fine grit – just something granular that won’t dissolve in water. This is especially a good idea on steep paths or decking steps. A simple mix could be two parts sand to one part grit.

How to Apply Sand to Paths and Decks

Simply fill a bucket or tub with your sand (or sand and grit mix) and, using a scoop or small jug, scatter a light, even layer of sand over the icy area. Don’t concentrate piles in one spot; you’re aiming for a dusting that coats the surface.

Keep the mix in a plastic container (a 5-gallon lidded bucket like this one from Amazon works well) near the back door or shed, so you can grab it when frost is forecast and top it up.

Will Sand Scratch My Deck?

This depends on the surface. On timber decks, sand is generally fine (and can actually help reduce slipping), though it may collect in the grooves and will need sweeping away later. On composite decks, avoid anything too coarse that could cause surface scratching – stick with a finer sand rather than chunky grit.

If your deck is slippery even when it’s not icy, that’s often down to algae, and it’s worth addressing separately with a proper clean once temperatures lift.

Cleaning it Up Afterwards

Once the ice melts, you’ll need to brush or sweep up the excess sand so it doesn’t get tracked into the house, washed into drains, or build up in corners. However, any sand that ends up on the lawn won’t usually do harm (and in small amounts, it can even improve drainage on heavy soil).