A belt for an elevator system includes a plurality of tension members arranged along a belt width, a jacket material at least partially encapsulating the plurality of tension members defining a traction surface, a back surface opposite the traction surface together with the traction surface defining a belt thickness, and two end surfaces extending between the traction surface and the back surface defining the belt width. A metallic coating layer applied from a liquid solution is positioned over at least one end surface of the two end surfaces.