The slip resistance of a tiled floor finish is an essential safety factor always to consider when buying tiles. Tiles with appropriate slip-resistant features will reduce the probability of slipping, especially for older people who are visually or mobility impaired.
The slip-resistant floor tile finishes are good to use in places where safety is most important, like; entrances, ramps, stairs, and landings. The slip testing should also be carried out on tiles in; escape routes, commercial kitchen areas, areas adjacent to hazardous machinery, and areas that are frequently wet, like shower floors and swimming pool surround, to name a few.
Table of Contents
Is there any law-abiding tile installation?
There is no compulsory requirement for slip-resistant tiles; still, engineers will come across a handful of guidelines instead of recommendations focused on installing tiles in commercial and domestic environments.
The law stipulates or needs for the flooring surfaces to be safe and multipurpose, ensuring they are not slippery. In essence, employers, manufacturers, and suppliers all have the duty of ensuring the right tile is installed based on its purpose.
Factors on the slip resistance of tiles
The slip resistance of a floor tile depends on several features:
- The coarseness of the tile surface
- How safe it is during use, whether wet or dry
- If the floor finish is frequently
- To check if the floor is wet or dry when in use
- Whether the floor finish is regularly polluted by liquids or other things like oil, and soaps
- Suitable execution of an appropriate cleaning and maintenance timetable
- The wear and tear characteristics of the floor finish
Some things can affect a tiled floor finish’s slip resistance and performance, which should be considered during the slip testing process. They include:
- Humidity
- Slopes and ramps
- Modification of surface textures, for example: from a coarse tile to a smooth tile
- The footwear type to be worn
- Visual or acoustic hobbies
- Illumination and glare
The Pendulum test method
The Pendulum test decides the active abrasion connected to the tiled exterior and the rubber slider on the end of a fluctuating pendulum. The Slip Resistance Value (SRV) manufactured by the pendulum test is also referred to as the Co-Efficiency of Friction (CoF). In contrast, the measurement from the Pendulum Test is abbreviated as the SRV, PTV, or Co-Efficiency of Friction on statistics sheets from tile suppliers.
Advantages of the pendulum test
- The tools are transportable; hence they can use them on/off-site can
- Does not overrate slip-resistance
The Ramp test method
There are two well-known methods of ramp testing:
- Shoe Shod Ramp Test that generates ‘R’ Values
- Barefoot Ramp Test that creates ‘ABC’ Values
Shoe shod ramp test
The test operator is covered with rubber-soled boots. The test ramp has oil applied to the exterior; generally, the type of oil used is engine oil.
Barefoot ramp test
This test is usually carried out in areas where the engineer feels will be visited in bare feet. It is mainly carried out in the shower room and swimming pool using a soap solution.
