Slip resistance guide

Floor tiles are usually chosen based on their aesthetic qualities but the technical side of tiling is important too and the chosen tile should be suitable for the space in which you’re tiling.

Every tile is assigned a slip resistance rating, based on this rating you can assume which tiles are suitable for your project; for example, a high slip-resistant tile is suitable for a wet environment where the risk of slipping is greater.

Slips are caused when the heel of the foot strikes the floor and a fluid film, usually water, is present preventing contact with the floor. The higher the slip resistance the harder it is to slip. Measured using a Pendulum Test, a PTV rating is created.

Here at Topps Tiles, we brought this testing process in-house to ensure we correctly label our products to ensure the safety of our customers and to provide accurate advice on where to use different products for different requirements. Our in-house technical team complete the testing for every single product brought into our collection enabling us to have an accurate and comprehensive safety review of each individual product.

- Two types of rubber are used to measure the resistance of barefoot and shodfoot (footwear).

- The slides make contact with the floor in the same manner as a human heel would at the point that slips occur.

- After striking the test surface, the foot swings and a measurement is taken to see how the friction of the surface reduces the energy of the foot.

- The test is conducted in both dry and wet conditions.

- A tile with a high slip resistance has a lower probability of a slip.