I was researching floor tiles for a bathroom renovation project I’m working on and had to refresh my memory about slip ratings. The slip rating for floor tiles is especially important if you have a wet room style bathroom. So when you find a tile you love check the slip rating to ensure it’s high enough for your purpose to avoid any nasty falls. Here’s why the slip rating is important for bathrooms.
Slip ratings for different areas
Slips rating help you choose the right tile for specific areas. For example because you may not walk around your kitchen with wet bare feet you may not need a high slip rating for the kitchen.
Similarly, for outdoor, around pools and alfresco areas require floor tiles or pavers with a high slip rating. While this is preferred to avoid accidents it’s also a building regulation.
Some consciousness builders may not install your selected floor tile unless the slip rating is sufficient. The reason being is for liability, insurance and registration purposes.
For my bathroom renovation project I specified a terracotta tile for my client but it has a low slip rating. So I thought as my client is middle aged and wants to stay in his home for as long as possible I looked for another, safer tile.
I ended up choosing this tile from Ammonite Living with a slip rating of P4.
Key numbers to remember when selecting floor tiles
But I had to refresh my knowledge of slip ratings and found a good guide on the Beaumont website. This site talks about the different tests undertake to determine a tile’s slip rating.
There is a test with shoes, a bare foot test and oil wet ramp test. They have their different purposes but I was satisfed with P4 rating for my bathroom renovation project.
A tile with a rating between P0-P3 is generally considered suitable for indoor flooring while a P4 or P5 has a lower slip risk and can be used outside or around a pool.
https://www.beaumont-tiles.com.au/blogs/slip-resistance-explained
I think the barefoot test for bathrooms is also important and you should look for a tile with an A or B rating. Not all tile suppliers will have this information on their website so you should ask.
Residential and commercial slip rating
The slip rating is crucial in commercial flooring again for liability and OH & S purposes but mostly for durability. In high traffic areas such as in commercial spaces you want a high slip rating for the floor.
There are specific suppliers that specialise in commercial flooring but the bottom line is your interior designer, architect, r builder can advise you on the right slip rating for your project.
I think bathrooms are high risk areas. Think of water, kids, toys, non slip mats, sharp edges, glass and so on. There have been a few occasions where I have found a tile for a client but needed to rethink this selection based on the suitable slip rating for bathrooms.
