Slip Resistance for Different Tiles
SLIP RESISTANCE TESTING OF TILES
You’ll encounter two types of international testing that are widely recognized when determining the slip resistance of tile.
SLIP RESISTANCE OF TILE TYPES
Tile with a high slip resistance COF or R Rating include:
Terracotta
Quarry
Brick
Tile with a low slip resistance COF or R Rating include
Honed natural stone.
All other types of tile fall somewhere in between.
To learn about Kaolin tiles’ slip resistance, please contact us.
NORTH AMERICAN STANDARD – DCOF (DYNAMIC COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION)
Tile typically features a slip resistance rating which is known as COF (coefficient of friction). It is a rating system that was created by manufacturers. The COF rating can help you determine which tile is right for a particular location.
COF is measured based on the force required to slide an object across the tile’s surface divided by the object’s weight. A low COF number means that it takes less friction to slide and therefore has less traction. A high COF number means the tile flooring is safer and less slippery.
A COF rating of .50 DCOF is ideal for most residential applications. The minimum slip resistance for in-home use is .42 DCOF
A COF rating that is more than .60 DCOF is needed in a commercial establishment.
THE EUROPEAN (ISO) STANDARD – R RATING (RAMP TEST)
This test is carried out by an operator who is outfitted in a full restraint harness and wearing normal footwear. He/she walks backwards and forwards over various flooring material that has been coated in oil. There is a ramp in a horizontal position that increases in inclination until the limit of safe walking is reached and the tester falls/slips. The accepted angle is then obtained to rate the slip resistance of the tile. The rating scale ranges from R9-R13.
These are the two rating systems you will encounter. Many tile manufacturers use both rating systems on their tile types to give you an idea of the slip resistance.
If you are shopping for tile that is going to go in the bathroom, outdoors, or in a kitchen where the tile is frequently exposed to water then you’ll want to pay special attention to the COF rating or R rating. Ideally, the higher the rating, the safer the tile.
