Anti-slip tiles vs other types of floor tiles

[FrederikKitten]

I have found out there are 3 types of floor ceramic tiles - smooth tiles, un-smooth tiles and real anti-slip tiles.

 

For bathroom I bought anti-slip tiles of course. But for the rest of the house I'm not sure if to choose real anti-slip tiles or just go with regular un-smooth tiles. Because anti-slip tiles feel really hard on foots. If I were to wear to a socks I have felling like they could almost get caught on anti-slip tiles. That's how rough they seem. Does anybody have experience with anti-slip/un-smooth tiles in the entire house?

[sometimewoodworker]

We have no glossy tiles in any room and have about 300sqm of tiles, a few are rougher than the others 

Edited August 24, 2022 by sometimewoodworker

[OneMoreFarang]

Ask me again in maybe a month, then my anti-slip tiles should be installed everywhere.

 

What I did, and what I recommend, is buy a box as a sample and put them on any existing floor and just try. I feel comfortable on my tiles, and I didn't have any negative impression. Just try!

[unheard]

On 8/25/2022 at 1:33 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

Ask me again in maybe a month, then my anti-slip tiles should be installed everywhere.

How's your experience so far?

[kokesaat]

We tiled our outdoor kitchen (with large overhang) with anti-slip tiles from Homepro over a year ago.  I wish that sort of tile was available when we built our home 25 years ago.  

If you don't have anti-slip tiles in your home and are afraid of slipping (especially due to age), I recommend investing a few hundred baht in some beach shoes like these on lazada

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/shoeyes-water-shoes-mens-womens-sports-quick-dry-barefoot-diving-swim-surf-aqua-walking-beach-yoga-aqua-socks-i3501396836-s13640350442.html?clickTrackInfo=query%3Awater%2Bshoes%2Bmen%3Bnid%3A3501396836%3Bsrc%3ALazadaMainSrp%3Brn%3Ac8ab9ba6722f7336ec84f62f30415a20%3Bregion%3Ath%3Bsku%3A3501396836_TH%3Bprice%3A295.00%3Bclient%3Adesktop%3Bsupplier_id%3A100201212209%3Basc_category_id%3A8354%3Bitem_id%3A3501396836%3Bsku_id%3A13640350442%3Bshop_id%3A3036250&freeshipping=0&fs_ab=2&search=1&spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.91 

They're easy to put on, grip the smoothest of surfaces, and give a bit of cushion when walking on hard floors.  

[HighPriority]

The more slip resistant (esp textured) the more difficult to clean, mop etc.

[dddave]

The condo I've lived in for nearly 20 years has off-white, anti-slip tiles all around.

No problem keeping clean, a weekly string mopping seems to do it. 

As an old guy, I'm very aware of the damage a slip and fall could cause.  With these tiles, the occasional wet spot doesn't send me flying.

Never noticed any discomfort walking either with socks on or barefoot.   

They do make furniture a bit more difficult to move around, especially bookcases and the like that sit on their edge and don't have feet.  I put sliders on the bottom of all my chair legs so I don't send loud noises to the condo below.

[unheard]

30 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

The more slip resistant (esp textured) the more difficult to clean, mop etc.

It seems the most common grade  being offered in the Anti-slip section of Cotto is R11.

There are also R9 and R10 grade listed.

https://www.cottolife.com/en/tiles/innovation/r11.html

 

Textured is not the same as slip-resistant.

 

Edited September 23, 2022 by unheard

[unheard]

2 minutes ago, dddave said:

Never noticed any discomfort walking either with socks on or barefoot.  

Are those tiles R11 rated?

[dddave]

1 minute ago, unheard said:

Are those tiles R11 rated?

I have no clue.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, unheard said:

How's your experience so far?

Not existent. I still have to wait until they install it.

Maybe another month, but I wouldn't bet on that.

Sorry for the delay, I promise I will report it here after they are installed and after I could check them out.

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, HighPriority said:

The more slip resistant (esp textured) the more difficult to clean, mop etc.

Yep my shower tiles are unmoppable 

[HighPriority]

People have a fear of shiny tiles being slippery, when actually the surface of a polished porcelain tile is quite grippy to the point that an electron microscope shows that the polishing process actually opens the tiles pore structure and these tiles are more prone to accumulating microscopic grime more so than the exact same tile unpolished.

It’s counter intuitive, but it’s true.

The other variable is the composition of the foot ware material, the rubber compounds.

My local shopping centre in Australia recoated the concrete outside the complex last year.

My thongs (footware) are a foam type and the old floor coating was terribly slippery, as were painted lines on the road, treacherous in fact.

The new surface was brilliant for me… everyone else wearing rubber “double pluggers” were slipping over like nine pins !!

To the point where I witnessed an amputee slip and damage the only knee he had left, poor <deleted>.

In short there’s a lot of variables in slip resistance, as mentioned, bring some home and throw water on them and see how they feel to you.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

7 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

In short there’s a lot of variables in slip resistance, as mentioned

That's why there is an official test and at least good quality (non-slip) tiles show this value in brochures and maybe on the box.

 

 

[HighPriority]

The pendulum test used is great if you are a pendulum using the same rubber composition as the test box…

Sure it’s a standard, but its limited in what it does.

Its a bit like clothing being labeled S, M, L, XL, sure it’s a guide, but some garments I’m a M and some I’m an XL…

[spidermike007]

Any alternative to the ridiculously slippery, and shiny tile found in most homes here is a great thing, and a very smart idea.

 

Defy group think. Do what others don't do. Let us demonstrate conscious thought in our lives! 

Edited September 23, 2022 by spidermike007

[OneMoreFarang]

One thing I read about is that it also matters how many grout lines exist.

I.e. with a floor like in the picture below there are many grout lines and that makes this floor non slippery even if the single tiles might be slippery.

 

 

[HighPriority]

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

One thing I read about is that it also matters how many grout lines exist.

I.e. with a floor like in the picture below there are many grout lines and that makes this floor non slippery even if the single tiles might be slippery.

 

 

It can help no doubt.

Small tiles equals more grout per square meter, generally speaking tiles don’t get very dirty the grout is however sandy and porus and is very prone to discoloration.

Soap or detergent build up over time also holds dirt and grime.

 

[unheard]

4 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

it also matters how many grout lines exist.

Yes, mosaic porcelain tiles - commonly used on the shower floors in the West.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

One thing I read about is that it also matters how many grout lines exist.

I.e. with a floor like in the picture below there are many grout lines and that makes this floor non slippery even if the single tiles might be slippery.

 

 

You can continue to imagine that that is true, it isn’t, but you can fantasise. ????

[OneMoreFarang]

10 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

You can continue to imagine that that is true, it isn’t, but you can fantasise. ????

Interesting. I am no expert. Would you mind explaining that?

As far as I understand it, the idea is that grout is rough (compared to tiles). For that reason, it is not slippery. If you have "normally" one grout line maybe every 30cm then feet don't touch much grout. But if there are grout lines every 5cm then this means a lot more rough grout compared to smooth tiles which should make it non-slip. Or not?

[sometimewoodworker]

25 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Interesting. I am no expert. Would you mind explaining that?

As far as I understand it, the idea is that grout is rough (compared to tiles). For that reason, it is not slippery. If you have "normally" one grout line maybe every 30cm then feet don't touch much grout. But if there are grout lines every 5cm then this means a lot more rough grout compared to smooth tiles which should make it non-slip. Or not?

If your grout is rough or not doesn’t matter as grout being less resistant to wear it is always recessed. The second reason is that if you have rough grout on a surface that is constantly being soaked with water you will get algae or fungi on the surface of both the tile and grout, that will need manual work to clear and that would erode the grout as well.

 

So the practical effect is that even poorly applied, grout has no significant effect on the grip of wet skin on glossy wet tiles.

[unheard]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

As far as I understand it, the idea is that grout is rough (compared to tiles). For that reason, it is not slippery. If you have "normally" one grout line maybe every 30cm then feet don't touch much grout. But if there are grout lines every 5cm then this means a lot more rough grout compared to smooth tiles which should make it non-slip. Or not?

Yes, you're right on those points.

In addition the recessed grout lines work on the same principles as well known to work for car tire or shoe sole threads.

They create grip.

Edited September 24, 2022 by unheard

[unheard]

2 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

So the practical effect is that even poorly applied, grout has no significant effect on the grip of wet skin on glossy wet tiles.

Grout lines do work and create tons of grip.

Check out numerous American shower floors.

Edited September 24, 2022 by unheard

[kokesaat]

If you're concerned about slipping, I'd opt for anti-slip tiles vs. rely on the grout to stop a slip off a slippery tile (small or large).    I agree with the comments about how much more difficult it can be to clean grout vs. the tile itself.  More porous grout is going to be more difficult to clean, me thinks.

I found the particular kind of tile I installed in our outdoor kitchen.....cotto 16x16 duragres mendes brown, only rated as 'anti-slip'.  I can support the anti-slip rating even when wet with soapy water.....whereas I'd be slippin-and-slidin on regular tiles.

If you're concerned about how easy non-slip tiles are to clean, then limit their use to the bathroom/shower.  For the rest of the house, use non-slip shoes, like the boat shoes I mentioned earlier.

 

 

[LosLobo]

5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Interesting. I am no expert. Would you mind explaining that?

As far as I understand it, the idea is that grout is rough (compared to tiles). For that reason, it is not slippery. If you have "normally" one grout line maybe every 30cm then feet don't touch much grout. But if there are grout lines every 5cm then this means a lot more rough grout compared to smooth tiles which should make it non-slip. Or not?

I suggest that it is not the grout per se that actually improves the non-slip characteristics but the break in the tile surface itself. Most unrectified tiles have deep round shoulders and your feet don't actually even touch the grout below the surface.

 

I would suggest that it is the same action that tread on a tyre uses to drain water from the road surface. ie bald tyres no grip.

 

The grooves or grout lines in fact break the area of water under surface tension and stop aquaplaning or slipping.

[OneMoreFarang]

On 9/23/2022 at 3:23 PM, unheard said:

How's your experience so far?

Finally my floor tiling is done. The whole indoor floor are anti slip tiles with "rough" surface.

I like it. IMHO it looks good, and it's easy to walk on with or without shoes and it feels comfortable with bare feet. Even with water on it and no shoes the feet don't slip. 

I would do it again.

 

http://www.guocera.com/product/broadway/1325

 

Until now I didn't live in that apartment, and I never cleaned the floor. Above are just my first impressions.

 

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Finally my floor tiling is done. The whole indoor floor are anti slip tiles with "rough" surface.

I like it. IMHO it looks good, and it's easy to walk on with or without shoes and it feels comfortable with bare feet. Even with water on it and no shoes the feet don't slip. 

I would do it again.

 

http://www.guocera.com/product/broadway/1325

 

Until now I didn't live in that apartment, and I never cleaned the floor. Above are just my first impressions.

 

Let us know once your gf mops the floor if it's possible. My shower tiles can't be mopped

[Robin]

When my house was built, without my supervision, builders/wife chose patterned white gloss tiles, mainly, I think because these were cheaper.  

These have been lethal when wet, like after cleaning, and I have had several near miss slips and falls.  Last year I got our patio floor replaced with non-slip, (no idea of R rating) but matt texture and virtually non-slip even when wet.  Tiles from our local builders shop, so common Thai brand.

Now trying to persuade wife that the cost of replacing all tiles with these nonslip is a good investment compared with potential medical bills if I slip and fall on existing gloss tiles.

Local workers did a good job of patio tiles, laid on existing tiles which were 'roughed up' first.

Experience is NEVER use shiny tiles on the floor.  Always cheapest to do the job properly he first time.

In this case, the Thai way is NOT the best way.

[OneMoreFarang]

18 minutes ago, Robin said:

When my house was built, without my supervision, builders/wife chose patterned white gloss tiles, mainly, I think because these were cheaper.  

These have been lethal when wet, like after cleaning, and I have had several near miss slips and falls.  Last year I got our patio floor replaced with non-slip, (no idea of R rating) but matt texture and virtually non-slip even when wet.  Tiles from our local builders shop, so common Thai brand.

Now trying to persuade wife that the cost of replacing all tiles with these nonslip is a good investment compared with potential medical bills if I slip and fall on existing gloss tiles.

Local workers did a good job of patio tiles, laid on existing tiles which were 'roughed up' first.

Experience is NEVER use shiny tiles on the floor.  Always cheapest to do the job properly he first time.

In this case, the Thai way is NOT the best way.

It seems Thais, and probably not only Thais, love that shiny look.

The entrance of my condominium building is one of those examples. Shiny tiles. And finally someone discovered that they are a huge risk when wet. And what did they do? Put some ugly blue plastic mats on the beautiful tiles to "solve" the problem...