Materials and finishes
Reading slip-resistance ratings before you buy the floor tile
What to weigh up
- Barefoot ratings (the A/B/C scale) matter
- far more in a domestic bathroom than the shod-testing ramp values quoted for commercial floors.
- Textured and structured finishes give grip but hold more soap residue
- so the cleaning routine has to be realistic about grout width and surface profile.
- Small-format tiles in a shower floor add grout lines
- and those grout lines contribute meaningfully to grip on a falls-formed surface.
Where jobs go wrong
Small-format tiles in a shower floor add grout lines, and those grout lines contribute meaningfully to grip on a falls-formed surface.
Your questions answered
Is a polished porcelain floor ever acceptable in a bathroom?
Only outside the wet zone, and even then it is a poor choice where children or less steady users are involved.
Does sealing a floor make it slippier?
Some sealers alter the surface finish, so check the product is intended for the tile and the setting before applying it.
Planning slip resistance?
Tell us the town or postcode and roughly what stage you are at. We'll tell you honestly whether it is a job we can take on.