If you have tile flooring in your house, you are certainly aware of both its benefits and drawbacks. Ceramic and porcelain tile flooring are infamous for being smooth and slippery. Tile flooring can give any area a beautiful and lively appeal. You may wonder why are my ceramic tiles slippery? The answer for it lies in the very reason for the popularity of ceramic tiles both in terms of its aesthetic beauty and the quality i.e., its smoothness and shine are probably the reason for its slippery nature.
Tile's smooth, non-porous nature, which makes it easy to clean, also makes it slippery underfoot. They retain water far better than other types of flooring. Tile flooring, on the other hand, may be highly slippery, especially when wet. This can result in an eventual injury. Many floor tile solutions have a smooth, glossy surface that can be exceedingly slippery.
Though it is crucial to pick flooring with adequate grip in rooms where surfaces are prone to become wet, such as the kitchen and bathroom, to prevent slips and falls many of the people compromise with its surface friction with better look. As a result, making tile floors safer by reducing slipperiness and enhancing traction is always a smart idea. However, you may avoid the occasional slips and a trip to the hospital.
Are Ceramic Tiles Slippery?
It is common belief that only glazed ceramic tiles are slippery, however, it doesn't imply a glazed tile isn't slip-resistant just because it's rough or matte. Likewise, many unglazed tiles, especially those that are uneven or textured, can become slippery when wet, getting slippery. Any ceramic tile flooring can become slippery when wet or if it is not properly maintained. So, when it comes to the question of why are my ceramic tiles slippery? The answer may vary depending upon slipping resistance which then varies further depending on the kind of footwear, moisture, external agents, and cleaning schedule.
So, how to make the tile floor less slippery? There is a good method for determining how slippery floor tile will be in both wet and dry circumstances. Tile manufacturers offer a slip resistance rating system known as COF (or coefficient of friction).
How To Make The Tile Floor Less Slippery?
There are some basic considerations and ways on how to make the tile floor less slippery; which are mentioned below:
Anti-Slip Coating Solution
Anti-Slip coatings are one of the basic solutions to the pertaining question of how to make the tile floor less slippery. There are several anti-slip coatings on the market that may be used to produce traction on ceramic tiles. Although selecting a suitable anti-slip coating may be tricky, you should always take into consideration which coating solutions is the best for you.
Choose a long-lasting and effective non-slip coating solution which provides a level of grip that is safe in both dry and wet circumstances. Consider ahigh traction, high slip resistant floor finish that creates practically no odours, outperforming typical wax and acrylic finishes. The best treatments available in the market are available in high gloss, satin, and matte finishes, is UV stable and does not fade. As such it retains the aesthetic appeal of tiles also does not affect its life.
Choose Tiles with Higher CoF
Coefficient of Friction (CoF) is one factor that needs to be considered before buying a tile to avoid slippery situations. As we know different areas require different kind of tiles, hence always take into account the Coefficient of Friction of a tile that you wish to install on a certain location. Coefficient of Friction more than 0.60 provides excellent friction and CoF of less than 0.40 requires caution.
Anti-Slip Treads
Anti-slip treads are adhesive treads that are a popular and practical option for slippery tile floors, and they're especially effective for stairwells and smaller places. These basic items provide anti-slip traction to your tile floor. Anti-slip treads are available in a variety of colours and lengths and widths, ranging from translucent to colours, as such they may blend into your tiles design and does not in any way affect its look.
Here, we can conclude that ceramic tiles are slippery! But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a solution for it. Apart from the above solution, there are simple basic solutions like changing your old tiles which have lost their traction over time or an even simpler solution of getting a rug or a carpet. Either way, the ceramic tiles do give out more benefit and personality than this solvable issue altogether.