Choosing flooring for any part of your home balances two attributes – durability and aesthetics. In the case of bathroom floors, safety is an additional factor. Bathrooms have an added challenge the other rooms do not – water. Not only can water affect the durability of your floors, it can also make the surface dangerously slippery. Water is the biggest reason the bathroom is the number one room in the house for slips and falls. This makes your bathroom flooring choice something to take very seriously.
Bathroom Safety
When considering your bathroom floor tile choice from the perspective of Universal Design, several factors must be considered, including slip resistance, durability, and visual contrast. We’ll discuss visual contrast in Part 2 of this series.
Floor tiles receive a rating called a Coefficient of Friction (COF), which is a measure of the tile’s resistance to slipping. A tile with a low rating is more slippery than a high one. For reference, a tile with a rating of .60 or higher is considered acceptable to ADA and OSHA standards. So, while there are no requirements or codes for tile in your home where slip resistance is concerned, this will give you a reference point to ask about when choosing materials for your project. If you would like to learn more about this, visit the Tile Council of America’s website for all the science and testing info behind the COF ratings.
One final note on COF ratings is that they are unique to the United States. If you’re purchasing tile imported from another country, it may not have a COF rating available to gauge its safety and slip resistance.
Tile Durability
Since your bathroom floors are subject to constant wear, it is important they are strong and durable. Factor in the possible use of a step stool by a young child or the use of a wheelchair or walker, and your floors could face some formidable beatings. Porcelain and ceramic tiles are the leaders in durability , and we’ll discuss each of these below.
The Beauty of Tile
The phrase “Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder” is true with tile, just as it is with everything else. The art of good Universal Design is the ability to make a space safe and easily usable while still making it a stunning part of your home.
Tile Material Types
Now that you have a better idea what to look for when choosing your tile, let’s examine the two most popular options available in the bathroom tile materials market.
Porcelain Tile
Porcelain tile is the most popular bathroom floor tile today. With an extraordinarily wide range of shapes, colors, and patterns, it’s easy to see why this tile is used extensively. Porcelain is durable, low-maintenance, and non-porous. It never requires a sealer, is stain resistant and is very good at hiding nicks and chips because the color extends through the entire thickness of the tile.
Ceramic Tile
Though it’s in the same family as porcelain, ceramic tile is fired at a lower temperature and is not as dense. This makes it a bit softer and more susceptible to chipping. With ceramic tile, the pattern or color is painted on the surface, so if it does get chipped it is more noticeable than with porcelain, where the color runs all the way through the tile.
Just like porcelain tile, ceramic tile does not require a sealer and is also resistant to stains. However, it is generally less slip-resistant than porcelain, so be sure to check that COF number if considering it for your bathroom floor.
Get Some Professional Help
The best way to make sure you are choosing the right tile for your remodel is to get the help of a reputable contractor who has experience designing and building beautiful, universally designed projects. They’ll be able to guide you through the process and help you make the best choices for your project.