See the Kosmos close-up!

This is our gorgeous new Kosmos hi-res inkjet range. It's available in either Porcelain (<0,5% water absporption) or Gres Porcelain (<3% water absorption) in four colours; beige, grey, dark grey or ivory in 60x60cm size or cut-downs. Images and technical specifications are below. For prices and delivery please contact Brin.

Kosmos beige.


Kosmos grey.


Kosmos dark grey.


Kosmos ivory.

For prices and delivery please contact Brin.

New KREM Bathroomware Brochure!

Our new KREM bathroomware brochure is also available here orhere. The brochure includes exclusive ranges of... Freestanding baths, Shower doors and Art & pedestal basins, Toilets, including Cupc approved U.S. toilets, Cross-handle & single lever taps, Plus steam shower cabins. Contact Simone with any enquiries about KREM bathroomware or tiles. Other product brochures are available on our website and by request.

How to compare non-slip tile ratings.

Last week I discussed the four commonly used anti-slip tests in the industry: the Coefficient of Friction (CoF), Floor Surface Roughness (Rz), the R rating and the ABC rating. In this mail I'll show how the different measurements can be compared so that you, as a tile sales person can advise your customers to select tiles that are suitable for their application.

'R' Rating Ramp test & ABC ratings - Wet areas.

The resistance level, or ‘R’ rating, is the classification used by professionals to advise on whether a tile should be applied in a typically wet environment (like a pool surround) or is best in other low risk areas (like a kitchen) and takes into consideration the highest angle in which it remains safe, by measuring on a ramp.

Also taken into consideration is the tiles safety when walked on barefoot. Rather than an ‘R’ rating this is measured alphabetically, with ‘A’ being the least resistant and ‘C’ the most. Again these are tested to the limits through a ramp measuring system.

The two testing methods overlap and can be better explained in the table below. 
R ratings and angles are in red, ABC ratings and angles are in blue.

Classification	Angle ⁰	Classification	Angle ⁰	Application
R9	6⁰ < 8⁰			Domestic hallway/living room
R10	10⁰ < 19⁰	A	12⁰ < 17⁰	Domestic bathroom/kitchen
R11	19⁰ < 27⁰	B	18⁰ < 23⁰	Public toilet/dressing room
R12	27⁰ < 35⁰	C	> 24⁰	Public showers
R13	> 35⁰			Swimming pools/saunas

Pendulum Test

The pendulum test determines the tile from safe to dangerous and tests through a weighted swinging arm and its resistance once in contact with the tile. It is measured in a ‘SRV’ rating, which stands for Slip Resistance Value.  This rating is used by Health and safety professionals.

SRV Pendulum Test Result	Slip Potential	Rating	Application
0 – 24	Dangerous or high potential for slipping	Dangerous	Most domestic settings
25 – 35	Marginal or moderate potential for slipping	Moderate	Public toilets/foyers
36 – 65	Safe or low potential for slipping	Safe	Swimming pools
66 +	Very safe or extremely low potential	Very Safe

Next is a very simple R rating diagram. The shoes indicate what types are relatively safe at each rating.



Enquire about our anti-slip tiles with R11+ ratings.

How do you measure non-slip tiles?

There are four commonly used tests in the industry: the Coefficient of Friction (CoF), Floor Surface Roughness (Rz), the R rating and the ABC rating.

1. The Coefficient of Friction (CoF)
The Floor Slip Test Coefficient of Friction is determined using a Pendulum Test on horizontal floor surfaces A minimum CoF of 0.36 (36) is required.

2. Floor Surface Roughness (Rz) indicates the apparent slip resistance. The Surface Roughness Testing is conducted using a portable floor tester giving an average floor test surface roughness reading. Surface Roughness Testing is NOT a true floor slip reading, it is only an indication of floor friction. Two different floor surfaces having the same Floor Roughness Testing readings can have different a different Coefficient of Resistance and floor slipperiness. This is particularly noticeable where wet floors are involved as 90% of floor slips occur on smooth wet flooring such as marble floors.

3. The R Rating (Ramp Test Rating)
This is the most commonly used measure with tiled floors.  The test is conducted on a ramp set at varying inclined angles. (Performed to DIN* 51130) The steeper the ramp can be raised without heel slip the higher the R Rating. Ramp Test results range from R9, least floor slip resistance, to R13, most slip resistance. Ramp tests are used to test dry, wet and contaminated flooring surfaces by a person wearing deeply treaded safety footwear. R11 is considered the minimum in commercial high-risk areas such as shopping center entrances. R11 equates to a CoF of between 34 and 51, R12 between 51 and 70.

4. The ABC Rating (Ramp Test ‘Bare Feet’ Rating)
Another Ramp Test (Performed to DIN* 51097) but using a persons bare feet to represent, for example, a pedestrian walking on a slippery swimming pool floor. The ratings are A, B and C where C is the steepest.              

*DIN is 'Deutsches Institut für Normung', the German Institute of Standardisation. It is a standard by which floor designers and architects specify in many EU countries to conform with building regulations and to apply early prevention of floor slip accident injury claims.

Next week I'll go into a little more detail on how to evaluate and compare these ratings.

Enquire about our tiles with R11+ ratings.

See Our New Tile Display Walls.

The new KREM tile display walls in our head office are now complete.

More than 20 running metres of angled display panels now show our latest ink-jet ranges. Two full 60 x 60 tiles are displayed of each range with additional colours indicated by 15 x 15 samples.

A five metre section displays our regular ranges, mostly originally designed for screen printing but now converted to all ink-jet production. These are popular ranges that have been excellent sellers for years.

The new ranges include tiles from three broad design categories; Cement including terrazzo and polished concrete, Stone including quite a variety from slate to quartzite and Wood which is certainly our fastest growing category.

Contact us with any enquiries about KREM tiles. Product brochures are available on our website and by request.