At Tubs & Tiles we are commited to quality across our tile range and because of this we carefully source our tiles exclusively from trusted manufacturers in Spain & Italy. Our showroom teams have years of expertise in tiles and can advise you of the best options for the different areas of your home, taking into consideration traffic, slip resistance, budget and your needs. We can also guide you on the hugely important decisions regarding the correct adhesives for your specific tiles, grout, trims and more.

Porcelain
Porcelain is strong, durable and water resistant making it ideal for high traffic areas in homes or commercial settings. It also offers amazing opportunities for creative design and can mimic the subtle nuances of natural stone, wood and other time worn materials.

Glossy Porcelain
A gloss tile has a shiny glaze layer applied to the tile. Glossy porcelain is not as durable as polished porcelain and could be liable to marking or scratches in high traffic areas.

Polished Porcelain
Porcelain naturally has a rough finish but it can be mechanically polished to produce a high gloss shine. Some polished porcelain is pre-sealed and some requires sealing to protect the gloss surface. Tiles supplied by Tubs & Tiles will be pre-sealed.

Double Loaded Porcelain
Double loaded porcelain is pressed twice under extreme heat for a longer period of time resulting in an exceptionally strong tile with a finish that is stain, chemical, frost and abrasion resistant.

Non Rectified Tiles
This refers to any tile that has natural edges that have not been mechanically straightened after cutting meaning that the tile does not have a 100% sharp edge. Larger grout lines will need to be used in order to fit these tiles together, fill in the gaps, and hide their little differences.

Rectified Tiles
Rectified tiles are cut after they are fired to produce a sharp, precise edge – this is ideal for large format tiles and when you want the grout lines to be less visible.

Full Body Porcelain
The raw materials are blended, pressed and fired to get full body or through body tiles which means patterns, veins and grains are visible from the surface through the body of the tile making it durable, hard wearing and suitable for both domestic & commercial use.

Outdoor Porcelain
Standard 10mm and extra thick 20mm porcelain tiles with a R11 anti-slip rating can be used outdoors provided they are fixed with suitable adhesive. Tiles will not fade, are frost and moisture resistant, and easy to clean and maintain as they resist stains, moss and mould growth.

Glazed Tiles
The porcelain or ceramic body tile has a glaze applied to the surface before firing. Glazed porcelain can be single colour or feature design or patterns which can be applied by printer providing infinite creative possibilities.

Ceramic
Ceramic tiles are made from natural clay, sand and water and have a glaze with the colour and design applied before being fired at high temperature. Ceramic is ideal for tiles in bathrooms and as a kitchen backsplash. Ceramic is usually less expensive than porcelain.

White or Red Body Tiles
This refers to the colour of the clay body which is underneath the coloured or décorative glaze. The colour is determined by where the clay is sourced. White body tiles are strong and have a low water absorption rate making it ideal for bathroom walls and floors.

Natural Stone
Natural stone has a warm, tactile look with each piece having distinctive veins, swirls and striations created by nature to make it a very special addition to any design. Natural stone includes marble, travertine, limestone, slate and granite and with careful installation, maintenance and cleaning, your tiles will age beautifully as only natural stone can.

Semi Polished or Lappato
A Lappato finish is achieved by polishing the tile’s surface but not long enough to attain the luster of a typical polished tile resulting in a tile that reflects some light but also has some slip resistant properties. The level of polishing varies between ranges and manufacturer.

Bocciardata or Structured
This refers to porcelain or natural stone tiles which have been processed to have a textured finish that is somewhat rough and can lend a time worn matt look. This finish offers slip resistance.

Encaustic Style
This style replicates the traditional manufacturing technique whereby the pattern is inlaid into the tile body by using different colors of clay.

Majolica Style
This style mimics the traditional manufacturing technique whereby a thick glaze was applied to tiles onto which intricate colour and patterns were applied - the thickness gives a 3D appearance to the tile. Eden & Frame by Ragno are inspired by this style.

Tiles with an adequate slip resistance are very important for selected areas of the home, to meet the needs of the household or for use in any commercial setting. Tiles with slip resistance are required for commercial projects and outdoor tiles but are also suitable for areas of the home where wet floors may pose a safety risk. There are several types of slip resistance tests and rating with details below and the experienced sales team will be able to advise you on the best options for your needs.

Tubs & Tiles offer a huge selection of tiles with varying slip resistance and if a higher slip resistance is required for commercial projects we can source these through our network of manufacturers. Our commercial team can also advise on the technical requirements for any project.

Slip Resistant ‘R’ Rating
‘R’ value indicate the level of slip resistance of a tile. It stands for ‘ramp test’. This ‘R’ value ranges from R9, which has a small degree of slip resistance, up to R13, which is the highest slip resistance.

R9, R10 and R11 Slip Stop are suitable for walkways, halls, conservatories, kitchens and bathrooms. A minimum rating of R10 is required for use in wetrooms but we highly recommend R11 rated tiles.

Standard tiles with slip resistance higher than R10 can make daily cleaning and maintenance more difficult, therefore these are not recommended for typical domestic settings, however R11 Slip Stop Smooth ranges are suitable as they have a smooth finish. R11 is required for outdoor use and may be required in commercial settings or some grant aided domestic projects.

R11 Slip Stop Smooth
When wet the R11 Slip Stop Smooth tile surface combines the high performance of an R11 anti slip tile with a soft, smooth texture which is easy to clean and maintain.

BareFoot
Barefoot classification of floors looks at the slip resistance of tiles tested on an inclined surface with a pre-determined slope angle and classified according to rating groups A, B and C.
Barefoot floors can be classified as “Class A” (suitable for barefoot walkways, mainly dry), “Class B” (suitable for showers, pool surrounds) or “Class C” (suitable for steps into water, walk-through pools).

Class C is the highest anti slip rating.

Pendulum Test Value PTV
This test measures dynamic coefficient of friction (CoF) which is designed to replicate a pedestrian heel strike, the point at which most slips occur. It can be used to accurately test the slip potential on clean and dry or contaminated floors. Higher PTV’s may be required if walking on a non-level surface, a surface where pedestrians turn or otherwise higher risk surface, for example stairs, wet areas, swimming pools or sporting areas.

PTV slip probabilities if straight walking on a horizontal surface are
- PTV of 20 indicates a 1 in 2 probability of a slip
- PTV of 24 indicates a 1 in 20 probability of a slip
- PTV of 27 indicates a 1 in 200 probability of a slip
- PTV of 36 indicates a 1 in 1 million probability of a slip

Stepwise technology
The tiles produced using this new technology have a high degree of slip resistance giving you a surface which is soft to the touch and easy to clean since it has no superficial roughness. Stepwise is applied to the body of the tile prior to it being glazed and fired rather than to the surface of the tile. This assists and enhances the final look, surface finish and slip resistant nature of the tile.

Arrange a Consultation

Speak with the experienced team in your local Tubs & Tiles Showroom or contact us on 090 6424000 or info@tubstiles.ie to arrange a design consultation which can be online, over the phone or in person.