Slips and trips are the most common form of workplace accident, but they can cause accidents inside, and outside, the home too. The UK gets plenty of rainfall, and when it does, this can leave outdoor paved areas, such as patios, potentially hazardous.
When it's persistently wet, stone paving slabs can have a build-up of algae, leaving them slippery. But does the same apply to alternatives? Are outdoor porcelain tiles slippery?
What Makes Stone Slabs Slippery?
Exposed stone surfaces, from paving slabs to paths, can all become slippery due to natural growths such as algae.
These growths do not damage the surfaces they appear on, but they can be hazardous underfoot. The traditional time when algae and algae-like growths are most significant is during the winter months.
The typical appearance of algae is green and powdery. Sometimes you get dark green growths, which are a form of cyanobacteria known as nostoc, or blue-green algae.
With the build-up of algae, moss and grime, patios and paths can become dangerous unless you clean them regularly.
Non-Slip Outdoor Porcelain Tiles
Having safe surfaces must be a major safety consideration, inside and outside the home. But outdoors, surfaces are open to wet weather, which can cause slippery surfaces through the build-up of algae. This is where outdoor porcelain tiles offer a safe, attractive and durable alternative to natural stone paving slabs.
Porcelain tiles are manmade. This makes it much more straightforward to add special slip-resistant surfaces to them.
These surfaces are textured, to prevent slipping.There are ratings for anti-slip tiles based on assessing the trip resistance of surfaces.
These slipperiness calculations give an R-value to surfaces. Usually, outdoor porcelain tiles have an R11 resistance rating.
To get this resistance rating, outdoor porcelain tiles have a special texture added to their surface during the manufacturing process. This texture increases the slip resistance of the individual tile.
Porcelain tiles are naturally water-resistant. This makes them easy to maintain and keep clean, with just soap and warm water. Consequently, you can prevent any build-up of debris or grime and help to keep your tiles safe to walk on.
Unlike natural stone surfaces, porcelain tiles are non-porous. They don't absorb moisture and so will not attract algae or moss. This is another factor that helps stop porcelain tiles from becoming slippery.
A Long-term Outdoor Surface Investment
While it’s true that porcelain tiles are a premium outdoor flooring option, they represent a sound long-term investment.
They’re non-slip and hardwearing. Outdoor porcelain tiles are scratch-resistant and easy to keep clean. They won’t stain and they come in a broad range of style options.
For more information about the benefits of porcelain tiles for your patio or other outdoor space, call us on 01727 839920 or email enquiries@houseofmosaics.co.uk
