Ceramic Tile Wear Rating

A rating of 1 means the tile can be used on very light wear areas and should only be installed in rooms where people use soft footwear such as sneakers or slipper.

Ceramic tile wear rating.

The ratings are issued based on how many revolutions of the machine s head are required before visible abrasions appear on the tile. Tiles are graded using a numerical numbering system based on their thickness and quality. Tiles in areas which are more often walked on by normal footwear with small amounts of abrasive dirt for example residential kitchens halls corridors balconies and terraces. How pei ratings are determined.

Home depot recommends the following set of ratings as a guideline for selecting floor tiles. The chart below explains the wear rating system. Use floor tiles with a pei wear rating of iii iv or iv. Group 1 or pei 1.

The porcelain enamel institute pei has developed a rating scale that can effectively guide. Pei ratings are only used for glazed ceramic tiles. Use grade 1 or 2 tiles for floors. Also for interior commercial and residential walls.

Class 2 tile must not be used in residential areas that are subject to constant or heavy traffic. I e kitchen class 3. It is measured by the use of a machine known as a rotary abrasion resistance testing machine in which steel ball bearings are pressed down and rolled over the surface of the tile while an observer watches the effect. This rating is for glazed tiles designated for use on walls only.

The porcelain enamel institute pei rates ceramic tiles for wear on a scale from 1 to 5. Tiles in areas which are walked on with soft soled footwear or bare feet with minimal amounts of abrasive dirt for example residential bathrooms. Tile with this rating is not suitable for installation on floors. The ratings are as follows.

Class 3 tile is suitable for all residential applications. These are generally used as wall tile. Ceramic tile wear ratings the current rating system for ceramic tile in place today is really the only reliable gauge for consumers to use in determining wear expectations for a particular tile choice. Grade 3 tiles are suitable only for walls.

A rating of 1 is the highest quality and thickest tile available 3 4 inch thick and you can use them. It s a scale of 0 5 that indicates how a floor tile will wear due to the amount of foot traffic and therefore suggest what floor applications if any that the tile is appropriate for. Free quotes from tile contractors. Use tiles that provide good traction cof greater than or equal to 0 60.

Tiles technically unsuitable for floors. The pei rating is essentially a measurement of the surface enamel s resistance to abrasion.