Altro and Polyflor both publish two distinct slip-resistance tiers across their care-relevant ranges -- R10 (Altro Walkway 20, Polyflor Polysafe Verona) and R11 (Altro Aquarius). The right choice depends on the specific room, not a blanket policy across the whole building.
Why this matters
Specifying R10 flooring in a room that functions as a wet area -- an assisted shower or sluice, not just a bathroom in name -- leaves a slip-risk gap that only shows up after an incident. Specifying R11 everywhere adds unnecessary cost in corridors and bedrooms where it is not required.
What to do
- 1Reserve R11-rated flooring (e.g. Altro Aquarius, Pendulum Test Value 50 or above) for rooms with genuine barefoot wet traffic: assisted showers, wet rooms and sluice areas.
- 2R10-rated flooring (e.g. Altro Walkway 20 or Polyflor Polysafe Verona, PTV 36 or above) is the appropriate specification for corridors, bathrooms without a wet-floor shower, and general communal areas.
- 3Check the fire classification alongside slip rating -- both Altro and Polyflor ranges referenced here are Bfl-s1 to EN 13501-1, but do not assume this holds across every range without checking the specific product datasheet.
- 4Request the pendulum test value (PTV) for the exact product and finish being specified, not just the range name -- colour and texture variants within a range can carry different PTV results.
Primary source
Altro -- Aquarius and Walkway 20 Technical Data Sheets
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