avers Specifications at Artistic Tile and Stone

ADA Specifications Grading Specifications Grading Procedure
Product Specifications
Subject to the most rigorous standards, TerraTile meets or exceeds standard quarry tile specifications, which means your floors will always look as beautiful as the day you installed them.
Description
Extruded kiln-fired clay quarry tiles
Applications
Interior or exterior use: Pool and spa copings, barbeques, outdoor countertops, picnic tables, masonry benches, water foundations, masonry wall and post caps, glazed kitchen countertops, fireplace mantels and hearths
Colors
Tuscan Red, California Saltillo Spanish Terracotta,
Sizes
Actual: 11– 5/8 x 11–5/8 inches; nominal: 12 x 12 inches (includes grout joint)
Thickness
3/8-inch and 1/2-inch
Edge detail
Square edge
Grout joint
1/2 – inch recommended
Weight
4 – 8 lbs. per square foot, depending on item
Surface
Smooth natural clay surface (unglazed)
Back
Notched to provide a better bonding surface
Trim
Stairnosing, sanitary cove base cove base;
Water absorption
Meets 5% quarry tile standard
Freeze/thaw
Can use in a freeze/thaw environment if not in standing water
Bond strength
Greater than 50 psi standard Warpage Meets 1% standard allowed on any edge
Facial size variation
Meets 3% standard variance
Thickness
Meets 0.4-inch standard allowed
Abrasive hardness
Meets or exceeds 35 quarry tile standard
Wedging
Meets 1% standard allowed
Breaking strength
Meets or exceeds 250lbs. quarry tile standard
Chemical resistance
Meets or exceeds quarry tile standard
Modulus of rupture
Exceeds 2000 psi (no standard)
Scratch hardness
7.0 quartz (no standard)
Coefficient of friction
Meets 0.6 recommended wet standardTech Note:

ADA requirements
The landmark "Americans with Disabilities Act" was enacted in 1990 and became effective in 1992. The focus of this article is on "Title-III, Public Accommodations & Services Operated by Private Entities" and its impact on quarry tile floors, specifically in Sections 1 and 4.
SECTION 1
"General: (Finish floors) Ground and floor surfaces along accessible routes and in accessible spaces be stable, firm and slip resistant"
Floors covered with quarry tile are certainly stable and firm when the substrate is constructed according to code, but what about slip resistance? What is meant by the term "slip resistant"? In the simplest sense, a slip resistant surface is one that will permit an individual to walk across it without slipping. (ADA's Title-l11)
1. The ADA specifies but does not mandate a recommended O.6 C.O.F. on flat surfaces and a O.8 C.O.F. on ramps. 2. The ADA does not specify a minimum C.O.F. recommendation for wet surfaces because "such factors are not under the control of the designer or builder and would be difficult to measure on the building site." The industry standard has been 0.5 C.O.F., which is still the OSHA requirement. 3. To sum up, ceramic tile can meet and exceed whatever the ultimate standards are for the Civil Rights ADA Part III "Public Accommodations" Section of the Act. TerraTile chooses to manufacture quarry tile that exceeds these recommendations.
NOTE: The method of testing C.O.F. for the industry is set forth in ANSI A137.1 (1988), which indicates the test shall conform to ASTM C-1028-84 (revised 1989). SECTION 4 "Accessibility Requirements," Paragraph 4.5: "Ground and Floor Surfaces"
The ADA reports that 27 million Americans have some difficulty in walking and are entitled to "ground and floor surfaces along accessible routes and in accessible spaces to be stable, firm and slip resistant." The intent of the ADA is certainly worthwhile and commendable, and the guidelines recommended are important to take into account. In practical application, however, the recommendations may not always be possible to implement. For example, contrary to popular belief "the rougher the surface, the better," is not correct for two basic reasons:
1. Some slippage is in fact, necessary for walking, especially for persons with restricted gaits who may drag their feet slightly. 2. A surface too rough can easily become a maintenance problem. Tile surfaces exceeding 0.8 C.O.F. would require a different cleaning procedure than smoother surfaces.
That said, TerraTile feels that we should be concerned with public accessibility. It is critical that the construction industry work as a group with the ADA Access Board to develop reasonable yet adequate guidelines for "slip resistant" floor surfaces.

Grade labels and certification
From Section 9 of the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) for Ceramic tile installation.
PURPOSE OF GRADE MARKING Grade marking is fundamental to an understanding of tile grades, to the proper and satisfactory use of tile, to gaining consumer good will, and to the fullest development of the ceramic tile industry. Various grade names used by architects, manufacturers and contractors without definition or specifications are confusing and tend to encourage misrepresentation and substitution. Grade marking that is practical and understandable prevents tampering, discourages the shipping of mixed grades in the same container, establishes the responsibility, and serves as a protection to the consumer.
DEFINITION OF GRADES Standard Grade: Ceramic tile that meets the requirements of these specifications. Second Grade (Seconds): Ceramic tile that meets all of the requirements of these specifications except that inspection of facial defects is conducted at a distance of 10 feet instead of 3 feet.
LABELING PROCEDURES Quarry Tile: Quarry tile required to be in accordance with this standard shall be shipped in sealed packages with the claim of grade conformance either imprinted on the package or on a paper label adhesively attached to the package according to the manufacturers practice. The paper color of the label shall be blue for Standard Grade and yellow for Second Grade. When a label is used, it shall be adhered to the package so that the package cannot be opened without breaking the label.
CERTIFICATION Certification of each shipment of tile shall be in accordance with the Master Grade Certificate. A Master Grade Certificate is issued by the tile manufacturer to the tile contractor only upon the contractor's request before shipment is made and is used to certify a particular shipment. These certificates shall give adequate information to identify the specific containers to which they apply.

Procedure of grading
From Appendix Section 10, American National Standard Institute (ANSI) for Ceramic tile installation.
APPLICABLE INSPECTION PROCEDURE
Procedure for Determining Structural Defects in Flat Tile and Trim Units Flat Tile Stack 8 pieces of flat tile face to back. Turn the stack with one edge up on a table and straighten the stack so that no tile protrudes vertically or horizontally from the stack. Standing next to the table so that the eyes are approximately 2 feet from the tile, inspect the edges of the stack which are up, for cracks running in the direction of the length or thickness of the edges. Remove any tile which shows one or more of such defects. Turn the stack 90", repeat the inspection and continue turning the stack until all four edges have been inspected in this manner. Cracks emanating from the back and progressing in the direction of the face shall not be considered defects if they do not exceed in length, one-third of the thickness of the tile. Chips on the back of the tile shall not be considered defects unless they extend to the face of the tile.
Procedure for Inspecting Ceramic Tile for Facial Defects Board Size 36" high x 48" long. Inspection Board Support Angled board with top edge of tile array not above the level of the inspector's eyes. The Array Two arrays of 40 pieces of 6"x 6" tiles arranged in 8 vertical columns, 5 tiles high. Light Source Light source shall be in position one foot behind and one foot above the inspector. Inspector's Position Draw a line l/4 inch wide on the floor at a distance of 36 inches from a vertical plane through the bottom edge of the inspection board. Inspector is to stand erect without leaning and having his feet positioned behind the line, but as close to the line as practical, and centered left to right in front of this board while viewing the tile array. Viewing Time 60 seconds per tile array, or 6 seconds per square foot of tile array. The Array Two arrays of 20 pieces 12 x 12 tiles arranged in 4 vertical columns, 5 tiles high.