Wear Ratings

PEI Rating (Porcelain Enamel Institute)

This test is designed to measure the resistance of glazed tile to visible surface abrasion. Commonly referred to as "abrasion resistance" or "wear rating" this is the most widely asked for rating. Some tile surfaces will not scratch or scuff even under the heaviest industrial traffic while others are suitable only for areas of light residential traffic. Abrasion resistance in not a factor when selecting wall tiles so you will not find a rating on these. In brief, this test is conducted using water, abrasive grain, and steel bearings as the abrading method. The steel bearings (similar to ball bearings) are rotated on the surface of the tile with a machine and the tile is examined after pre-specified amounts of revolutions (150, 300, 450, 600, 750, 900, 1200, 1500, 2100, 12,000). The amount of revolutions it takes show an apparent visual difference in glaze or color will determine the tiles PEI rating.

These ratings are as follows:

PEI Rating (Porcelain Enamel Institute) :

CLASS 0 – (100 revolutions) Suitable for walls only.

CLASS 1 – (150 revolutions) Recommended for walls only.

CLASS 2 – (600 revolutions) Suitable for wall use and floor use in residential areas where abrasive traffic is minimal, such as a bathroom.

CLASS 3 – (750 – 1500 revolutions) Suitable for most all residential areas with normal traffic.

CLASS 4 – (2100 – 12,000 revolutions or greater) Suitable for all residential and medium commercial applications (i.e. – offices, restaurants, hotel rooms, etc.)

CLASS 5 – ( 12,000 revolutions and passes staining test) Suitable for heavy duty residential or commercial traffic.