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Category: Commercial Design Specifications

A Look at GIO’s Latest & Greatest Tile Collections

Here at GIO, we’re always on the prowl for the most advanced, sophisticated tile products for commercial interiors. We’ve recently returned from the 39th edition of Cersaie, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, which takes place in Bologna, Italy. Cersaie is the foremost international event for designers of ceramic tile and other surface coverings. The 2022 show recorded over 90,000 attendees from all over the world during the five days of the exhibition. The fifteen pavilions of the Bologna Exhibition Centre (140,000 square meters of surface area!) were fully occupied by 624 companies, including 354 from the ceramic tile sector.

It was thrilling to see some of the world’s most innovative ceramic surfacing products. Shows of this caliber inform and inspire so we can bring you the finest commercial-grade tile products the world has to offer. Always assessing our offerings to ensure we’re bringing you the best of the best, we’ve retired a few lines to make way for fresh options that are sure to inspire upcoming tile specifications. We’re proud to continuously offer a range of on-trend, sophisticated products to transform your commercial design projects. Here’s a look at what’s new and now:

MURAL

Mural floor and wall tile brings the bold art of nature to your interior designs in a daring collection of polished 24×48 tiles in two stunning groupings —sumptuous stone looks and two animal-inspired styles.

Mural tile in Aqua Onyx, Azul, Leopard, and Snake

Mural, shown here in Aqua Onyx, Azul, Leopard, and Snake

STATUARIETTO BIANCO

Statuarietto Bianco for floors and walls offers a big, bold marble look with luxurious veining and a large format up to 60″ x 120″.  The line is available in honed or polished finishes.

GIO Statuarietto Bianco, 30 x 30 Polished & Rectified

Statuarietto Bianco, shown here in 30″ x 30″ Polished & Rectified

ZELLIGE

Inspired by Moroccan tile, Zellige wall tile comes in a beautiful array of nine colors, brilliantly glazed for vintage variation.

GIO Zellige, Suk Black 5 x 5 copy

Zellige, shown in Suk Black, 5″ x 5″

AGATA

In polished or matte finishes and large formats, Agata for floors and walls celebrates onyx inspiration in an expressive dance of swirling blue hues.

GIO Agata, 24 x 48 Polished & Rectified

Agata, shown in 24″ x 48″ Polished & Rectified

LINEA

Linea floor and wall tile offers the timeless style of vein-cut stone in enduring porcelain with palatial sizes, two finishes, and four neutral hues.

GIO Linea, Grey 24x48 Polished & Rectified Field Tile 

WORKSHOP

Workshop floor and wall tile isn’t new; it’s an old friend that’s been with us since the beginning. But we’ve recently refreshed the line to bring in new finishes (honed, linear, and flamed) and some gorgeous on-trend hues that you’re sure to love.

GIO Workshop, Sage 12 x 24 Linear Rectified Field Tile

Workshop, shown in Sage 12″ x 24″ Linear Rectified

GIO Tile is committed to being at the forefront of commercial design, bringing you only the finest commercial-grade products, hand-picked from global sources based on our focused knowledge of what you need to transform commercial spaces. We hope you’ve enjoyed this look at the latest and greatest of the finest commercial-grade tile products available! Samples for these lines, in addition to all our tile collections, are available free to the trade. Contact us anytime – we’re here to work with you!

 

Understanding Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF) – Updated

Tile Council of North America

When specifying flooring materials, slip resistance is an important safety measure that all tile specifiers must be aware of. We are concerned about slip resistance in areas where ceramic tile floors can become wet in both residential and commercial applications. The measurement related to traction and slipperiness on wet, level floors when walked upon is called the dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF). DCOF testing helps determine the likelihood of whether or not a tile surface could contribute to someone slipping or falling. When it comes to choosing the right tile for an area, DCOF is a major consideration, especially when selecting tiles for areas that may be subjected to water, oil, or grease exposure.

If you are confused about the DCOF, you’re not alone. This measurement evokes questions about the methods for measuring it, what a DCOF measurement actually means, how to compare DCOF values and what the DCOF requirements are. DCOF is now the primary product performance measure used by the North American tile industry, so it’s important to understand what it means.

A Short History of DCOF

Before 2012, slip resistance, or the coefficient of friction for ceramic tile, was tested using the method specified in ASTM C1028, which provided the Static Coefficient of Friction (SCOF). But a new and better method for determining COF emerged, allowing project specifiers to choose the right tile for the job more easily. The new measurement, developed by the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), is called Dynamic Coefficient of Friction or DCOF.

What’s the difference between SCOF and DCOF test methods?

While the old test method determined the static coefficient of friction or SCOF, the new testing standard determines the dynamic coefficient of friction. In the context of people walking on floors, static friction is the frictional resistance one pushes against when starting in motion. Dynamic friction, on the other hand, is the frictional resistance one pushes against when already in motion. With both types of friction, a slip can occur when you push with more force than the surface can resist. The DCOF test relates better to slips occurring while a person is walking. Additionally, the newer test method uses a slightly soapy solution (water with .05% Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, or SLS) that is more slippery than the de-ionized water used with the old test.
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What is the required minimum DCOF value?  

The American National Standard Test Method for Measuring Dynamic Coefficient of Friction of Hard Surface Flooring Materials, ANSI A326.3, requires tile flooring products to have a DCOF of 0.42 or greater when recommended for use in a level interior space intended to be walked upon when wet. Keep in mind that not all tiles with a wet DCOF of 0.42 or greater are necessarily suitable for all projects and that this is a minimum level of slip resistance for level interior floors that are wet with water. Other situations, such as standing water, oil, grease, or other slippery substances, may require higher DCOF numbers. Specifiers must also consider the type of use, traffic, expected contaminants, expected maintenance, expected wear, and manufacturer’s guidelines.

In addition to describing DCOF test methods of hard surface flooring materials in the laboratory and in the field, the ANSI A326.3 standard includes DCOF specifications, product use classifications*, and guidance on specifying hard surface flooring materials. This standard is intended to guide the general public, manufacturers, distributors, specifiers, architects, contractors, testing laboratories, building owners, and other businesses and professionals.

*Earlier this year, the TCNA announced the addition of a five-category “product use classification system” in ANSI A326.3. For the first time in the tile industry’s history, the TNCA, in collaboration with the American National Standards Institute, now requires tile manufacturers (as well as other hard surface flooring manufacturers) to provide “product use classifications” based on the properties of slip resistance. The ANSI A326.3 standard for measuring the DCOF is now the only ANSI standard for measuring floor traction.

GIO Architectural Tile + Stone is committed to the simplification of tile and stone specifications. Our products are marked with DCOF ratings presented in a clear fashion so you can easily identify the technical characteristics you require.

Bringing the Indoors Out

 

GIO Thick 1.0 porcelain-paver outdoor scene

We’ve been ”bringing the outdoors in” for a while now, and outdoor living isn’t something new. Still, the pandemic experience has dramatically shifted our perceptions regarding the importance of outdoor space, compelling us to “bring the indoors out” in any way we can. Undoubtedly, the pandemic has inspired us to enjoy the outdoors in new ways.

Once a sign of exclusivity, rooftop spaces are becoming an essential part of any well-positioned office building, hotel, or apartment building. Any restaurant that can manage to do so has some outdoor dining, regardless of climate. Churches are creating spaces to hold outdoor services and events. Business travelers, who typically held meetings in hotel lobbies or conference rooms pre-pandemic, now want to take it outside.

Commercial properties are paying closer attention to what’s needed for people to spend more time outside and to make that time just as productive as time spent inside. During Covid, everyone wanted to get outdoors because it was a safer place to be. Now, landlords, developers, architects, and property managers are observing and analyzing how users engage with the landscape to meet emerging customer needs for wellness and well-being.

So, what’s in for outside design?

Though porcelain tile options have long been available for outdoor use, porcelain pavers are fast becoming a preferable alternative to natural stone and concrete. These thick, high-tech pavers are made from the highest grade porcelain and are specifically designed for easy installation over various foundations, including grass, sand, gravel, and standard mortar installations. They are also highly durable and easy to maintain:

  • Fade-resistant in harsh sunlight
  • Impermeable, moisture-proof
  • 100% frost resistant
  • Naturally resistant to stains
  • Mold and moss-resistant
  • Easy to clean with a hose, standard household cleaners, and low-pressure washing systems if necessary
  • No efflorescence (a crystalline deposit of salts often seen on the surface when water leaves behind salt deposits)

GIO is proud to offer a beautiful line of the highest quality porcelain pavers designed to withstand the most challenging commercial environments. GIO_Thick 1.0 is a collection of 12mm thick pavers available in an extensive range of looks to suit any design scheme.