Laboratory
Certification.

Who needs laboratory testing?

Laboratory testing is the most cost-effective slip resistance verification for anyone selecting a flooring product — Scottish architects specifying a new installation, manufacturers certifying a product range, or distributors verifying supplier claims. Testing a product sample costs a fraction of installing it and later finding it fails in-situ.

What we test in the lab

Pendulum test (BS 7976 / BS EN 16165)

The primary UK laboratory test — identical method to on-site pendulum testing but conducted under controlled environmental conditions. Produces PTV values for both dry and wet conditions, with both slider 96 (shod) and slider 55 (barefoot) where required.

Pendulum test with barefoot slider (slider 55)

For pool surrounds, shower areas, spa floors, and other wet-barefoot environments, we use the pendulum test with the softer slider 55. This captures barefoot slip resistance under BS 7976 / BS EN 16165 — the same accredited standard as our shod testing, with appropriate slider specification for the usage environment.

EN 13036-4 and related standards

Alternative pendulum variants for external paving and specific European applications, plus EN 13036-4 for related surface characteristics. Schedule 7933 covers the full portfolio.

Sample submission for Scottish clients

Minimum sample size is 30 cm × 30 cm for pendulum testing — larger is better, particularly for textured or heterogeneous products. For wet-barefoot pendulum testing with slider 55, the same 30 cm × 30 cm minimum applies.

Samples can be sent from anywhere in Scotland by courier. We log each sample individually, condition to 24 hours under UKAS-defined conditions, then test. Multiple samples in one submission are common for manufacturers certifying product ranges.

Turnaround and reporting

Standard turnaround is 48 hours from sample receipt. Rush turnaround (24 hours) is available at a surcharge where required for Scottish tender deadlines. Each sample produces a separate UKAS-accredited certificate suitable for specification documents, marketing literature, tender submissions, and building-control evidence.

Typical Scottish laboratory work

• Tile manufacturers certifying product ranges for Scottish distributors
• Architects pre-testing shortlisted products for Scottish projects before specification
• Distillery and hospitality operators pre-testing refurbishment flooring
• Anti-slip product manufacturers verifying performance claims
• Natural stone suppliers (particularly Scottish sandstone and granite) certifying quarry output
• Resin flooring installers verifying aggregate specifications

Why pre-test rather than post-install?

A Scottish commercial refurbishment typically installs flooring costing tens of thousands of pounds. Pre-testing a sample for £250–£600 and discovering a product that fails PTV 36 wet is trivial. Installing the product, opening the premises, having a slip incident, and discovering the product fails in litigation is catastrophic. Laboratory pre-testing is the single highest-ROI floor safety decision in any project budget.