THE GROWTH OF FLOOR GRAPHICS AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND THEM
Floor graphics were always a great tool in the armoury of the event graphics supplier, helping organisers and contractors deliver everything from wayfinding to on floor advertising. There has been a rapid rise in the use of floor graphics outside the world of events due to the arrival of Covid-19 and the need to communicate clearly and obviously direction of travel, social distancing and entry and exit points.
Most floor graphics have a finite life, they could last six to nine months or as low as three, depending upon the location, traffic flow and materials used. Which means that replacement and refreshing needs to be a consideration if the application is outside the short lifetime of an exhibition or event.
There are plenty of clever applications of floor graphics like using a single printed graphic for the floor and seamlessly curving it into a vertical wall, or even printing directly onto carpet or other floorcoverings. It is a medium that has been widely used but still has enormous creative potential.
But there is far more to consider when selecting floor graphics than just the aesthetics. In fact, there is quite a bit of science behind it.
There are a number of things to consider when your graphics supplier selects the materials for your floor graphics. Firstly, it is essential that they are fit for purpose, meaning the material from which they are made is suitable for their intended environment.
The basics are that whatever is used needs to adhere to the surface on which it’s fixed without curling at the edges for the duration of the event, it also has to be non-slip for both indoor and outdoor use. But for a moment let’s dive a little deeper into the science as it will help you ensure that the graphics you are ordering will be fit for purpose.
R Ratings are one of the most common measures of slip resistance for inclined surfaces, its full name being the R scale DIN 51130 standard for shod feet. It’s widely used across Europe where manufacturers classify their products’ anti-slip properties using the R scale. The R refers to ramp which is the method by which the product is tested. It is a gradually inclined ramp which has a contaminant introduced to reduce the grip and the angle at which the subject slips on the surface is the R rating.
R ratings start at a base of R9 through to R13, the highest and most slip-resistant.
There’s a quick guide:
R9: Only use in dry areas, potential slip risk if wet
R10: Only use in areas that are kept mainly dry with a low chance of getting wet
R11: Suitable for areas that have the potential to occasionally become wet
R12: Can be used in areas that frequently become wet
R13: Suitable for a sloped area that has the potential to become wet
For level surfaces, the Pendulum Tests Value ( PTV), classified under EN-13036 or BS 7976-2, assesses the subject surface on a level floor in both wet and dry conditions. The PTV Risk is gained by a swinging pendulum fitted with an imitation heel to make contact with the surface, the friction of the heel on the surface limits the pendulum swing, the distance of that swing determines the surface’s PTV.
The PTV scale starts at 0 and rises to 100, 100 being the highest and most slip-resistant.
Pendulum Test Value (PTV) Slip Risk:
0-24 - High Slip Potential
25-35 - Moderate Slip Potential
36+ Slow Slip Potential
This test has been in use since 1971 and is now a national standard in at least 50 countries. In addition, it has safety standards for many different situations that have been in use since being established in 1999. These standards happen to be in the UK (BS 7976) and Europe (EN 13036), but they apply equally well in other countries.
So there you have it, a crash course in the science of floor graphics and you can rest assured that here at Ottimo Digital we have studied the science and the creative possibilities - give us a call if you want to make your floor graphics both exciting and safe!