Porcelain and Ceramic Tile Test Reports: Which Standards to Ask For on US and Australian Projects

A tile test report is only as useful as the standard named on it. This article sets out the tile test report standards a US or Australian project is most likely to meet, what the official pages say each one covers, and what to ask the factory to show before you accept a quotation.

Everything below was read at the publisher’s own page on 12 November 2026: the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) for the US side and the Standards Australia store for the Australian side. Where we could not read a standard’s text, the article says so rather than quoting a limit from memory.

Porcelain Is a Test Result, Not a Product Name

TCNA’s porcelain certification page states the definition plainly: “Standards define porcelain tile as an impervious tile with a water absorption of 0.5% or less, as measured by the ASTM C373 test method.” The same page says that entities advertise and sell tile that does not meet this standard as porcelain tile, and that this causes marketplace confusion, installation problems and liability concerns.

To address that, the Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA) and TCNA launched the Porcelain Tile Certification Agency (PTCA). Under the programme, a manufacturer can have its products independently tested against the 0.5% water absorption criterion and then use the PTCA certification mark. TCNA says IPA Laboratories is the only PTCA-authorized US lab for porcelain tile certification.

So when a quotation says “porcelain”, the report line that supports it is the water absorption result and the method it was measured by. For how porcelain and ceramic differ in use, see porcelain vs ceramic tiles for commercial projects.

US Projects: What ANSI A326.3 Says About Wet Slip Resistance

TCNA offers the 2021 edition of American National Standard A326.3 as a free download on its dynamic coefficient of friction page. The standard describes how to measure the dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) of hard surface flooring, in the laboratory or in the field, and includes DCOF specifications and product use classifications. TCNA is the secretariat.

Four points from the 2021 text matter when you read a report:

• The 0.42 threshold. Section 3.1 says that, unless the manufacturer declares otherwise, hard surface flooring suitable for level interior spaces expected to be walked on when wet shall have a measured wet DCOF of 0.42 or greater, tested with an SBR testfoot and SLS solution as the standard describes.
• Which device. A footnote says each 0.42 threshold applies to the BOT 3000E device. Equivalent devices may have different threshold values, which must be independently correlated.
• It is not a pass mark for every project. The standard says a product at or above 0.42 is “not necessarily suitable for all projects” and that the specifier determines suitability from use, traffic, contaminants, maintenance and wear. Section 3.2 covers products below 0.42, such as polished surfaces, which unless the manufacturer declares otherwise it says are to be installed only where the surface will be kept dry when walked upon.
• Classifications. Table 1 lists Interior, Dry (ID), Interior, Wet (IW), Interior, Wet Plus (IW+), Exterior, Wet (EW) and Oils/Greases (O/G). ID and IW can be met by measurement (0.42 dry or wet); IW+, EW and O/G are manufacturer-declared.

One note is easy to miss. The standard says “Exterior, Wet” labelling does not refer to frost resistance, and that for ceramic tile the frost resistance criteria are in ANSI A137.1. So an Exterior, Wet classification is not evidence of frost resistance. The standard also states that no claim of correlation to actual footwear or human ambulation is made. For the wider R-rating and DCOF picture, see slip resistance ratings for commercial tiles.

We did not read ANSI A137.1 itself, so this article gives none of its limits.

Australian Projects: The AS ISO 10545 Series and AS 4586

On 12 November 2026 the Standards Australia store listed these tile test methods, each published 6 March 2020 with the status “Current”:

• AS ISO 10545.1:2020, Method 1: Sampling and basis for acceptance;
• AS ISO 10545.2:2020, Method 2: Determination of dimensions and surface quality;
• AS ISO 10545.3:2020, Method 3: Determination of water absorption, apparent porosity, apparent relative density and bulk density;
• AS ISO 10545.4:2020, Method 4: Determination of modulus of rupture and breaking strength;
• AS ISO 10545.8:2020, Method 8: Determination of linear thermal expansion;
• AS ISO 10545.9:2020, Method 9: Determination of resistance to thermal shock.

The older AS 4459 series is the one to watch for in a report’s heading. The store lists AS 4459.1-1999 and AS 4459.3-1999 as “Superseded”, each pointing to the matching AS ISO 10545 part (2020) as the latest version. AS 4459.5-1999 (impact resistance by measurement of coefficient of restitution) was still listed as “Current”. These are the parts we confirmed; the series has other parts we did not check.

For slip resistance the store lists two standards. AS 4586-2013, “Slip resistance classification of new pedestrian surface materials”, shows a latest version of AS 4586:2013 Amd 1:2017 and the status “Pending Revision”. AS 4663-2013, “Slip resistance measurement of existing pedestrian surfaces”, also shows “Pending Revision”. For how P ratings differ from R ratings, see AS 4586 slip ratings for Australian projects.

A store status describes the document, not your project. Which edition and which classification your project must meet is set by your specification and the authority for your location.

What to Ask the Factory to Show

These are requests we suggest you put in writing; they are not a checklist drawn from a standard.

• the full designation of every standard named in the report, with the edition or year, so you can compare it with the current listing;
• for any “porcelain” claim, the water absorption result and the method it was measured by;
• for a slip claim, the DCOF value and the classification, with the device named, for US work, or the classification and test method for Australian work;
• confirmation that the tile tested is the product quoted: the same size, surface finish and series;
• the date of the report and the laboratory that issued it.

Whether a factory’s own laboratory report is enough, or whether a project needs one from an accredited laboratory, is covered in factory test reports vs accredited lab testing. The wider question of which reports to bring to a sourcing agent before a quotation is in test reports and certificates before a China quotation.

What FBM Sourcing’s Guide Says About Reports and Inspection

FBM Sourcing’s client guide answers “Who is responsible for compliance in our market?” with a general rule: its main markets are North America and Australia, where every product must meet local codes, so the first step in choosing a factory is checking that it holds the test reports or certifications for that specific product, “confirmed before we quote”. The guide’s worked examples are other product groups (windows and doors, sanitary ware, fire-rated doors and solar); it does not give a tile example, so this article claims nothing tile-specific beyond that rule.

On inspection, the guide says FBM Sourcing’s own QC team checks quantities, dimensions, finish, hardware and packing against the signed-off specification before shipment, that the report comes with photos and video, and that your own project team is welcome to attend. Laboratory testing is not among the items it lists. A test report and a pre-shipment inspection answer different questions: the first says what the tested sample did in the laboratory, the second says what is in the boxes against the specification you signed off.

What This Article Does Not Cover

• The limits and pass criteria inside ANSI A137.1 and the AS ISO 10545 parts, which we did not read.
• Which standard your project’s building code or specification calls for.
• ISO 13006 classification, installation standards, grout and adhesive.
• Prices, lead times and payment terms.
• Every standard status and every quotation from a publisher is as read on 12 November 2026 and can change.

Questions About Tile Test Reports and Standards

What makes a tile “porcelain” on a US project?

TCNA states that standards define porcelain tile as an impervious tile with a water absorption of 0.5% or less, as measured by the ASTM C373 test method. TCNA and CTDA launched the Porcelain Tile Certification Agency to certify it.

What does a wet DCOF of 0.42 mean under ANSI A326.3?

Section 3.1 of the 2021 edition says that, unless the manufacturer declares otherwise, flooring for level interior spaces expected to be walked on when wet shall have a measured wet DCOF of 0.42 or greater, using an SBR testfoot and SLS solution. The threshold applies to the BOT 3000E device, and the standard says it is not by itself proof of suitability for a project.

Does an ANSI A326.3 report say anything about frost resistance?

No. The standard says Exterior, Wet labelling does not refer to frost resistance, and that for ceramic tile the frost criteria are in ANSI A137.1.

Is AS 4459 still the Australian tile test series?

On 12 November 2026 the Standards Australia store listed AS 4459.1-1999 and AS 4459.3-1999 as Superseded, pointing to AS ISO 10545.1:2020 and AS ISO 10545.3:2020. AS 4459.5-1999 was still listed as Current.

Which Australian standards does the store list for slip resistance?

AS 4586-2013 for classification of new pedestrian surface materials (latest version Amd 1:2017) and AS 4663-2013 for measurement on existing surfaces. Both showed the status Pending Revision.

Does FBM Sourcing’s inspection replace a laboratory test report?

The client guide describes the inspection as a check of quantities, dimensions, finish, hardware and packing against the signed-off specification, and does not list laboratory testing among those items.

How does FBM Sourcing charge for this?

For suppliers you nominate, we charge a 5% commission; for products we source for you, we quote a direct price. Our own team performs one inspection after bulk production is complete and before shipment, and the client’s project team is welcome to attend.

FBM Sourcing manages the entire China procurement package for overseas construction projects. We work with Developers · General Contractors · Builders · Commercial Project Owners · Interior Design & Construction Companies · FF&E Solution Providers.