Bedrock Tiles

Today we had a talk from tile expert Pete Brown from Bedrock Tiles. Since we have these lectures virtually, it can be a challenge to engage with the presentation. However, that was not the case today, as Pete's lively personality and informative presentation made the session very entertaining.

The lecture started with introducing the company and a blueprint of how to get in touch with Bedrock tiles, request samples and the best way to find products. Once we understood what the companies' values were and how they operated, Pete educated us about making tiles. He mainly focused on Ceramic and Porcelain tiles, outlining how they were constructed, their properties, and their strengths and weaknesses. Before this session, I didn't know much about the material and always assumed it was expensive and unsustainable. However, Pete explained how tiles are sustainable and described the different establishments that measured sustainability, such as SKA rating and BREEAM. I often noticed these corporations' logos on the bottom of product specification sheets but never understood what they meant. Now I know that this indicates whether a product is environmentally friendly or not.

Another critical property we learned about was slip resistance. Tiles are most commonly seen in wet areas and must abide by regulations to ensure they are safe. Pete stated that "slips and trips cost £750 million per year". The concerning figure showcases how important it is to ensure spaces are competent, so no accidents occur. To judge whether material is slip-resistant several tests need to be conducted, such as the Pendulum Testing. Alongside the Equality Act 2010, this type of testing makes sure visitors are safe in a commercial environment. Although I try to design inclusively in my projects, I never thought about slip resistance before. I am glad we had this lecture, as I will now check the finishes I use to make sure they are slip-resistant.

Pete finished on the encouraging quote, " Don't try and be an expert for everything. Find an expert for everything." Although Pete said this light-heartedly, it advises that we should be more inclined to contact professionals or people in the industry to get more information about specific products. I am guilty of spending a significant amount of time trying to research everything myself, so I aim to contact more suppliers and contractors for advice in future projects.