We replaced the 20-year old bathtub that came with our house with a new one. The old tub had a bumpy bottom to keep you from slipping. The new one is smooth to the touch. I was worried that Wife would slip, because I can’t feel any roughness at all. But it’s not slippery, not even when wet. How is it so?
I don’t know, but I’d get a non-slip bath mat anyway. Even if it’s not slippery when wet, it might become slippery when soapy.
Not a bathtub expert, shower person myself, but there are ceramic tiles with glossy surfaces and those with matte surfaces. Both are somewhat smooth to the touch. Perhaps the new tub is made the same way?
Is this an Americast tub? They’re pretty tight-lipped about their process. Best I can make out is there’s quartz mixed in with the enamel with just enough roughness to grab onto your feet, but not enough to actually be noticed. Or something, I dunno. Alternatively, they might be using some variant of this stuff.
Friction is a lot more complicated than roughness. Rubber, for instance, even smooth rubber, will under most circumstances have more friction than sandpaper. And it gets even more complicated when wet.
So, the new tubs contain ‘micro treads’, which create slip resistance while surpassing numerous guidelines, while wet, set by ADA/OSHA for floor safety as well as ANSI A137.1, A326.3 or B101.3 standards.
There are often more treads and better grip in these seemingly smooth surfaces than there are in ones that don’t have micro treads. In the old versions, you can see with your naked eye (the traditional bumpy surfaces we are used to seeing and feeling).
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I know nothing about bathtub, but when we retiled our bathrooms, there was a lot of information regarding slippage. New bathroom tile is not permitted to be slippery when dry or wet. Reduces the fun, I know. There is nothing on the surface which looks like it should prevent slipping, but it does.
If you put anti slip stickers in there you could solve your problem…
But if you don’t, maybe you can see a lot of Penny.
ymmv