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AS 4586: slip resistance classification of pedestrian surfaces

AS 4586:2013 classifies the slip resistance of new pedestrian surfaces by wet pendulum (P0 to P5) and oil-wet ramp (R9 to R13). What's tested, and the DIN trap.

By Chalkline. Last updated 28 May 2026. Verified 28 May 2026.

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AS 4586 is the Australian Standard for classifying the slip resistance of new pedestrian surface materials: tiles, vinyl, timber, stone, concrete finishes, and any other product you walk on. The current edition is AS 4586:2013 (verified 2026-05-28, Standards Australia). It is the standard a tile or flooring product is tested against, with results expressed as a P-rating (from the wet pendulum test) or an R-rating (from the oil-wet ramp test). Together with AS 4663 (the same tests applied to existing surfaces in service), AS 4586 is what underpins every slip-resistance claim a builder sees on a product datasheet in Australia.

Where it sits

AS 4586 is the product classification standard. It does not by itself set a minimum slip rating for any particular location, that comes from:

A product is tested to AS 4586 to get a rating; the NCC and the access standard then call up the minimum rating required in each application. Get the rating right and the product is compliant; get it wrong and the wet-area tile fails at PCI even though it is laid perfectly.

What is in the standard

AS 4586:2013 sets out four test methods (verified 2026-05-28):

  • Appendix A, Wet pendulum test. A weighted slider on a swinging pendulum strikes the wetted surface; produces P0 (low) to P5 (high) classifications. The dominant test in Australian practice.
  • Appendix B, Dry floor friction test. A weighted sled drawn across a dry surface. Used where surfaces are unlikely to be wet.
  • Appendix C, Wet barefoot ramp test. A person on a ramp walks on a wetted surface; the angle at which they slip gives an A, B, or C rating. Used for pool surrounds and barefoot wet areas.
  • Appendix D, Oil-wet ramp test. A person on a ramp walks on an oiled surface; the slip angle gives an R9 (low) to R13 (high) classification. Used where the surface will see oil or grease (commercial kitchens, workshops, ramps).

The standard then sets the pass/fail thresholds for each rating band.

P-rating vs R-rating

A common confusion on site is the relationship between the P-rating and the R-rating:

  • They are different tests measuring different scenarios (wetted heel strike vs oiled foot on a slope).
  • A product can be tested under both methods and carry both ratings.
  • The NCC and AS 1428 reference P-ratings for residential wet-area and accessibility minimums; R-ratings are more common in commercial contexts.
  • The two scales do not map directly onto each other. A P5 product is not “equal to” an R13. Use the rating method the regulation calls for.

The DIN trap: AS 4586 R-rating vs DIN 51130

The single biggest procurement trap on imported tiles is the R-rating on the spec sheet. AS 4586 Appendix D and German DIN 51130 both use the R9 to R13 nomenclature, but they are different test methods: shoe type, ramp construction, contaminant, and protocol all differ. An imported tile rated “R10 per DIN 51130” has not been tested to AS 4586, and the rating is not automatically the same as it would be under the Australian standard.

Practical rule: confirm the test method behind any R-rating on a product datasheet. If the datasheet says “tested per AS 4586” or “tested per AS/NZS 4586”, the rating is the Australian one. If it says “DIN 51130” or omits the test method, the rating is not the Australian standard rating and may not satisfy NCC or AS 1428 minimums.

For a builder

  • Order to the regulation, not the marketing. Check what rating the NCC or AS 1428 requires for the location, then specify a product tested to AS 4586 at or above that bar. “Anti-slip” on a datasheet without a P- or R-rating is not a compliance claim.
  • Be careful with imported product. DIN R-ratings are not AS R-ratings. Get the supplier to confirm AS 4586 testing or order AS-tested stock.
  • Save the test report. The supplier’s AS 4586 test certificate is what backs the rating on the data sheet; keep it with the job records in case a certifier asks.
  • R-rating is not always the right rating. Residential stair treads, wet-area floors, and accessible paths are P-rating jobs under the NCC and AS 1428; do not substitute an R-rating for a missing P-rating.

References

See also

Last updated: 2026-05-28. Verified: 2026-05-28. Quarterly review for currency.

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