AS 4586: classifying new pedestrian surface materials
AS 4586:2013 is the Australian Standard for the slip resistance classification of new pedestrian surface materials. It is a laboratory and product-classification standard: wet pendulum classes P0 to P5, dry friction D0 and D1, and oil-wet ramp classes R9 to R13. Architects and specifiers use it when choosing a finish before anything is laid.
It is not the standard for testing a floor that is already in service. Installed surfaces are measured on site to AS 4663:2013. Slip Audit does that on-site work. We do not perform oil-wet ramp tests on installed floors — R ratings cannot be measured in place. This page is the specifier explainer; the full trio of documents is on our slip resistance standards guide.
What AS 4586 is for — and what it is not
AS 4586 answers a product question: how should this new material be classified before it is installed? Samples are tested under controlled laboratory methods. The resulting P, D or R classification goes on the datasheet and into the specification.
AS 4663 answers a building question: how does this installed surface perform today? Wear, installation, sealer and cleaning all change grip after the material leaves the factory. Treating an AS 4586 datasheet as proof of the current floor is the usual specifier-to-facility-manager mix-up.
The two standards, side by side
AS 4586:2013 — new materials, typically laboratory methods, used to specify finishes for new work and to classify products. Includes pendulum, dry friction and oil-wet ramp methods.
AS 4663:2013 — existing pedestrian surfaces, tested on site with the wet pendulum and dry floor friction methods. This is the standard Slip Audit tests to.
Results on existing floors are interpreted against HB 198:2014. The National Construction Code references AS 4586 classifications for certain new building elements such as stairs and ramps.
Classifications defined in AS 4586
Wet pendulum, P0 to P5
The same P scale used on site also appears in AS 4586 as a laboratory classification of a new sample. Higher is grippier when wet. On an installed floor, that P rating has to be measured again with the wet pendulum test to AS 4663. A factory P4 does not guarantee a P4 after three years in a foyer.
Dry floor friction, D0 and D1
D1 is a mean coefficient of friction of 0.40 or more; below that is D0. These classes describe dry-service performance and say nothing about wet behaviour.
Oil-wet inclining platform, R9 to R13
R ratings come from a laboratory ramp test: an operator walks on an oil-coated sample that is progressively inclined. R13 is the highest common class and R9 the lowest used in product literature. This method is for new materials. It cannot be run on a floor that is already down, which is why existing surfaces are assessed with the pendulum instead.
How specifiers typically use AS 4586
- Selecting a tile, vinyl or coating for a new wet area, stair or ramp
- Calling up a minimum P or R class in a specification
- Checking NCC-referenced classifications for new stairs, ramps and landings
- Comparing product datasheets before procurement
Once the material is installed and in use, switch to AS 4663 on-site testing. The datasheet has done its job.
From specification to the floor you manage
If you specified a material to AS 4586 and now manage the building, the next evidence you need is an on-site report. Slip Audit tests existing floors to AS 4663:2013 in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, interprets results against HB 198:2014, and Premrest rectifies surfaces that fall short.
For the handbook, P table and NCC context in one place, use the standards page. For R10, R11 and R12 searches, use the short ramp test explainer.
Questions specifiers ask ChatGPT and Perplexity
What is AS 4586?
AS 4586:2013 is the Australian Standard for the slip resistance classification of new pedestrian surface materials. It is used in the laboratory, typically before a product is installed, and defines the classification systems seen on datasheets: wet pendulum P0 to P5, dry floor friction D0 and D1, and oil-wet inclining platform R9 to R13. Architects and specifiers use it when selecting materials for new work. See our plain-English standards guide for how it sits next to AS 4663 and HB 198.
What is the difference between AS 4586 and AS 4663?
AS 4586:2013 classifies new surface materials, usually in a laboratory, before installation. AS 4663:2013 measures existing pedestrian surfaces that are already installed and in use. The same P and D classification labels appear in both, but they answer different questions: what the material was when new, versus how the installed floor performs today. Slip Audit tests existing floors to AS 4663:2013.
Does AS 4586 apply to my existing floors?
Not as the test method. An installed floor is assessed with the on-site methods in AS 4663:2013, then interpreted against HB 198:2014. AS 4586 still matters as the source of the classification labels and as the standard referenced by the National Construction Code for certain new building work, such as stairs and ramps. A datasheet classification is not a substitute for testing the floor in place.
What classifications does AS 4586 include?
Three systems are commonly specified. Wet pendulum classifications run from P0 to P5. Dry floor friction classifications are D0 or D1. Oil-wet inclining platform classifications run from R9 to R13. R ratings come from a laboratory ramp test on a sample of new material. They cannot be measured on an installed floor.
Does Slip Audit perform oil-wet ramp tests under AS 4586?
No. Slip Audit tests existing pedestrian surfaces on site to AS 4663:2013 with the wet pendulum and dry floor friction methods. The oil-wet ramp test is a laboratory method for new materials. If you already have an installed floor, the rating that describes it today is a P or D classification from an on-site test, not an R rating from a factory sample.