Polyurethane (PU) Tactile Tiles – 300 × 300 mm Coloured TGSI Tiles

Overview

When a project needs a large area of tactile surface quickly and economically, moulded polyurethane tiles are hard to beat. A single tile replaces 36 individual studs, weighs about 350 grams, and can be fixed by one person in under two minutes. MetalX moulds the tiles in Mumbai from a UV-stabilised polyurethane elastomer, coloured through the full thickness, with a textured base that keys into adhesive.

The dome and bar geometry is the same as our PU and stainless steel studs and strips (Ø35 mm domes at 50 mm centres; 35 mm bars at 75 mm centres), so tiles, studs and strips can be mixed on one project, for instance tiles on straight runs and loose studs around columns.

Screw-fix or self-adhesive?

• Screw-fix (drill-and-fix): four countersunk screws through the corners plus a bead of adhesive. Recommended for exterior covered areas, ramps and anywhere trolleys run.
• Self-adhesive (peel-and-stick): full-area 3M adhesive backing on a smooth, clean floor. Fastest option for interiors and operating buildings.

Cost and speed

PU tiles typically cost less than a quarter of an equivalent stainless steel tile and install in a fraction of the time of loose studs. For metro platform edges and open exterior pavements we still recommend stainless steel tactile tiles; for everything indoors, PU tiles are usually the most economical compliant solution. Read PU tactile strips versus PU tactile tiles for guidance on choosing between formats.

Where PU tiles make the most sense

Whenever the warning field is a clean rectangle on a smooth indoor floor, a moulded tile is the quickest way to lay it. Stair landings, escalator approaches, lift lobbies and the entrances to classrooms and wards are all rectangles. A PU tile weighs about 350 grams, is cut with a knife, and fixes with four screws or a full-area adhesive backing, so one person can equip a whole staircase in a few minutes. For platform edges, open pavements and anywhere with vehicle over-run, use stainless steel tiles instead.

Dome tile or bar tile

The dome tile (36 studs at 50 mm centres) is a warning field: use it at hazards and decision points. The bar tile (4 bars at 75 mm centres) is a guiding path: use it on straight runs and switch to loose PU strips where the route turns or narrows. Both are moulded in the same six colours from the same compound.

Choosing the colour

Screw-fix or self-adhesive

Screw-fix tiles have four countersunk corner holes and are bedded on a bead of adhesive; use them on concrete, stone and in covered exteriors. Self-adhesive tiles have a full-area 3M backing; use them on polished tile, stone, resin and vinyl indoors. A cut tile should keep at least two rows of domes so the field still reads correctly.

How many tiles do you need?

A 600 mm-deep field is two rows: 6.7 tiles per running metre. A 1.5 m staircase needs 10 tiles at the top and 10 at the bottom. A 300 mm guiding path uses 3.3 bar tiles per metre. Add 2% for cutting. A carton of 20 tiles weighs about 7 kg.

What affects the price

1. Fixing: screw-fix is the base; full-area 3M backing adds a little per tile.
2. Colour: six standard colours at one price; custom colours carry a batch minimum.
3. Quantity and destination: volume pricing from a few hundred tiles; tiles are light, so courier freight is practical.

PU tiles are the most economical compliant tactile surface we manufacture per square metre.

Mistakes we see with PU tiles

• Tiles laid with gaps. Butt them tightly so the dome grid continues across joints.
• Cut pieces with one row of domes. Keep two rows, or finish with loose studs.
• Adhesive tiles on dusty or waxed floors. Clean with isopropyl alcohol; strip wax first.
• Using dome tiles as a path or bar tiles as a warning. Domes mean stop, bars mean go.
• PU tiles on open pavements with vehicle access. Use stainless steel there.

Typical specification clause

“Tactile warning tiles: UV-stabilised polyurethane elastomer, through-body colour [yellow], 300 × 300 mm, 2.5 mm base, 36 domes Ø35 mm, 4.5 mm high, at 50 mm centres, fixed with four countersunk screws and adhesive [or full-area 3M self-adhesive backing], laid in two rows to form a 600 mm-deep field across the full hazard width, starting 300 mm from the nosing. Manufacturer: MetalX Engineering Inc., Mumbai, or approved equal.”

Where they are in service

Schools and colleges across India, hospital stair cores and lift lobbies, office campuses in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, community centres in the UAE, and covered metro subways in several Indian cities.