ARIANA guarantees that its products undergo internal and external laboratory testing to establish a level of technical characteristics that complies with the regulations currently in force.

The website also features a section containing the specifications that ARIANA declares for each of its collections (please see "technical data sheet").

Regulating bodies

The creation of the single European market and the ensuing globalisation mean that businesses today find themselves facing numerous international standardisation and legislation issues.

- ISO:  International Organization for Standardization, which lays down the ISO standards applicable worldwide.

- CEN: Comité Européen de Normalisation, which sets forth the EN standards applicable in Europe.

- UNI: Italian Organization for Standardization, which publishes international standards nationally and establishes nationally applicable standards.

Whether it is determining the classification of products, their characteristics and the methods used to quantify them, or deciding the sampling and monitoring criteria, and the eligibility requirements, these standards are essential to protect the interests of consumers, facilitate communication and understanding of the symbols, improve international trade, and to compare the performance levels of individual products made by different manufacturers.

Standards for ceramic tiles

Ceramic tiles are divided into groups according to the way in which they are made and their water absorption (E).

Production method:

Group A: extruded tiles
Group B: dry pressed tiles
Group C: tiles manufactured with other processes

Water absorption:

Dry pressed ceramic tiles with low water absorption - Group BI à E <= 3%

Group BIa à E <= 0.5%

Group BIb à 0.5% < E <= 3%

Dry pressed ceramic tiles with medium water absorption – Group BII à E <= 10%

Group BIIa à 3% < E <= 6%

Group BIIb à 6% < E <= 10%

Dry pressed ceramic tiles with high water absorption – Group BIII à E > 10%

General standard:

UNI EN 14411 definitions, classifications, characteristics, and marking

Main testing methods:

UNI EN ISO 10545-1 sampling and acceptance criteria

UNI EN ISO 10545-2 dimensional characteristics

UNI EN ISO 10545-3 water absorption

UNI EN ISO 10545-4 breaking strength and bending strength

UNI EN ISO 10545-5 shock resistance

UNI EN ISO 10545-6 deep abrasion resistance - unglazed tiles

UNI EN ISO 10545-7 deep abrasion resistance - glazed tiles

UNI EN ISO 10545-9 thermal shock resistance

UNI EN ISO 10545-11 crazing Resistance - glazed tiles

UNI EN ISO 10545-12 frost resistance

UNI EN ISO 10545-13 resistance to chemical attack

UNI EN ISO 10545-14 stain resistance

Slip resistance:

B.C.R. method  - Coefficient of dynamic friction - wet and dry rubber soles

DIN 51097 method – slip angle with bare feet (groups A, B, C)

DIN 51130 method – slip angle with footwear (groups R9 to R13)

ASTM C1028 method - Coefficient of static friction - dry and wet Neolite test

Difference in appearance of the product between one piece and another:

V1 : uniform appearance

V2 : slight difference

V3 : moderate difference

V4 : considerable difference, shading differences