IPA Labs Launch New Tile Test
CLEMSON, S.C. – The International Product Assurance (IPA) Laboratories announces a new package for testing tile to the new ANSI A137.1 standard.
According to the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), many products entering the U.S. market are tested only to ISO 13006, the international tile specification. Some aren’t tested at all. However, most commercial specifications in the U.S. require products to meet ANSI A137.1 which requires additional testing requirements than what’s covered by ISO standards.
The result is everyone in the supply chain – from manufacturers to contractors – liable for failures when products don’t meet required U.S. standards. The new IPA Laboratories testing packages are designed to evaluate the criteria that are missing when products are only tested to ISO standards.
Katelyn Simpson, director of laboratory services at IPA Laboratories, says many manufacturers assume that testing to ISO standards automatically means their products comply with U.S. specifications, but that isn’t the case.
“Our ANSI testing packages are designed to identify those gaps and provide the additional testing needed to demonstrate compliance,” Simpson says.
Additionally, IPA Laboratories is providing resources on its website explaining the differences between the two standards and providing guidance for anyone selling or working in the U.S. market.
The laboratory is also making improvements to the Porcelain Tile Certification Agency (PTCA) website, which will feature a new searchable database of certified porcelain tile products.
In 2025, porcelain represented more than 70% of U.S. ceramic tile sales in dollars, making accurate product classification increasingly important for architects, designers and distributors.
The PTCA program provides independent verification that tile products meet the ANSI A137.1 definition of porcelain, which requires a water absorption of 0.5% or less.
More information about IPA Laboratories testing services and resources is available at www.IPALaboratories.com.