Truncated Dome Tile – ADA Tiles
By Holly Kirkwood
Some days I don’t even notice the little things walking down the street. By “little things” I mean the giant tiles at the end of every sidewalk corner with small domes lining them. I never paid too much attention to the meaning of these tiles and why they are so important. If anything, I thought they just slowed you down on your rollerblades. Just kidding. I don’t rollerblade. I have a new appreciation for these tiles. ADA Solutions lead the way in truncated dome tiles and give everyone a chance to cruise the streets.
Truncated Dome Tile’s purpose is to alert those who are visually impaired that they are approaching the end of a sidewalk, stair, platform or a change in terrain. The domes make it easy for those using a long cane or even underfoot to notice the change in terrain. ADA, or the Americans with Disabilities Act, requires these tiles to be installed to make commuting easy, safe and efficient for all.
When it comes to choosing a tile for your project there a few different types. The first is what ADA tiles call the radius system, also known as the truncated dome surface. It comes in three versions: the cast in place replaceable, the cast in place, and the surface applied. The cast in place tiles are installed with wet concrete. The surface applied are designed to be fitted into an existing concrete slab.
The cast in place option has changed the game for installation and use. These tiles are meant for new construction of concrete surfaces. Cast in place involves no nuts or bolts and is the easiest to install, but once it’s there, the only way to remove the tile is removing the concrete around it.
The cast in place, replaceable tile comes preassembled and is installed into wet concrete, making it the fastest and most efficient way of installation. It includes heavy anchoring system to put the tile into place. These new tiles are built for the normal wear and tear of heavy traffic as well as severe weather conditions. Should there ever be a need to replace one of these tiles the bolts can be accessed and removed to simply lift the old tile away and bolt the new one in place (dwpnow.com). A cost-efficient way to replace the tiles and save the concrete around it.
The surface applied tiles are designed to be fitted into pre-existing concrete substrate (ADAtiles.com). These tiles are meant for pre-existing projects that do not meet ADA requirements. Surface Applied tiles have the same purpose and function of the cast in place/replaceable tiles. The difference is the installation. The Surface Applied tiles are much thinner than the cast in place. These tiles are usually applied with a combination of fasteners, and adhesives to ensure the tile is properly in place.
ADA tiles are a requirement for all pedestrian accessible areas. All of ADA Solutions tiles are ADA compliant and are at the top of the market for these products. At Outpost, we highly recommend ADA Solutions! Use code ADAtiles to receive 10% off your first order of tiles!