Every Ella walk-in tub brochure lists a textured floor, and the HoistAssist spec sheet lists a non-skid floor. That is the published fact about slip resistance on an Ella tub floor, and it is the only one: no Ella document prints a coefficient of friction, a slip rating or a test result for the shell surface, so you will not find one quoted here or anywhere else on this site. This page explains what the texture is for, which standards exist for bathing surfaces and bathroom floors, and the everyday habits that keep the floor as grippy as the day it was installed.

What Ella Publishes: Textured Floor, Non-Skid Floor

The family brochures for the stainless inward-swing tubs, the U-shape outward-swing tubs, the Transfer tubs, the two-seat tubs and the LayDown tubs each list "textured floor" among the included features, and our accessibility guide pairs the low step-in threshold with the textured floor as the two entry safety features on every walk-in model. The HoistAssist Transfer3060HL sheet describes its acrylic shell as white and smooth with a non-skid floor. The textured floor is a feature of the shell itself; no mat or applied tread ships with the tub or is needed on it. The published texture is for the floor. No separate texture or slip figure is published for the molded seat, which is why the deck and wall grab bars are there for sitting down and standing up.

The Standards That Exist for Bathing Surfaces and Bathroom Floors

Why No Coefficient of Friction Is Quoted Here

A coefficient of friction is a test result, and a result only means something with the test method, the wet or dry condition, the contaminant and the footwear stated alongside it. Ella's published documents do not include that data for the shell, so we do not invent a number, and we ask that nobody quoting Ella's Bubbles invent one either. If a project specification, a facility or an insurer needs a slip figure in writing, ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 and the request will be routed to the people who can answer it properly.

Habits That Keep the Floor Grippy

Texture works by giving your foot small ridges to press against. Anything that fills those ridges, or leaves a film on top of them, makes the floor feel slick. Four things do that in a walk-in tub:

• Bath oils and fragrance oils. The cleaning instructions allow oils, fragrances and salts but do not suggest them, because they mean more frequent cleaning of the tub and the plumbing. Oil is also the classic cause of a slippery tub floor. Bath bombs are on the avoid list because their contents can clog the jets.
• Salts. Dissolve them fully first, enjoy them for the still soak after the jets are finished, drain right away and rinse, as set out in Epsom salts and bath products rules. Undissolved crystals and dried residue both change how the floor feels underfoot.
• Cleaner residue. Use only the products on the approved list in approved cleaners and chemicals to avoid, and rinse well. Abrasive cleaners are never allowed on the acrylic, because scouring wears the gloss and the texture alike.
• Mineral film. Hard water leaves a fine scale that builds up in the texture. A wipe about twice a month with a non-abrasive cleaner and the monthly vinegar flush keep it from settling in, and acrylic surface care and touch-up covers polishing dulled areas.

A simple test: after cleaning, run a wet hand across the floor. If it drags, the texture is doing its job. If it glides, something is sitting on top of the acrylic and a rinse or a vinegar flush is due.

Seat Cushions, Suction Items and What They Change

Ella offers a seat pillow riser, in a standard shape or a U-shape with a bidet cutout, plus seat cushions and a head and neck pillow that mounts with suction cups; the fit list is in swivel tray, seat pillow riser and seat cushions. A riser raises the seated height by a few inches, which changes how far the bather rises to stand and where the deck grab bar falls relative to the hips, so it is worth trying with the care team before relying on it. Suction cups hold only on a flat, smooth section of the shell, away from jets, texture lines and the seat edge. Non-slip mats are not an Ella accessory, because the floor is already textured; a rubber mat from a hardware store can be used, but remove it after each bath, since a mat left in place can harm the surface finish. Never use adhesive treads or drill the shell for an accessory, because alterations to the tub are excluded from warranty coverage. Suction-cup grab bars are not recommended anywhere in the bathroom, since they can loosen in a moist room and release when weight goes on them.

Falls Prevention Resources

A textured floor is one part of a safer bathroom. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes plain-language falls prevention guidance for older adults and caregivers, including home checklists and the STEADI materials clinicians use. Read the official guidance: CDC, Older Adult Falls. Pair it with the routine in how to take a bath step by step, which keeps the bather seated while the tub fills and drains and opens the door only when the tub is empty. If a bather's balance, vision or medication has changed, their doctor or therapist is the right person to review the bathing setup; the tub's features are described here, and the care team decides what suits the person. For homeowners weighing the investment, does a walk-in tub add value to your home looks at the aging-in-place side.

Common Questions

Still need help? Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850.