A buyer can see “71 models” on an IAPMO PS 106 report and reasonably assume that all 71 were individually put through every test. Our report does not support that wording, so we will not use it.
Report J251017003-1 lists 71 models and identifies the specific samples tested. It also states that the report applies only to the tested sample.
That sentence is not a weakness in the document. It is the starting point for reading it properly.
A useful supplier should be able to show the model scope, the tested-sample markings, the actual results and the installation conditions. A badge alone tells you much less.
Start with the sample statement, not the model count
The report was issued on January 28, 2026. It contains 21 pages and records testing performed from October 17, 2025 to January 7, 2026.
The summary states that the submitted samples complied with the applicable requirements of IAPMO PS 106-2015. The general remarks then limit the report to the tested sample.
Those two statements belong together. The first records the outcome. The second tells you the evidence boundary.
Our redacted report and technical resources are available for buyers who want to inspect the document rather than rely on a marketing sentence. Identity fields are redacted for publication; the report number, test data and technical scope remain available for review.
What the 71-model list actually tells you
The model list covers a system family rather than one isolated wall panel. It includes:
- Shower wall panels and building panels.
- Presloped, single-slope and thin single-slope shower pans.
- Pan extensions and a ramp.
- Shower curbs.
- Recessed niches and caddies.
- Diamond and suspended benches.
Specific entries in the table are marked “Tested.” Other entries remain part of the listed model information but are not individually marked that way.
So the accurate sentence is: The report lists 71 models and identifies the specific samples tested.
The inaccurate sentence is: All 71 models were individually tested and passed every test.
That difference matters when a buyer compares documents. A long model list shows product scope. It does not replace the tested-sample markings, and it does not turn one test program into 71 complete sets of identical results.
For the related product family, our wet-room elements should likewise be selected by actual model, dimensions and installation detail, not by assuming every size has the same construction demands.
The material table records four different measurements
Page 6 of the report gives the following results for the polystyrene material system:
| Measurement | Requirement | Reported result |
|---|---|---|
| Compressive strength | Greater than 248 kPa | 395 kPa |
| Flexural strength | Greater than 1,462 kPa | 5,481 kPa |
| Linear expansion | 0.07% or less | 0.02% |
| Tensile strength | Greater than 228 kPa | 406 kPa |
Each line answers a different question. Compressive strength concerns resistance to compression. Flexural strength concerns bending behavior under the stated method. Linear expansion records dimensional response under that test. Tensile strength concerns resistance to tension.
These numbers should not be mixed with data from other standards or with a bending-load figure expressed in newtons. A result in kPa and a load in N are not two scores on the same scale.
For example, our factory literature separately lists 361 kPa compressive strength at 10% deformation and a 1,842 N bending load for a 12 mm board. Those are different evidence records from the PS 106 material table. We keep them separate rather than choosing whichever number looks larger.
More data is useful. Mixing test methods is not.
The thickness clauses distinguish open framing from solid backing
The report also gives a useful example of why application conditions belong inside a product specification.
For vertical polystyrene components where the solid-backing exception does not apply, the nominal wall thickness is at least 12.7 mm. For vertical components intended to be installed on solid backing, the minimum nominal thickness is 6.35 mm.
The report gives examples of solid backing such as concrete or brick walls, lath and plaster, or framing with gypsum wallboard at least 12.7 mm thick.
Two cautions follow directly:
- Do not casually treat every nominal 12 mm board as a 12.7 mm compliance specification.
- Do not casually treat every 6 mm board as the 6.35 mm solid-backing specification.
The product designation on the drawing, quotation and order should match the actual required thickness. Our 4–50 mm board range can be discussed by project application, but a standards submittal still needs the exact specified product and installation condition.
The 1,335 N load belongs to the shower receptor test
The load and water-spray test is a system-level procedure, not a compression value for a loose piece of XPS.
The standard calls for the largest shower receptor or shower kit by area to be tested, installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. A load of 1,335 ± 22 N is applied for every 0.7 m² of test-specimen floor area using a 76 mm diameter load-distribution disk resting on a 13 mm sponge-rubber or equivalent pad.
The procedure allows initial settlement, removes the load, waits, and then reapplies it at the same location before the water-spray stage.
The report records that the procedure was followed. Under “Performance Requirements,” it records no cracks, damage or water leakage through the wall-floor joints under the test.
That is useful evidence about the tested shower assembly. It is not a wall-panel compressive-strength figure, and it is not a universal load rating for every bench, pan or board in the model list.
The spray test has conditions worth reading
The water spray was directed continuously at the wall-floor joints under specified conditions:
| Condition | Test requirement |
|---|---|
| Duration | 30 minutes |
| Water temperature | 40 ± 5 °C |
| Flow rate | 11.4 L/min |
| Distance from spray nozzle to the face | 1.2 m |
| Spray angle | 45° |
| Nozzle | 30° full-jet spray nozzle |
The result was no cracks, damage or water leakage through the wall-floor joints during and after the test.
Notice what the evidence is tied to: the tested specimen, its installation, the wall-floor joints and the stated spray procedure. It would be too broad to rewrite this as “every installation will never leak.” A field installation still depends on the specified seams, corners, penetrations, drainage connection and workmanship.
A test can verify an assembly under defined conditions. It cannot install the next project for you.
Other passed items answer other questions
The report also records applicable shear-bond, hydrostatic-pressure, fungus and mold-resistance, waste-fitting connection, point-impact and wall-area impact items as complied or passed.
These entries broaden the test picture, but each retains its own method and object.
The shear-bond item concerns the tile bond to the immediate backing surface. The mold-resistance item records no growth after the specified test. The impact items concern the relevant receptor or wall-surround procedures.
They do not justify a general claim that the product outperforms every alternative in every property. A report is most credible when each result stays attached to what was actually measured.
The drain appendix is not board performance data
Appendix B records testing of the waste fittings to ASME A112.18.2-2020 / CSA B125.2-20.
The reported drain evidence includes:
- SUS304 stainless-steel material.
- A 96-hour test using a 5% salt solution, with no corrosion that adversely affected function or disassembly and reassembly.
- Flow exceeding 27 L/min under the stated test method.
- A shower-drain strainer test using a 1.3 kN load for 2 minutes on a 50 mm diameter plate, without cracking or deflection beyond the requirement.
- Compliant thermal-cycling, hydrostatic-pressure and seal-leakage items.
These are drain-component results. The salt-spray result does not describe the XPS board. The flow rate does not describe the board. The 1.3 kN strainer load is not the 1,335 N shower-receptor load.
Keeping those objects separate is basic technical hygiene. It also prevents a buyer from receiving a polished answer to the wrong question.
What this report cannot prove
This is the section a supplier should not skip.
The report does not, by itself, prove that:
- All 71 listed models were individually subjected to every test.
- Every future production batch has been individually tested under this report.
- Every sealant sold on this website was included in the PS 106 test samples.
- Every installer-built shower will be leak-free regardless of workmanship or site conditions.
- The report alone is a building-code listing for every market.
- The tested products are superior to every alternative material in every performance category.
The sealant point needs particular care. In the PS 106 report sections covering provided adhesives and sealants, the samples are marked as not provided and those items are not applicable. The separate ICC system certificate describes a system sealant complying with ASTM D2235. Those are different documents and evidence scopes; they should not be merged into one claim.
None of these limits makes the report weak. They make the usable evidence clear.
A test report and a product certificate do different jobs
A test report records the tested samples, methods, conditions and results. A product certificate or listing adds its own product scope, identification and surveillance requirements.
Our ICC-ES PMG-1804 product certificate concerns tileable shower systems with backer board and includes annual review, factory inspection and quality-system surveillance. That is different evidence from the January 2026 PS 106 test report.
ISO management-system certificates do a different job again: they concern management systems, not a particular load, flow rate or waterproof test result.
For procurement, the practical approach is to place the documents side by side and ask which one answers the current question. Test result, current listing, factory management. Related, but not interchangeable.
Five checks before accepting a supplier’s summary
When any supplier sends a PS 106 document, check:
- The report number, issue date and standard edition.
- The model table and the specific entries marked as tested.
- The test object, units and conditions behind each headline number.
- Whether drains, sealants, boards and other components are being described separately.
- The installation instructions and any current product listing needed for the destination market.
If the summary says more than the document supports, ask for the relevant page. A serious technical review should not require a debate about adjectives.
FAQ
Were all 71 models individually tested under PS 106?
No. The report lists 71 models and marks specific entries as tested. Its general remarks also state that it applies only to the tested sample, so the model count should not be presented as 71 complete individual test programs.
Does the 1,335 N result prove the compressive strength of the wall board?
No. It belongs to the shower-receptor load procedure, with a specified loading disk and floor-area basis. The material table separately reports compressive strength as 395 kPa under its own method.
Does the PS 106 report certify every sealant supplied with the system?
No. The relevant report sections state that sealants were not provided for those samples. The separate ICC system certificate describes a sealant complying with ASTM D2235; that evidence should be cited separately.
Your turn
Send us the model, dimensions, application and destination market you are reviewing. Within one working day, we will identify the relevant report sections and current product documentation for your review. If you also need to inspect the board and sealing components, ask for a Project Sample Kit with board, sealant, tape and drain components.
Request the report sections for your model | Review the board and shower-system range | See how ISO systems differ from product testing
Reviewing a PS 106 report for your project?
Tell us the model, dimensions, application and destination market. We will confirm the relevant product documentation and send you a project sample kit.
