Aluminium Stair Nosing 56x55mm with Photoluminescent Strip & PVC Insert

If you are specifying a stair edge for a commercial stairway that has to stay readable when the lights go out, this is the profile that does both jobs at once. It is a 56mm x 55mm aluminium nosing carrying a wide slip-resistant PVC insert across the tread and, ahead of it at the very nose, a separate photoluminescent strip that charges from ordinary room light and glows in the dark. In normal use it reads as a conventional contrasting step edge in whichever of the eleven insert colours you choose. In a power failure or a smoke-filled escape route it keeps showing where each tread ends, with no wiring, no battery and no maintenance regime attached to it.

Why it works

Two safety systems in one extrusion

The 56mm tread plate is deep enough to carry both bands without crowding either. The PVC insert does the everyday work: it gives you the tonal contrast against the floorcovering that makes the step edge legible to anyone with reduced vision, and it takes the foot traffic instead of the metal. The narrow photoluminescent strip sits forward of it, right on the nose, where it is the last thing a descending foot passes over and the first thing visible looking down a dark flight.

The glow needs no electrical connection

The manufacturer states that the system "requires no electrical connection, and needs no special maintenance beyond standard care for similar products", and that it activates from daylight or artificial light. That matters on refurbishment work in particular, because it means you can add wayfinding to an existing escape stair without running a circuit, commissioning it, or adding anything to a maintenance schedule. The manufacturer does not publish an afterglow duration or luminance figure for this profile, so we do not quote one.

A 55mm riser leg that actually covers the step face

The riser leg drops a full 55mm and is straight-backed, not raked, so it sits against a square step face and protects the arris where nosings usually fail first. Aluminium takes the impact; the insert takes the wear.

Where it's used

Escape stairs and protected stairways in offices, schools, hospitals and student accommodation, where the glow strip earns its place. Also plant rooms, back-of-house stairs, theatres and cinemas, transport interchanges, and any refurbishment where a client wants blackout wayfinding without new cabling. It is equally at home on a general commercial stair that simply needs a hard-wearing contrasting edge, with the photoluminescence as insurance rather than the main reason for specifying it.

Specifications

Choosing the right option

Colour. Pick the insert for contrast against the floorcovering, not to match it — that contrast is the whole point of a defined step edge. Black, Midnight Grey and Cobalt Blue read strongly against pale vinyl and light carpet; Beige, Canvas, White and Ice Grey do the same job against dark floors. Yellow and Red are the usual choices where a hazard reading is wanted rather than a decorative one.

Length. Measure the going of the widest step and order the next size up rather than butting two pieces together mid-tread. The 2.46m, 2.77m and 3.22m bars exist to cover wide institutional flights in one piece; 1.0m and 1.5m suit domestic-width and back-of-house stairs. All lengths cut down cleanly on site.

This profile or the external one? The standard PVC insert on this page is the internal build. The manufacturer lists the same 56 x 55mm profile with an external-grade Tredsafe insert as a separate line for covered external steps and entrance flights — ask us and we will point you at it.

Installation, use and care

The profile is screw-fixed through the tread plate into the step. Drill and countersink at roughly 250-300mm centres, keeping a fixing near each end, and bed the nosing down onto a clean, sound, level substrate — a flexible adhesive alongside the screws helps on slightly uneven concrete. Fit the floorcovering up to the back edge so there is no lip. Cut with a fine-tooth blade and deburr the ends. In service, sweep and damp-mop as you would the surrounding floor; keeping the photoluminescent strip clean and unpainted is what keeps it charging, so avoid abrasive pads and solvent cleaners on it.

Frequently asked questions

Does the glow strip need power or batteries?

No. The manufacturer states the system requires no electrical connection and activates from daylight or artificial light. It charges whenever the stairwell is lit and discharges when the light is removed, which is what makes it useful during a power failure.

How long does it stay visible in the dark?

The manufacturer does not publish an afterglow duration or luminance figure for this profile, so we will not quote one. If you need a certified figure for a fire strategy, ask us and we will request it from the manufacturer.

Is a slip resistance rating published?

Not for this line. No pendulum test value, R value or insert LRV is published by the manufacturer for this profile. If your specification calls for a tested figure we can ask the manufacturer directly before you order.

Can it be used outdoors?

This page is the standard PVC insert build, which the manufacturer positions for internal stairways. The same 56 x 55mm profile is listed separately with an external-grade Tredsafe insert for covered external steps and entrances — contact us and we will direct you to it.

Can I order a length that is not listed?

The six lengths shown are the stock bars. They cut down easily on site with a fine-tooth blade; if you need a large quantity cut to a specific size, contact us before ordering and we will confirm what is possible.

Ordering and delivery

Every colour and length combination on this page is a stock item and can be ordered on its own — there is no minimum quantity and no pack size to work around. Choose your insert colour and length above; the price shown is for a single bar in that size. If you are pricing a whole flight and want a quantity figure, or you need matching profiles for landings and thresholds, send us the schedule and we will quote it.

View our complete range of stair nosing profiles — aluminium, rubber and PVC options for every application.