Aluminium Stair Nosing 57x55mm Photoluminescent Rake Back

This is the profile for a stair whose riser slopes back rather than dropping vertically. The 55mm leg is raked to follow that angle, so the nosing sits tight to the step instead of leaving a wedge of shadow underneath it, and the 57mm tread plate carries an anti-slip PVC insert plus a photoluminescent strip along the front of the nose. That strip keeps the step edge readable when the lighting fails, with no wiring and nothing to maintain. It is a commercial specification: escape stairs, school and hospital circulation cores, apartment blocks and any refurbishment where the existing stair has a raked riser.

Why it works

The nose strip keeps working when the lights do not

The strip at the front of the tread is photoluminescent. It is a europium-doped strontium aluminate emitting green at a 520nm peak wavelength, charging from daylight, fluorescent tubes or standard tungsten lamps. There is no electrical connection, no driver and no battery, so nothing about it depends on the supply that has just failed. Its figures are 455 mcd/m² measured ten minutes after excitation, a highly visible afterglow of more than 600 minutes, and a total afterglow duration of more than 3,000 minutes before it decays to 0.32 mcd/m².

The raked leg is the point

On a stair with a sloping riser, a square-legged nosing can only touch the step at its top edge. The rest of the leg stands proud, which looks wrong, collects dirt and gives a mop something to catch. This profile's 55mm leg is raked to match, so it beds down the full depth of the riser face. The deep leg also gives you a large area of visible metal below the nose, which is what makes the step edge read from above on a flight rather than only from straight on.

The insert does the grip work

The standard PVC insert achieves category R11 under the DIN 51130:2010 inclined platform test at a ramp angle of 22.9 degrees, and pendulum values under BS 7976-2:2002 of PTV 66 dry and PTV 54 wet. The UK Slip Resistance Group treats a PTV of 36 or above as low slip potential, so both figures sit well clear of it. The insert carries a three-dimensional pyramid pattern and a polyurethane coating to reduce dirt retention, and it resists ultraviolet light, oil, grease, petrol, salt, dilute acids and alkalis and common household detergents. Organic solvents will soften it.

Where it's used

Protected escape stairs and firefighting shafts, office and campus circulation cores, hospital and care-home stairwells, hotel and student accommodation stairs, and apartment block common stairs. It is specified most often on refurbishments, where the existing concrete or timber stair already has a raked riser and a square-legged nosing simply will not sit down on it. The glow strip is the reason it gets chosen over a plain insert nosing on a documented evacuation route.

Specifications

Choosing the right option

Pick the insert colour on contrast, not on decor. Every insert colour has a published light reflectance value, and the usual check is to compare the insert against the tread finish running up to it. Guidance on accessible design is written around a measurable difference in LRV between the step edge and the surface either side, so these are the numbers your specifier will want. The mill-finish aluminium has an LRV of 78.9.

On length, 2.46m, 2.77m and 3.22m are the stock lengths; 1.0m, 1.5m and 2.0m are cut from stock and are non-returnable unless faulty. Measure the finished width of the going and order the next size up rather than joining two pieces on one step. If your stair has a vertical riser rather than a raked one, this is the wrong profile — ask us for the square-legged equivalent.

Installation, use & care

Steps must be dry, clean, level and free of debris. Where the profile is pre-drilled, use the holes to mark the drilling positions on the step, then drill and plug. Apply a suitable adhesive to the underside of the nosing, bed it down so the raked leg sits flat against the riser face, and screw down with the appropriate size screws. Fit the insert over the screw heads, or use insert pip to cover them. Clean the insert with a neutral detergent, rinse with clean water and let it dry before foot traffic returns. Never use solvent cleaners on the aluminium, and keep the glow strip clear of paint, sealant or floor polish — anything that covers it stops it charging.

Frequently asked questions

Does this take an LED strip?

No. There is no lighting channel and no electrical component anywhere in the profile. The glowing edge is a photoluminescent strip that charges from ambient light and re-emits it in the dark. If you need a powered profile, we sell LED nosings separately.

Does the glow strip need charging or maintenance?

It charges itself from whatever light the stairwell already has — daylight, fluorescent or tungsten — and needs no servicing. The only maintenance is keeping it clean and unpainted. It gives a highly visible afterglow of more than 600 minutes and a total afterglow duration of more than 3,000 minutes.

Is it DDA compliant?

This profile is Equality Act 2010 compatible. The Equality Act 2010 replaced the Disability Discrimination Act in England, Scotland and Wales. Whether a finished installation meets the requirement depends on the contrast actually achieved between the insert and your floor finish, and on the rest of the stair — use the LRV table above and check it against your specification.

How do I know if my stair has a raked riser?

Stand at the side of the flight and look at the face below each tread. If it leans back under the step rather than dropping straight down, it is raked and this is the right profile. If it is vertical, a square-legged nosing will fit better.

Can it be cut to length on site?

Yes, with a fine-tooth non-ferrous blade in a mitre saw; trim the insert with a sharp knife and deburr the cut end. The 1.0m, 1.5m and 2.0m options arrive already cut from stock and are non-returnable unless faulty, so check your measurement before ordering.

Ordering & delivery

All eleven insert colours are available in every length, and each length is priced individually. Stock lengths are 2.46m, 2.77m and 3.22m; the 1.0m, 1.5m and 2.0m options are cut to order. For a full stair core, or a length not listed here, contact us before ordering and we will confirm availability and lead time.

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