The external-grade build of the 67x55mm rake-back nosing: 67mm across the tread, 55mm down the sloping face of the step, a hard-wearing coarse-grit insert rated by the manufacturer for wet and dry conditions, and the same green photoluminescent strip at the nose that keeps the step edge readable when the lighting fails. Four insert colours, six lengths from 1.0m to 3.22m.
Two things separate this from the standard interior build of the same profile. The insert is a different material — loaded with silica quartz rather than plain flexible PVC, and noticeably coarser underfoot. And the manufacturer lists this version for indoor and outdoor use, where the standard insert is an interior product. If the steps see rain, salt, wash-down or grit tracked in from outside, this is the version to specify.
Why fitters choose this build
The insert is made for wet steps
The manufacturer describes the insert as a blend of PVC, silica quartz and polymeric plasticiser, giving a homogeneous hard-wearing anti-slip flooring for wet and dry conditions, and states that it meets BS 3261:1973 for sheet vinyl and vinyl tiles. It carries a three-dimensional pyramid pattern and a polyurethane coating that reduces dirt retention. For slip resistance the manufacturer states DIN 51130:2010 category R11 from an inclined platform test averaging 24.7°, and BS 7976-2:2002 pendulum values of PTV 57 dry and PTV 47 wet. Published UK guidance treats a PTV of 36 and above as a low slip potential.
Read the pendulum figures against the interior build honestly
Both inserts are R11. On the pendulum the manufacturer's figures for the standard interior insert are actually higher — PTV 66 dry and 54 wet, against 57 and 47 here. What this coarse-grit insert brings is the material specification for wet and outdoor service and the harder wearing surface: the manufacturer quotes a Taber abrasion loss of 0.6g (H18 wheel, 1kg, 1000 revolutions). Choose on the environment, not on the pendulum number alone — for a dry interior stair the standard insert scores higher.
The glow strip is unchanged
The narrow green band at the nose is photoluminescent, not electric. The manufacturer identifies it as europium-doped strontium aluminate, peak wavelength 520nm, and states an afterglow of 455 mcd/m² ten minutes after excitation, a highly visible afterglow beyond 600 minutes and a total duration beyond 3000 minutes before it decays to 0.32 mcd/m². It charges from daylight or ordinary building lighting. No wiring, no transformer, nothing to fail in a power cut.
Where it is used
External steps and any stair that gets wet: entrance and access steps, fire escapes and external service stairs, pool surrounds and changing areas, loading bays and yard steps, car park stair cores open to the weather, and covered walkways where rain still blows in. It suits refurbishment of worn or slippery concrete, stone and tiled steps as readily as new work.
Specifications
| Specification |
Detail |
| Profile type |
Rake-back stair nosing, single insert channel with photoluminescent leading strip |
| Tread width |
67 mm |
| Riser height |
55 mm |
| Tread layout |
Reading back from the nose edge: mill aluminium lip, photoluminescent strip, coarse-grit insert band, then plain mill aluminium tread plate |
| Material |
Extruded aluminium, alloy 6063 (manufacturer states EN 755 and BS EN 573-3) |
| Insert material (manufacturer stated) |
PVC, silica quartz and polymeric plasticiser; three-dimensional pyramid pattern with a polyurethane coating. Meets BS 3261:1973 |
| Environment (manufacturer stated) |
Suitable for indoor and outdoor environments |
| Slip resistance (manufacturer stated) |
DIN 51130:2010 category R11, inclined platform average 24.7° · BS 7976-2:2002 pendulum PTV 57 dry / 47 wet |
| Photoluminescent strip (manufacturer stated) |
Europium-doped strontium aluminate, green, 520nm · 455 mcd/m² at ten minutes · highly visible afterglow >600 minutes · total afterglow >3000 minutes · flammability UL94 HB |
| Insert colours on this listing |
White, Black, Dolphin Grey, Yellow. The manufacturer also lists Safety Blue in this insert family, to order |
| LRV by insert colour (manufacturer stated) |
White 49.9 · Yellow 48.1 · Dolphin Grey 11.5 · Black 4.6. Mill aluminium channel 78.9 |
| Wear and stability (manufacturer stated) |
Taber abrasion 0.6g (H18, 1kg, 1000 revs) · residual indentation mean 0.05mm · dimensional stability 0.12% · moisture movement 0.02% |
| Chemical resistance (manufacturer stated) |
Resists ultraviolet light, oil, grease, petrol, salt, dilute acids and alkalis, common household chemicals and detergents. Organic solvents will soften the insert |
| Lengths |
1.0m, 1.5m, 2.0m, 2.46m, 2.77m, 3.22m — the manufacturer's stock lengths are 2.46m, 2.77m and 3.22m |
| Fixing |
Drilled and plugged, bedded on adhesive and screwed down through the tread plate |
| Accessibility |
Designated DDA compliant by the manufacturer |
| Approved Document K / M compliance statement |
Not published for this line |
Choosing the right option
Two choices. Colour is the coarse-grit insert band behind the green strip — the glow strip is green on every one, and the rest of the 67mm plate stays mill aluminium. Length is the bar you receive, priced per bar.
On colour, work from the published LRV rather than the swatch. The four here split into a light pair and a dark pair: White at 49.9 and Yellow at 48.1, against Dolphin Grey at 11.5 and Black at 4.6. Against a grey concrete step the light pair gives the wider contrast; against pale stone or a light tiled tread, Black or Dolphin Grey does the work. Yellow is the usual choice on a designated escape route.
On length, 2.46m, 2.77m and 3.22m are the manufacturer's stock bars and the shorter lengths are cut from them, so cost per metre works out much the same whichever you take. Choose on the going and on what will physically go up the stairwell.
Installation, use and care
Work to the manufacturer's sequence. Steps must be dry, clean, free of debris and reasonably level. Cut each bar to the going with a mitre saw and a non-ferrous blade. If the profile is pre-drilled, mark through the holes, then drill and plug. Bed the nosing on a suitable adhesive and screw it down — neither alone is the specified method on a stair edge. Fit the insert, or the pip over the screw head, last. In service the manufacturer recommends scrubbing with a bristle brush and warm soapy water; a coarse-grit surface holds dirt more readily than a smooth floor, so keep to a regular clean. Never use solvent cleaners on the aluminium.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the standard 67x55mm nosing?
Same extrusion, different insert. This one uses the manufacturer's coarse silica-quartz insert, listed for indoor and outdoor use; the standard build uses a smooth flexible PVC insert listed for commercial and industrial interiors. This version also comes in four insert colours rather than eleven.
Why are the pendulum figures lower than the interior version?
They are, and we would rather say so. The manufacturer states PTV 57 dry / 47 wet here against 66 / 54 for the standard insert; both are R11, and both sit well above the 36 that published UK guidance treats as low slip potential. This insert is the one specified for wet and outdoor service and for harder wear.
Does the glowing strip need power?
No. It is photoluminescent: it absorbs ambient light and releases it in the dark. No wiring, no transformer, and nothing in it fails during a power cut.
Will it survive frost and salt?
The manufacturer lists the profile for indoor and outdoor environments and states the insert resists ultraviolet light, salt, oil, grease, petrol, dilute acids and alkalis and common detergents. Organic solvents will soften it, so keep solvent cleaners away.
Can I get it in a colour that is not listed?
The manufacturer lists Safety Blue in this insert family as well as the four shown. Ask us and we will quote it, along with other lengths and anodised finishes.
Ordering and delivery
Choose the insert colour and the bar length; the price shown is the price for that bar, with nothing added at checkout but delivery. UK mainland delivery is a single flat rate however many bars you order, so a full flight costs the same to deliver as one step. Other lengths, anodised finishes and the Safety Blue insert are available to order — send the going, the number of steps and the finish and we will quote it.
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