Aluminium Stair Nosing 87x40mm Bullnose, Photoluminescent Anti-Slip

When a stairway has to stay usable in a power cut, this profile does two jobs at once. It is a deep bullnose aluminium nosing covering 87mm of tread and wrapping 40mm down the riser, and it carries a photoluminescent strip along the very front of the nose alongside twin anti-slip PVC inserts. The glow strip charges from ordinary building lighting or daylight and keeps the step edge readable when that lighting fails, so a protected stairway stays navigable with no wiring, no batteries and no service contract. It is a commercial specification: offices, schools, hospitals, apartment blocks and any escape stair where the fire strategy asks for step-edge definition after dark.

Why it works

The nose strip keeps working when the lights do not

The manufacturer states the photoluminescent element is a europium-doped strontium aluminate emitting green at a 520nm peak wavelength. The published 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. It charges from daylight, fluorescent tubes or standard tungsten lamps, and no electrical connection is involved at any point. That matters on a stair where the alternative is emergency lighting that itself depends on the failure you are planning for.

Twin inserts carry the grip

Behind the glow strip sit two PVC insert bands in the colour you choose. The manufacturer states the standard insert achieves category R11 on the DIN 51130:2010 inclined platform test at 22.9°, and returns pendulum values of PTV 66 dry and PTV 54 wet to BS 7976-2:2002. For reference, the UK Slip Resistance Group treats a PTV of 36 and above as low slip potential. The insert surface is a three-dimensional pyramid pattern with a polyurethane coating to reduce dirt retention, and the manufacturer states it resists ultraviolet light, oil, grease, petrol, salt, dilute acids and alkalis, and common household detergents. Organic solvents will soften it.

A section that survives trolleys and traffic

The nose is a full bullnose curve rather than a square arris, so it sheds impact from wheeled traffic instead of taking it on a corner, and it presents no sharp edge to a shin. The extrusion is aluminium alloy 6063 to EN 755, chemical composition to BS EN 573-3:2003, in a 5mm gauge as supplied. The channels take the inserts as a mechanical fit, so a worn insert is replaced without lifting the profile off the step.

Where it's used

Protected escape stairs and firefighting shafts, office and campus circulation cores, hospital and care-home stairwells, hotel back-of-house stairs, student accommodation, and apartment block common stairs. It is also used on plant-room and industrial access stairs where the lighting is task-only and the stair sits unlit for most of the day. Anywhere the stair forms part of a documented evacuation route, the glow strip is the reason this profile gets specified over a plain insert nosing.

Specifications

Choosing the right option

Pick the insert colour on visual contrast, not on decor. The manufacturer publishes a light reflectance value for every insert, and specifiers compare the insert against the tread finish either side of it to confirm the step edge actually reads as an edge. The published figures are below.

On lengths, measure the finished tread width and order the next size up rather than joining two pieces on one step. The 2.46m, 2.77m and 3.22m sizes are the manufacturer's stock lengths; 1.0m, 1.5m and 2.0m are cut from stock, so they are non-returnable unless faulty. If the stair is genuinely external, or takes standing water, specify the Tredsafe insert version of this profile instead — that is the one made for indoor and outdoor duty.

Installation, use & care

Work to the manufacturer's sequence. Make sure the steps are 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, set it down onto the step, and screw down with the appropriate size screws. Fit the inserts over the screw heads, or use insert pip to cover them where the insert is continuous. Clean inserts with a neutral detergent, rinse with clean water and let them dry fully before foot traffic returns. The manufacturer is explicit that solvent cleaners must never be used on the aluminium.

Frequently asked questions

Does the glow strip need charging or wiring?

No. It has no electrical connection. It absorbs energy from whatever lighting the stairwell already has — daylight, fluorescent or tungsten — and releases it once that lighting stops. The manufacturer states a highly visible afterglow of more than 600 minutes and a total afterglow duration of more than 3,000 minutes.

Can I cut it to my exact step width?

Yes. It cuts with a fine-tooth blade in a mitre saw. If you order one of the cut lengths (1.0m, 1.5m or 2.0m) it arrives already cut from stock and is non-returnable unless faulty, so check your measurement before ordering.

Is it suitable for outdoor steps?

This version is for carpet, laminate, LVT and tile, which are internal finishes; a separate Tredsafe-insert version of the same profile is made for indoor and outdoor use. For an external stair, specify that version. The manufacturer does state that the standard insert resists ultraviolet light, salt and dilute acids.

What holds the inserts in?

They are a mechanical fit into the two channels and sit over the screw heads. That means a scuffed or worn insert can be replaced on its own, without lifting the aluminium off the step.

How do I choose between the colours for a compliant contrast?

Use the LRV table above. Compare the insert LRV against the LRV of the tread finish on either side of it, and choose the insert that gives the clearest difference. White at 79.9 and Black at 4.5 sit at the two extremes.

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. If you need a quantity for a whole stair core, or a length that is not listed, 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.