PVC Stair Nosing 60x32mm Outdoor Grade Anti Slip Glow Edge, 4 Colours

This is the external-grade version of our 60mm x 32mm heavy duty step edge. The extruded black PVC body is identical to the internal version; what changes is the insert, a harder quartz-loaded grade that the supplier lists for indoor and outdoor environments. A 13mm green photoluminescent strip runs along the leading edge, charging from daylight or building lighting and glowing on its own once that light is gone. There is no wiring, no driver and no LED anywhere in it, which is exactly why it suits an external escape route where running a cable would be the expensive part.

Why it works

The insert is the difference

The manufacturer describes this insert as a blend of PVC, silica quartz and polymeric plasticiser, and states that it meets BS 3261:1973 for sheet vinyl and vinyl tiles. It carries a three-dimensional pyramid surface and a polyurethane coating that reduces dirt retention, and is stated to resist ultraviolet light, oil, grease, petrol, salt, dilute acids and alkalis; organic solvents will soften it. The published slip figures are inclined platform testing to DIN 51130:2010 at 24.7°, category R11, and BS 7976-2:2002 pendulum values of PTV 57 dry and PTV 47 wet — both clear of the 36 PTV mark the UK Slip Resistance Group associates with low slip potential. The manufacturer also publishes flame spread 0 and smoke development 7, a Taber H18 abrasion loss of 0.6g over 1,000 revolutions, and a mean residual indentation of 0.05mm.

The glow strip is chemistry, not electronics

The luminous element is a europium-doped strontium aluminate compound emitting green at a peak wavelength of 520nm. The manufacturer states the system needs no electrical connection and no special maintenance, and that ordinary daylight, fluorescent tube or tungsten filament light is enough to charge it. Published performance is an afterglow brightness of 455 mcd/m² ten minutes after excitation, a highly visible afterglow of more than 600 minutes and a total afterglow duration of more than 3,000 minutes. Because it stores and re-emits ambient light it recharges every time there is light on the stair, and it cannot fail in a power cut.

A PVC body, not a metal one

The profile itself is extruded in black PVC rather than aluminium, and on an external step that matters more than it does indoors: there is no metal to corrode where de-icing salt, coastal air or standing water reaches the nosing. It is also quieter underfoot and can be cut on site with ordinary tools. The rear of the profile tapers down to 3mm so it feathers into the tread rather than standing proud as a trip hazard of its own.

Where it is used

External entrance steps, fire escapes and yard or plant steps, car park and service stairs, and covered external routes at schools, hospitals and public buildings. It is equally valid indoors where a wet or heavily soiled stair needs the coarser insert. If the flight is fully internal and you want a wider choice of colour at a lower price, the standard-insert version of this same profile comes in eleven colours.

Specifications

Choosing the right option

Four colours and four lengths, and the colour is a safety decision rather than a decorative one.

Visual contrast at a step edge is the difference in light reflectance value between the nosing and the surfaces around it, and the manufacturer publishes an LRV for each of these four inserts. Against dark tarmac, wet concrete or a dark entrance mat, White at 49.9 or Yellow at 48.1 open the widest gap; against pale stone, light vinyl or a bright terrazzo, Black at 4.6 or Dolphin Grey at 11.5 do the same in reverse. These external-grade figures are not the same as the standard insert range, so do not carry an LRV across from the internal version of this profile.

On length, the 3.22m rung is the manufacturer's stock extrusion and works out cheapest per metre, so on a wide flight it is usually better value to take a 3.22m length and cut it than to buy two shorter pieces. Measure the finished width of the tread rather than the width between strings, and let the nosing run the full width so no cut end is left exposed at either side.

Installation, use and care

The manufacturer's sequence is: make sure the steps are dry, clean, level, even and free of debris; if the profile is pre-drilled, use the holes to mark the drilling positions; drill and plug; apply a suitable adhesive to the underside of the nosing and set it onto the step; screw down with appropriately sized screws; then fit the insert, or the pip, to cover the screw head. On external steps treat the mechanical fixings as essential rather than optional — adhesive alone is not enough once frost and standing water are involved.

For cleaning, the manufacturer recommends scrubbing with a bristle brush and warm soapy water; commercial scrubber-dryers are also suitable. The pyramid surface holds more dirt than a smooth floor, so it needs regular attention rather than occasional deep cleaning. No solvent cleaners — organic solvents soften the insert.

Frequently asked questions

Does this stair nosing need wiring or an LED driver?

No. There is no lighting channel and no electrical connection of any kind. The green strip along the front edge is photoluminescent: it absorbs ordinary daylight or building light and re-emits it once that light is gone. If you need a mains-powered lit step edge, that is a different profile with a driver and a cable route.

Is the nosing itself aluminium?

No. The body is extruded black PVC, and that is what wraps the front edge and the riser face. The manufacturer's brand name for its glow-in-the-dark range sounds metallic, but it refers to the photoluminescent system rather than to the material. If you want an aluminium carrier at this size we stock those as separate profiles.

What makes this the outdoor version?

The insert, not the body. This one is a harder quartz-loaded grade with a pyramid surface, which the supplier lists as suitable for indoor and outdoor environments; the standard insert on the eleven-colour version carries no published external rating. The PVC body is the same on both.

Why only four colours?

The external-grade insert is produced in a shorter range than the standard one, and our supplier stocks four of them for this profile. If you need beige, canvas, red, brown or the other greys, those come in the internal-only version.

Will it fit a stair with a sloping riser?

Not flush. This is a straight-back profile with a vertical rear leg, so it is made for a square riser. On a raked or sloping riser, choose one of our rake-back profiles instead.

Ordering and delivery

Every colour and length combination shown is stocked and priced individually — choose your insert colour and length above and the price updates. All four insert colours are available in all four lengths. UK mainland delivery is charged at a flat rate at checkout. If you need a length we do not list, or the profile supplied pre-drilled, contact us before ordering and we will quote it.