Design you can feel.
Access you deserve.
Polyurethane (PU) and stainless steel account for most of the tactile indicators MetalX ships. Each is the right answer in a different place. This comparison goes property by property so you can assign the right material to each zone of a project.
| Property | PU tactile indicators | Stainless steel tactile indicators |
|---|---|---|
| Durability under footfall | Good; individual pieces replaceable | Excellent; decades without wear |
| Trolleys and machines | Absorbs impact; may mark under heavy loads | Solid machined; unaffected |
| Weather and UV | UV-stabilised; best in covered areas | Fully weatherproof; SS 316 for coastal |
| Slip resistance | High (material and pattern) | High (pattern); highest with carborundum insert |
| Visual contrast | Six through-body colours | PVD colours, poly inserts, surround |
| Noise under cane | Silent | Slight metallic sound |
| Weight (per stud) | Very low | Roughly 10× PU |
| First cost | About 1× | About 3× |
| Fixing | Stem or 3M adhesive; screw-fix tiles | Stem, poly sleeve, hollow back, 3M adhesive, screw-fix |
| Maintenance | Occasional replacement in heavy zones | None |
| Appearance | Coloured, matt | Metallic; satin, mirror or PVD |
| Lifecycle cost (20 years) | Low indoors; higher in heavy exteriors | Lowest in exteriors and transport |
Because MetalX PU studs and stainless steel studs are both Ø35 mm and 4.5 mm high on a 50 mm grid, and PU and stainless steel strips are both 280 × 35 × 4.5 mm at 75 mm centres, the user feels the same signal wherever the material changes. A mixed specification typically saves 30–50% on the tactile package compared with all-stainless while keeping stainless where it matters.
Stainless steel. It is unaffected by weather, trolleys and cleaning machines and needs no maintenance for decades. PU lasts many years indoors and is easily replaced piece by piece.
Yes, typically about one-third of the price for the same size and format, with much lower freight cost.
Yes. MetalX makes both to the same dome and bar geometry so they can be combined across a project.
PU, because it is coloured through the body in six colours. Stainless steel achieves contrast with PVD coating, coloured inserts or a contrasting surround.
Indoor or outdoor, traffic level, floor finish, contrast and budget: six factors that decide whether PU or stainless steel studs are right for your project.
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Impact absorption, colour that cannot wear off, silence under a cane and fast replacement: the properties that make PU studs suit busy interiors.
10 March 2026 · 5 min readSend us your drawings, quantities and delivery location. We reply with a quotation, technical datasheet and lead time, usually within one working day.