3M Permanent Road Studs 290, Road Legal, Various Colours

Permanent 290 Reflective Road Studs

These road studs are made by 3M and are the most commonly seen on the UK road network. They are specially designed for long-term temporary installations or permanent installations.

The 290 Road Stud or Cats Eye as it is commonly known is available with a white body or yellow body, which you can choose from above.

The stud is attached to the surface of the road using either HotMelt or Coldfix. A third option is available, this uses a metal shoe to hold the stud, making it suitable for use on extra high volume applications.

The Different Types Of Stud Available

Temporary Road Studs

These are available with bright yellow/green bodies. They are designed for temporary installations (although in this case temporary can be considered several months). There are two different fixing methods both of which only require heat, which you can read further about further down the page. If you require Hot Melt allow 1 Kg will per 8 studs.

Permanent Surface Mount

These are fixed into position with heat also but use only a hot melt adhesive. The stud itself is of a better quality than the temporary studs. There are two body colours available (white and yellow) and several reflector combinations available. If you require Hot Melt allow 1 Kg per 8 studs.

Permanent Inset

These require more work to install but are near indestructible during normal use. They can be driven over 1000’s of times without wearing out and are most certainly only suitable for permanent, heavy duty applications. If you require Hot Melt allow 1 Kg per inset stud.

Which Colour Of Studs Go where?

If using these on a private road or car park you will likely only require white reflectors, however, on the public highway, the position of different colours of studs is regulated tightly.

• White – These are the most commonly seen colour of stud reflector. White studs are situated on the centre line of a carriageway to separate lanes.
• Red - These indicate the left-hand side of the carriageway and show a “line that should not be crossed”.
• Green - These are used on dual carriageways and motorways to indicate a slip road entrance or a layby.
• Amber - On the motorway these indicate the central reservation or the inner edge of an exit ramp. On a one way road, they are used to indicate the right-hand side of the carriageway, which should not be crossed.

The types of Reflective Studs In More Detail

Temporary

These come with either a “self-adhesive pad” or plain. The self-adhesive pad requires the road surface be heated with a flame gun before installation. The plain version requires “hot-melt” available separately to be installed.

Permanent 290 Stud

These are fitted using “hot melt” and need a burner and heating vessel to be installed. Their installation is easy requiring a small pool of adhesive to be poured into which the stud is then pressed. There are options of body and reflector colours above. The studs are made by 3M and offer exceptional reflective performance and quality.

301 Road Studs

These are the same as the 290 stud but come pre-fitted in a steel “shoe” that offers protection to the stud from heavy traffic. These are the type most commonly seen on motorways and high use public roads. These require a large SDS drill (for small installations) or a special vehicle to install them on a large scale.

Use On Private Land

These reflective road studs have a wide array of uses outside of the public highway. They are ideal for use in ports, warehouses, loading bays and other commercial environments. They can be used to mark lanes for vehicles at night clearly, and even to outline parking spaces for HGV’s.

The 301 stud is ideal for use where large vehicles are frequently turning at slow speeds as they will not “scrub away” like conventional road paints.

Long private drives can be outlined using the reflectors ensuring that vehicles do not stray onto soft grass verges accidentally. This is especially useful in the countryside where street lighting is not typical.

If you have any questions regarding our range of reflective road studs, then please contact our sales team on 01905 794 875 to discuss your requirements and ensure you get a product that is right for your needs.