Aluminium Stair Nosing 30x30mm Ribbed

When the front edge of a stair tread starts to go — carpet fraying at the nose, laminate chipping where every foot lands — a slim aluminium angle is usually the least disruptive repair available. This 30 x 30mm nosing fits over the finished tread and wraps the riser below it, covering the damaged edge and taking the traffic from that point on. Fine ribbing is extruded into both faces, so the top gives grip underfoot and the front gives a visible edge marker on the way down. At 30mm on each face it is a domestic-scale profile: it tidies a staircase rather than dominating it. Gold or silver anodised, 910mm and 1820mm lengths, and a choice of screw-fixed or self-adhesive.

Why it works

An equal-sided angle covers two surfaces at once

The profile is a true right angle with 30mm on the tread and 30mm on the riser, so a single length protects the horizontal wear face and the vertical edge that takes kicks and vacuum knocks. A tread-only strip leaves the riser exposed; this one does not, and because both legs are the same depth it reads as a deliberate detail from above and from below.

Ribbing on both faces, not just the tread

Close-pitched ribs run the full length of the top face and the front face, and the lower lip of the front face is finely serrated. The ribbing on the tread is what your foot meets, breaking up a smooth metal surface that would otherwise be slick under a leather sole. The ribbing on the riser catches light differently from the flat floor covering either side of it, which helps the edge of each step stand out. The manufacturer describes the ribbed surface as non-slip but publishes no slip-resistance rating, R value or pendulum figure for this line — see the specification table below.

Two ways to fix it, same profile

The screw-fixed version arrives with pre-drilled countersunk holes and a set of four screws: you mark through the holes, drill, and drive the screws into the tread. The self-adhesive version is the same extrusion with a factory-applied adhesive backing, for stairs where you would rather not put fixings into the tread at all — a rented flat, a hollow or tiled step, or a finish you do not want to pierce. Screw-fixing is the more durable of the two on a busy flight; adhesive is quicker, reversible with heat, and leaves nothing to countersink.

Anodising rather than paint

The gold and silver finishes are anodised, meaning the colour sits in a hardened oxide layer grown into the aluminium rather than in a coating laid on top. Anodising does not chip off the leading edge the way a lacquer does, and it keeps its appearance under cleaning.

Where it's used

Domestic staircases are the common case: a carpeted flight where the nosing has flattened, a laminate or LVT stair that was laid without a proper edge trim, or a single step between rooms that keeps catching toes. It is also used in flats, HMOs and small offices where a communal stair needs tidying between tenancies without taking the covering up. The manufacturer lists it for carpet, laminate and LVT.

Specifications

Choosing the right option

Start with length. Measure the full width of the tread, including any string or skirting return, and work out which bar wastes less across the whole flight. A standard domestic stair is usually 850–900mm wide, so the 910mm bar covers one step with almost nothing to trim; the 1820mm bar takes two of those steps from a single length, or suits a wider communal stair.

Then the fixing. Choose screw-fix for a busy flight, a timber tread you can drill, or anywhere the nosing has to survive being kicked for years. Choose self-adhesive where you cannot or would rather not drill — tiled or concrete treads, rented property, or a floor finish you do not want to pierce. The profile, dimensions and price are the same either way.

Then the finish. Silver is the safer choice against grey and cool-toned carpets, LVT and painted white risers. Gold sits better with oak, walnut and warm beige, and is the one people reach for on a period staircase with brass stair rods already fitted.

Check the depth before you order. Thirty millimetres is a light-duty domestic dimension. If the flight is a public or commercial stair, if you need a defined contrasting nose for a building-regulations submission, or if you want a replaceable anti-slip insert, this is not the profile — look at our heavy-duty and insert-carrying nosings instead.

Installation, use and care

Fit it over the finished floor covering, not underneath it. Cut to width with a fine-tooth hacksaw or a mitre saw with a non-ferrous blade, then deburr the cut end with a file. Take the ends in a few millimetres from the string so the profile does not foul the skirting.

For the screw-fixed version, offer the length up, mark through the pre-drilled countersunk holes, drill and plug the tread if you are fixing into concrete or stone, then drive the supplied screws down until the heads sit flush in the countersinks. For the self-adhesive version, the surface must be clean, dry and free of dust or polish — wipe it down with a solvent cleaner, peel the backing, set the profile down accurately first time and press the full length firmly along both faces. Afterwards it needs nothing more than a damp cloth; avoid abrasive creams and bleach-based cleaners, which will dull an anodised surface.

Frequently asked questions

Does this go on top of the carpet or underneath it?

On top. It is a retro-fit profile: you fit the covering first, then fix the nosing down over the finished tread edge. That is why it can be fitted to an existing staircase without lifting anything.

What is the difference between the screw-fix and self-adhesive versions?

Only the fixing. Same extrusion, same 30 x 30mm dimensions, same ribbing, same two finishes and the same price. The screw-fix version comes with pre-drilled countersunk holes and four screws; the self-adhesive version has a factory-applied adhesive backing and needs no drilling.

Why 910mm and 1820mm rather than a round metre?

These are the manufacturer's standard bar lengths — three feet and six feet in old money. The 910mm bar covers a typical 850–900mm domestic tread with a small trim; the 1820mm bar does two of them.

Can I use it outside?

The manufacturer does not list this profile for external use and publishes no weathering or exterior rating for it. It is specified for interior floor coverings — carpet, laminate and LVT. If you need an outdoor step edge, choose a profile that is sold and rated for it.

Is it DDA compliant or rated for slip resistance?

No such claim is published for this line. The manufacturer describes the ribbed surface as non-slip, but there is no pendulum test value, R value or Part K or Part M statement available, and we do not assert one on their behalf. It is a domestic edge-protection trim with a ribbed surface, not a rated anti-slip nosing.

Ordering and delivery

Order the number of individual bars you need — each variant is priced per piece, not per metre. If you are unsure how many a flight needs, send us the tread width and the number of steps and we will work it out with you before you order. Stock moves between our suppliers, so if a finish, length or fixing shows as unavailable, get in touch and we will tell you the lead time rather than leaving you guessing.

View our complete range of stair nosing profiles — aluminium, rubber and PVC options for every application.