Aluminium Stair Nosing 45mm Bullnose Edge Trim for 5mm LVT Flooring

A bullnose edge that protects the plank, not just the step

Finish a staircase in 5mm luxury vinyl and the tread edge becomes the weak point. The plank's cut edge sits proud of the riser with nothing supporting it, and it rarely takes more than a season of traffic before the wear layer lifts and the core begins to chip. This profile caps that edge. A 45mm aluminium plate sits beneath the vinyl across the front of the tread, the plank butts into a 5mm rebate at the nose, and a curved bullnose front returns 19.5mm down the riser so the metal takes the impact instead of the floor covering. It is supplied in five anodised and coated finishes and three cut lengths, so a straight domestic flight or a wider commercial run can be covered without a joint in the middle of a step.

Why it works

The plate carries the load, not the adhesive

The tread plate is 45mm wide and 0.75mm thick, and it tapers to a feather edge at the back. That taper matters more than it sounds. A blunt-edged plate leaves a ridge under the vinyl that telegraphs through the wear layer and eventually cracks it, whereas a feathered edge disappears into the floor build-up and the plank lies flat over it. The top face is lightly serrated so adhesive keys into it rather than sliding across a polished surface.

A 5mm rebate, formed rather than improvised

The front lip is made to accept a 5mm plank specifically. Fit 5mm LVT into it and the plank face finishes level with the top of the nose, leaving no lip to catch a toe and no gap for grit to collect. Thinner vinyl in the same profile leaves a step down at the nose, which is why the same shape is also made in a 3mm version.

Aluminium, not a filled plastic

The body is extruded aluminium. It takes a dropped toolbox or a dragged suitcase without deforming, and the anodised and coated finishes hold their colour under the UV coming through a stairwell window. Cut ends stay crisp rather than crumbling, which matters on a trim that is nearly always cut on site.

Where it is used

This is a domestic and light-commercial trim rather than a heavy-traffic industrial nosing. It suits LVT staircases in houses and flats, communal stairs in apartment blocks, office and retail stairs finished in click vinyl, and refurbishment work where an existing timber flight is being covered rather than replaced. The shallow 19.5mm nose keeps it discreet on a domestic flight. Where a stairway carries constant public traffic, a deeper channel nosing with a bonded anti-slip insert is the better specification.

Specifications

Choosing the right option

Start with the floor covering. This profile is formed for 5mm LVT; if your planks are 3mm, the matching 3mm profile gives the same flush finish, and the 5mm version will leave the plank sitting low in the rebate.

On finish, Bright Silver is a polished, reflective anodised finish that reads as a bright line along each step and suits grey and white-washed vinyls. Matt Silver and Brushed Silver are quieter: Matt Silver is a flat satin, Brushed Silver carries a fine directional grain, and both sit more comfortably against oak-effect planks. Matt Black recedes against dark vinyl and draws a deliberate line against pale ones. Bronze is a warm mid-brown that works with walnut and darker oak tones.

On length, measure the full width of the tread and buy the next length up rather than joining mid-step. A 0.9m piece covers a standard domestic tread; 1.8m and 2.7m suit wider flights and let you cut two or three treads from one length, which is normally the cheaper route per step.

Installation, use and care

Cut to length with a fine-tooth hacksaw or a mitre saw fitted with a non-ferrous blade, then deburr the cut end. Fit the nosing before the vinyl: set the plate on the tread with the nose hard against the front edge of the step, fix down through the plate with countersunk screws into a sound substrate, then lay the plank into the 5mm rebate and bed it down. Screws and plugs are not supplied, because the right fixing depends on whether you are going into timber, ply or screed. Clean with a damp cloth and a neutral detergent, and avoid abrasive pads and solvent cleaners, which will dull an anodised finish.

Frequently asked questions

Ordering and delivery

Choose your finish and length above; each combination is priced individually, and the longer lengths work out cheaper per metre. UK delivery is charged at a single flat rate at checkout however many pieces you order, so it is worth covering the whole flight in one order. If you need a length we do not list, get in touch before ordering and we will quote for cutting to size.