Aluminium Stair Nosing 57mm x 33mm with Rubber Insert, 2.7m Length

Refurbishing a stairwell rarely means taking the treads up. More often the structure is sound and it is the step edge that has gone — vinyl lifting at the nose, a worn arris on concrete, no contrast where the tread meets the drop. This profile is the retro-fit answer: an extruded aluminium step edge that sits on top of the finished floor covering rather than under it, wraps the nose in anodised metal, and carries a grooved black rubber insert across the tread face where the foot lands. It screws down through the channel, and the insert presses in over the fixings to hide them. One 2.7m length, anodised matt silver.

Why it works

The aluminium takes the wear the covering cannot

A step nose fails before the rest of the tread because it takes the load of a descending foot on a narrow line. Aluminium is dimensionally stable indoors, will not swell or split, and holds a clean edge under traffic that would round off timber or tear sheet vinyl. The bullnosed front turns down over the riser, so the vulnerable corner is covered rather than merely capped.

The ramp is what makes it retro-fit

The back edge is drawn out into a thin tapered ramp rather than a square shoulder. That taper is why the profile fits over an existing covering: it feathers down onto the surface instead of standing proud of it, giving a degree of movement to take up the thickness of vinyl or LVT, and removing the trip lip a square-edged profile leaves on a finished floor.

The insert does the gripping, and can be renewed

A 25mm black rubber insert sits recessed in the channel, grooved across its width. Rubber gives a compressible, textured landing at the moment of highest slip risk, and the grooves shed water and grit rather than holding it. Being a separate component, it can be replaced when it wears without lifting the aluminium or disturbing the fixings.

• Anodised aluminium step edge, retro-fit over the finished covering
• Grooved 25mm black rubber insert across the tread face
• Tapered ramp back edge suits vinyl and LVT
• Pre-drilled and countersunk; screws and plugs supplied

Where it's used

Commercial and communal stairs above all: office and warehouse stairwells, school and college circulation stairs, hospital and care-home flights, apartment block common stairs, retail back-of-house. It suits refurbishment where a vinyl or LVT covering is being renewed, and any flight specified for a hard screw-fixed nose rather than a stick-down strip.

Specifications

Choosing the right option

This profile is stocked in one specification: anodised matt silver, black insert, 2.7m. The only sizing decision is how many pieces you need. Measure the finished tread width string to string and work out what each 2.7m length yields — a commercial flight of 1.0m to 1.2m treads gives two steps per length with an offcut, a domestic flight around 850mm gives three. Count the steps, divide, round up: the profile is cut down on site, never joined out. Check the 57mm tread projection against your going first, as on a shallow tread it eats into usable depth. The manufacturer offers bespoke powder coating in over 350 finishes to special order; this listing is the standard anodised silver.

Installation, use and care

Lay the floor covering first and let any adhesive cure. Cut the profile to the tread width with a fine-tooth blade in a mitre saw or hacksaw, then file the cut end. Prise the insert out before fixing. Dry-fit over the edge, mark through the pre-drilled holes at 180mm centres, drill and plug the substrate, then screw down with the M3.5 x 25mm screws supplied. Press the insert back in from one end to conceal the screw heads. Clean with warm water and a neutral detergent; avoid solvents and abrasive pads, which dull the anodised surface.

FAQ

Does this fit over an existing floor covering?
Yes. It is a retro-fit profile: it sits on top of the finished covering and the tapered back edge feathers down onto it, taking up the thickness of vinyl or LVT without leaving a lip.

Are screws included?
Yes. The channel arrives pre-drilled and countersunk at 180mm centres, and plugs with DIN 7050 M3.5 x 25mm screws are supplied. For an unusual substrate, use countersunk screws sized to that material instead.

Can the rubber insert be replaced when it wears?
Yes. It presses into a channel and can be prised out and a new one pressed back in, so a worn insert is changed without lifting the aluminium profile or disturbing its fixings.

Is a slip resistance rating published?
No. A tested R value or pendulum figure is not published for this line, and nor is a fire classification. Where a specification demands a certified rating, choose a nosing supplied with test data.

Ordering and delivery

Order by the number of 2.7m lengths your flight needs, and buy the whole staircase in one order where you can — long profiles travel on a specialist carrier and one consignment costs considerably less than several. Allow for the plus or minus 5mm tolerance when cutting to a tight reveal.