Aluminium Stair Nosing 70x32mm Square Edge, Single Anti-Slip Insert

A square-edged stair nosing for steps that already have a square nose

If you are specifying edge protection for a concrete, timber or screeded stair whose steps finish in a clean square nose, this is the profile that fits it without packing, scribing or compromise. The tread plate is 70mm wide and the front face drops a full 32mm down the riser, so you get a generous anti-slip band underfoot and a visible edge from the top of the flight. It is extruded from 6000-series aluminium alloy at a 3.5mm gauge — the weight you want under trolley wheels and steel-capped boots, not the thin domestic sections that dent on the first delivery round.

The single channel carries one wide PVC insert. You choose the insert colour and the finish of the metal separately, which is what lets you hit an access statement on contrast without giving up the look the architect drew.

Why it works

The 32mm face does the visual work

A stair edge only helps if a descending user can see it. Because the front face is 32mm deep rather than a token lip, the insert colour reads from above on the going and the metal reads from below on the riser. The manufacturer publishes a light reflectance value for every insert colour in the range, and its guidance notes that a minimum 30-point LRV difference between adjacent surfaces is advised — the figure access statements are normally written around under the Equality Act 2010. With values running from Premium Black at 4.48 to White at 73.69, you can build that difference deliberately instead of hoping a mid-grey happens to contrast with a mid-grey floor.

Tested slip performance, stated by the manufacturer

The manufacturer's stair nosing safety documentation pack includes a BS 7976-2 pendulum test carried out by Floor Safe Ltd (report FS10174, September 2015, Four-S slider) on a linished stair tread sample. It reports 70 PTV dry and 58 PTV wet, both classified low slip potential against the HSE and UK Slip Resistance Group scale, where 0–24 is high risk, 25–35 moderate and 36 or above low. We carry those figures as the manufacturer states them; we have not tested the profile ourselves.

Built to be replaced, not ripped out

The insert sits in its own channel. When a busy flight wears the band flat after years of traffic, the insert is what gets renewed — the aluminium carrier and its fixings stay where they are.

Where it's used

Office and education stairwells, hospital and health centre circulation, retail and leisure, apartment blocks and student accommodation, plant rooms and back-of-house steps — anywhere with a square-nosed step and a hard floor finish. For a nose that is raked back or rounded to a bullnose, the geometry is wrong; use the matching profile instead.

Specifications

Choosing the right option

Start with the step, not the colour. This profile suits a square step nose; if yours is raked or bullnosed, the wrong profile will rock on the edge and leave a void under the front face.

Then choose the insert on contrast rather than taste. Take the LRV of the floor covering that runs up to the nosing and pick an insert at least 30 points away from it: Premium Black (4.48), Dark Blue (5.06) or Dark Green (7.96) against a pale floor; White (73.69), Oyster (58.10) or Yellow (55.35) against a dark one. Hazard, the black and yellow band, is the choice where a step needs to be flagged as a hazard in its own right — plant rooms, loading bays, single steps in a level corridor. It carries a manufacturer surcharge, which is why those variants price higher.

Finish last. Mill Finish is the standard and the most economical; the anodised and mirrored finishes cost more and are specified to match ironmongery or balustrade. Measure the going and take the next stock length up — all three lengths cut down on site.

Installation, use and care

Fix to a clean, sound, dry substrate: drilled and screwed through the tread plate into plugs, or bonded with a construction adhesive where drilling is not wanted. On a refurbishment the floor covering is laid up to and over the ramped rear edge. Cut to length with a fine-tooth blade and de-burr the ends. Clean with warm water and a neutral detergent. Keep abrasive pads, solvents, bleach and acidic cleaners away from both the insert and the anodised and mirrored finishes.

Frequently asked questions

Will this fit a raked or bullnosed step?

No. The rear leg of this profile is cut for a square step nose. On a raked step it will sit proud at the front with a void behind the face, and on a bullnose it will rock. We stock matching raked and bullnose profiles in the same 70mm tread size.

Are the inserts replaceable?

Yes. The insert is a separate PVC strip held in the channel and can be renewed without lifting the aluminium carrier, which is the usual reason this style of nosing outlasts a one-piece moulded edging.

Is it suitable for outdoor steps?

The PVC inserts on this listing are the manufacturer's internal range. The manufacturer states the profile also accepts its Exterior insert, a GRP grit insert made for weather exposure — ask us and we will quote that build instead.

Why is Hazard more expensive than the plain colours?

The manufacturer applies a per-metre surcharge to the Hazard insert on top of the base rate, and we carry it through. It is priced from the same list as every other option here.

Ordering and delivery

Every combination of finish, insert colour and length on this page is priced from the manufacturer's current trade list. If you need a length, colour or finish that is not shown, or a quantity for a whole building, contact us and we will confirm availability and lead time. Cut-to-size and site surveys are available on request.