Need help choosing?
Talk to our team about sizes, finishes and fixing.
When a commercial staircase starts to show wear at the step edge, the nosing is the cheapest part of the problem to put right and the most important one to get right. This 70 x 40 mm aluminium bullnose is the profile that gets specified on stairs taking real traffic — school circulation cores, hospital corridors, office stairwells, retail and leisure back-of-house. The 70 mm tread plate lays a wide, unmistakable band across the front of every step, and the 40 mm bullnose leg curls down over the riser to protect the arris underneath. A coloured anti-slip PVC insert fills most of that tread width, so the edge reads clearly from above whether the covering is carpet, laminate, LVT or tile. Eleven insert colours, six stock lengths, one profile.
The channel is a 5 mm gauge aluminium extrusion in alloy 6063 to (DIN) EN 755, with composition to BS EN 573-3:2003. That wall thickness is what separates a heavy duty nosing from a domestic one: it takes trolley wheels, grit and school shoes without the leading edge deforming, and it holds its shape when the floor covering around it is lifted and replaced. The bullnose front is a rolled curve rather than a square arris, which spreads impact and is more forgiving underfoot than a hard 90° edge.
Slip resistance comes from the PVC insert, not the metal. The standard PVC insert is rated R11 to DIN 51130:2010 on the inclined platform test (22.9°, corrected, averaged over six shod results) and achieves PTV 66 dry and PTV 54 wet on the pendulum test to BS 7976-2:2002. The UK Slip Resistance Group treats PTV 36 and above as low slip potential. The material is a REACH-compliant flexible PVC extrusion grade developed specifically for non-scuff stair nosing use, so the insert resists the scuffing that dulls a painted or taped edge within months.
Step-edge visibility is a light reflectance value calculation, and every insert colour in this range has a published LRV: White 79.9, Yellow 55.7, Canvas 53.2, Ice Grey 42.1, Beige 41.1, Dolphin Grey 27.6, Midnight Grey 12.8, Red 10.6, Cobalt Blue 9.2, Brown 9.1, Black 4.5. The mill-finish aluminium channel is quoted at 78.9. The profile is designed in accordance with BS 8300:2009+A1:2010 and designed with DDA considerations and building regulations in mind. Check the LRV difference against your own tread finish before you specify.
Internal staircases in buildings that stay open: primary and secondary schools, further education blocks, NHS and private healthcare corridors, office cores and stairwells, hotels, retail shop floors and stockrooms, libraries, leisure centres and transport concourses. It suits both new build and refurbishment — on a refit the wide tread plate covers the scarred strip left behind by a previous nosing, which is often what makes a like-for-like replacement possible without re-screeding.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Profile size | 70 mm tread x 40 mm riser |
| Edge shape | Bullnose |
| Channel | Single PVC insert channel |
| Material | Aluminium extrusion, alloy 6063 |
| Gauge | 5 mm |
| Finish | Mill finish aluminium; anodising available on request |
| Insert colours | White, Black, Brown, Beige, Canvas, Red, Dolphin Grey, Ice Grey, Midnight Grey, Yellow, Cobalt Blue |
| Slip resistance | R11 (DIN 51130:2010) |
| Pendulum test | PTV 66 dry / PTV 54 wet (BS 7976-2:2002) |
| Standards | Designed in accordance with BS 8300:2009+A1:2010 |
| Environment | Internal use. A separate Tredsafe insert version is available for external and wet areas |
| Stock lengths | 2.46 m, 2.77 m and 3.22 m; 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m cut from stock |
| Suitable floor finishes | Carpet, laminate, LVT, tile |
| Fixing | Glue, screw or tape |
| Fire and smoke data | Not published for this profile |
Start with the length. This profile comes in 2.46 m, 2.77 m and 3.22 m stock bars; the 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m rungs are cut from those. If your stair is wider than 3.22 m you are joining two pieces, so plan the joint to fall away from the centre line of travel. Next, the colour. If the nosing is there for accessibility rather than decoration, pick the insert whose LRV differs most from the tread covering — White at 79.9 against a dark carpet, or Black at 4.5 against a pale tile, are the two extremes. Yellow at 55.7 is the usual choice where the requirement is high visibility rather than subtle contrast. If the stair is outside, under a canopy or anywhere it gets wet, this is the wrong profile: ask us for the Tredsafe-insert version instead. And if you want a photoluminescent strip for escape routes, we list a 70 x 40 mm bullnose with one.
The steps need to be dry, clean and level before you start. The correct method is to drill and plug the tread, run adhesive on the underside of the profile, screw it down, then press the PVC insert into the channel so it covers the screw heads — glue, screw or tape are all acceptable fixing methods. Cut with a fine-tooth blade and de-burr the ends. Clean with a neutral detergent and dry the treads before returning them to traffic. Do not use solvent cleaners on the aluminium.
No. This is the internal specification. A separate version of the same 70 x 40 mm profile is available with a Tredsafe insert for external and wet environments — contact us and we will quote it.
The standard PVC insert is rated R11 to DIN 51130:2010, with a pendulum result of PTV 66 dry and PTV 54 wet to BS 7976-2:2002. Those figures are for the insert material, not a test on an installed stair.
Fixings are not supplied. The substrate decides what you need — plugs and screws into concrete or screed, direct screws into timber — so most contractors buy them to suit the job.
The one furthest in LRV from your tread finish. The published per-colour LRV figures are listed above; run the difference against your own floor covering rather than choosing by eye.
Yes. The profile can be cut to size on request, and it can also be anodised for a project. Send us the cutting list and we will price it.
Choose your insert colour and length above; every combination is priced individually. Stock lengths ship on a pallet or bar carrier and longer bars travel on a two-day service. If you need a cutting list, a non-standard length or an anodised finish, email us before you order and we will confirm the lead time in writing.
View our complete range of stair nosing profiles — aluminium, rubber and PVC options for every application.
| Service | Timeframe | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Standard UK Delivery | 2 working days from dispatch | £9.99 |
Orders placed by 2pm (UK time) on a working day are dispatched the same day. Orders placed after 2pm or on non-working days are dispatched the next working day. Delivery takes 2 working days from dispatch. Working days are Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. UK delivery costs £9.99. Contact us for international enquiries.
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.
Overall rating: 5.0 / 5 from 6 reviews.
Had to sort out the worn-down flooring at the entrance of a high-traffic area in our community centre. This bullnose profile was just right, especially for handling constant use without losing its firmness. Fitted directly on the polished concrete steps; took a bit of work but looks neat and seems robust under all conditions.
Aluminium Stair Nosing 70x40mm Bullnose, Anti-Slip PVC Insert, 11 Colours
Arrived quickly, well-packed and damage-free. Installed these runners on our fire escape steps outside my workplace and they’ve been a lifesaver in wet conditions. The pvc stair nosing really grips underfoot, even after heavy rainfall, keeping the crew steady during busy shift changes.
Aluminium Stair Nosing 70x40mm Bullnose, Anti-Slip PVC Insert, 11 Colours
Wasnt entirely convinced about getting these for our little job at home, but figured it was worth a try. Delivery was prompt and the packaging was so secure that even Superman couldnt have damaged it! The pvc aluminium stair nosing worked its charm on the worn-out edges in our hallway entrance, giving them a new lease of life, and theyve held up perfectly despite constant foot traffic. All in all, really pleased with how everything turned out.
Aluminium Stair Nosing 70x40mm Bullnose, Anti-Slip PVC Insert, 11 Colours
Put it in where the stair nosings had completely worn out, and wow, its holding up brilliantly after a busy few months! Weve got plenty of traffic through here daily with staff coming and going, and the grips as good as new. Really impressed with how cleanly it fit onto the wooden steps—easy install, no hassle.
Aluminium Stair Nosing 70x40mm Bullnose, Anti-Slip PVC Insert, 11 Colours
Got this for our office staircase and wow, what a difference the stair nosing makes! It adds such a sleek finish to the marble steps that pop under those dim lights. Plus, it feels incredibly sturdy when people take the stairs during peak hours.
Aluminium Stair Nosing 70x40mm Bullnose, Anti-Slip PVC Insert, 11 Colours
Pleasantly surprised. The stair nosing was quite easy to cut to size with a basic hacksaw, fitting snugly along our well-trodden school steps. Despite plenty of foot traffic and the British drizzle, it seems built to handle it all without a fuss. A practical fix that looked after itself once fitted!
Aluminium Stair Nosing 70x40mm Bullnose, Anti-Slip PVC Insert, 11 Colours
