Aluminium Stair Nosing 70x55mm Wide Tread Anti Slip PVC Insert

A 70mm tread plate and a 55mm riser leg make this one of the larger profiles in the heavy duty range, and it is the straightforward choice where you want a wide, clearly defined step edge without paying for a glow strip you do not need. The aluminium carrier takes a single wide PVC insert in eleven colours, on a 5mm gauge sized for contract carpet and similar commercial floor coverings. It is supplied in 1.0m lengths, which suits a domestic-width flight or lets you cut to fit on a wider commercial stair. If the staircase sits on an escape route and the edge needs to stay visible in a power cut, the photoluminescent version of this same profile is the one to specify instead.

Why it works

A wide edge does the visibility work

Contrast is what makes a step edge readable, and area matters as much as tone. A 70mm band of colour underfoot reads clearly against patterned contract carpet where a narrow strip would disappear, and the 55mm leg carries the same definition down the riser for anyone climbing. The manufacturer publishes a Light Reflectance Value for each of the eleven inserts and for the mill aluminium channel — they are in the table below — so you can choose the insert that separates furthest from your own floor and riser finishes rather than guessing. Genesis lists this profile as DDA Compliant on its datasheet; that is their statement, carried here as published, and whether a finished installation satisfies the requirement still depends on the contrast actually achieved.

The insert is the working surface

The manufacturer describes the insert as a REACH compliant flexible PVC extrusion grade made specifically for non-scuff stair nosing applications, and states a DIN 51130:2010 classification of R11 at 22.9° corrected together with BS 7976-2:2002 pendulum values of PTV 66 dry and PTV 54 wet — both comfortably clear of the 36 PTV mark the UK Slip Resistance Group treats as low slip potential. The insert face is smooth rather than textured. The carrier is 6063 aluminium to BS EN 573-3:2003 in temper T5, extruded to BS EN 755.

Where it is used

Interior commercial and public stairs where the brief is edge definition and wear protection rather than emergency wayfinding: office stairwells, schools and colleges, healthcare buildings, retail and leisure premises, libraries and community buildings. It also earns its place on refurbishment work, where a worn or chipped step edge can be covered and squared up without rebuilding the tread.

Specifications

Choosing the right option

Colour is the decision that matters, because it is what carries the contrast. The published figures run from White at 79.9 down to Black at 4.5. Against a dark carpet, White at 79.9 or Yellow at 55.7 give the widest separation; against a pale floor, Black at 4.5, Brown at 9.1 or Cobalt Blue at 9.2 do the same in reverse. Because this profile shows on both the tread and the riser, check your chosen insert against both finishes rather than only the one underfoot.

Length is fixed at 1.0m for this profile. Measure each tread, order one piece per step and cut to width on site, allowing a little for trimming. If you need a longer single piece, or you want the step edge to stay visible when the lights fail, the photoluminescent version of this profile is stocked in six lengths up to 3.22m.

Installation, use and care

Make sure the step is dry, clean, level and free of debris before you start. Mark and drill your fixing positions, plug the step, bed the nosing on a suitable adhesive and screw it down, then fit the insert or an insert pip over the screw heads. The manufacturer lists glue, screw or tape fixing; on a commercial stair a bonded and screwed fixing is the sensible combination, and a 70mm plate wants fixings at closer centres than a narrow profile.

Clean the insert with a neutral detergent and rinse with clean water, letting it dry before traffic returns. The aluminium can be brought back with steel wool or a cloth. Do not use solvent cleaners on either part.

Frequently asked questions

Does this one glow in the dark?

No. This is the plain PVC insert version — there is no photoluminescent strip, no LED channel and no electrical component of any kind. If you need the edge to stay visible in a power cut, choose the photoluminescent version of the same profile.

Can it be used outside?

The manufacturer does not publish an external rating for this insert, so we do not claim one. There is a separate external-grade version of this profile with a different insert — ask us if that is what the job calls for.

Is it DDA compliant?

The manufacturer's datasheet lists this profile as DDA Compliant and we carry that as published. Whether your finished installation satisfies the requirement also depends on the contrast achieved against your own floor and riser finishes.

What length does it come in?

1.0m, and that is the only length this profile is made in. Order one per step and cut to the tread width on site.

Ordering and delivery

Each nosing is supplied as a single 1.0m length — order one per step and allow a little extra on the width for trimming. All eleven insert colours are stocked, and UK delivery is one flat rate whatever the size of the order. If you need a different length, an external-grade insert or an anodised finish, get in touch before ordering.