Aluminium Stair Nosing 70mm Rake Back | Anti-Slip GRP Grit Insert

Why this profile works

The rake is the whole point

Most nosings assume a square riser. On older concrete flights, on steel stringers and across a lot of 1960s and 1970s public buildings, the riser leans back under the tread. Fit a square-back nosing there and the leg stands proud or has to be packed out behind, leaving a hollow that flexes underfoot and works its fixings loose. The 32mm leg here is cut to the rake, so it beds against the riser face along its length and the nosing is supported rather than cantilevered.

One wide insert, not a token strip

The channel takes one continuous band of insert across most of the 70mm tread — where the foot actually lands on the way down. A single wide channel also means one bonded joint to fail rather than two, and no narrow rib between channels to polish smooth under traffic. Exterior Grip is the coarser insert family made for this profile, specified where the stair sees wet shoes: entrance steps, external fire escapes, and internal flights that take weather in off the street.

The numbers that matter on a wet stair

The Exterior Grip insert is not a PVC strip. It is a gel-coated GRP panel with fused alumina or quartz grit bedded in at the wet stage of manufacture, so the grit is part of the sheet rather than a coating sitting on top of it. The manufacturer's data sheet gives TRL pendulum values of above 95 dry and above 85 wet, against an interpretation table where 36 and over already counts as low slip potential. It also publishes 193 MPa flexural strength and 123 MPa tensile strength, and rates the material General Purpose (GP) grade for fire resistance.

Contrast you can put in an access statement

The Equality Act 2010 pushes specifiers to demonstrate contrast between adjacent surfaces, and the accepted measure is Light Reflectance Value, with a minimum 30-point difference advised. The manufacturer publishes LRVs for this insert range: Coal at 5.09 and Brimstone at 54.24. That is a 49-point spread, so whichever way your tread falls on the scale, one of them clears the guidance comfortably. Ask us for the LRV sheet if you need it for a submission.

3.5mm of aluminium

The plate is 3.5mm gauge extruded alloy — thick enough to take trolley wheels and ladder feet without dishing between fixings, and it will not rust where the insert lets water through.

Where it is used

Refurbishment of concrete flights in schools, colleges and health centres. Office and apartment communal stairs where LVT or engineered timber runs to the step edge. Warehouse and plant-room access stairs. External entrance steps and covered walkways. It suits vinyl, LVT, wood and other hard flooring; it is not a carpet profile.

Specification

Choosing the right option

Check the riser first. Hold a square against the step. If the riser leans back, this rakeback profile is correct. If it drops plumb you want a square-back nosing instead — ask us and we will point you at the right one rather than sell you this.

Then the length. Measure the widest flight and take the next stock length up; all three cut down on site. A 2.44m bar covers most apartment flights, 2.75m suits standard commercial widths, and 3.22m covers wide public stairs or yields two narrow treads from one bar.

Insert colour is a safety decision, not a styling one. Brimstone is amber-yellow at LRV 54.24 and gives the strongest contrast on dark and mid-tone floors. Coal is near-black at LRV 5.09 and reads best against pale treads. Everest is a light neutral grey. Contrast is what makes the step edge visible, and what an access statement asks you to evidence — choose the insert that fights your floor, not the one that matches it.

Finish last. Mill Finish is untreated aluminium and the usual commercial choice. Satin Black and Dark Bronze recede into dark schemes; Satin Gold and Mirrorflect Gold suit interiors where the metal is meant to be seen.

Installation, use and care

Lay the floor covering first, up to where the back edge of the plate will sit. Cut the profile 2–3mm short of the tread width so it is not forced in. Drill through the plate at roughly 300mm centres and 75mm in from each end, then fix with countersunk screws and plugs suited to the substrate — masonry anchors into concrete, standard screws into timber. Bed the angled leg against the riser as you tighten so it pulls in flat. Clean with a damp mop and neutral detergent, avoid abrasive pads and solvent cleaners on the coloured finishes, and clear grit out of the insert texture regularly — trapped grit is what wears an anti-slip surface smooth.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know whether I need a rakeback nosing?

Hold a set square or spirit level against the riser. If it slopes backwards under the tread, you need a rakeback profile like this one. If it is vertical, a square-back nosing is correct and this one will not sit flush.

Can it be used outside?

Yes. Exterior Grip is the insert family made for exposed and wet conditions, and the aluminium carrier does not corrode. The manufacturer's data sheet gives TRL pendulum values above 95 dry and above 85 wet, where anything over 36 is rated low slip potential, and the GRP has minimal thermal movement so it will not bow in temperature extremes.

Will it cover a worn or chipped step edge?

Within reason. The plate covers 70mm of tread and the leg covers 32mm of riser, so it hides ordinary edge wear. Badly spalled concrete should be made good with a repair mortar first, or there is nothing solid for the fixings to bite into.

Can I cut it to length myself?

Yes. Use a mitre saw with a non-ferrous or fine-tooth blade and file the cut edge. Cut through the aluminium and insert together rather than removing the insert first.

Ordering and delivery

All 45 combinations — five finishes by three insert colours by three lengths — are listed and priced individually above. Profiles ship as full stock-length bars for cutting on site. For project quantities or a colour not listed, send us the drawings and we will price it.