A high-visibility step edge for stairs that take real traffic
If you look after a stairwell in a school, a plant room, a care home or a busy back-of-house corridor, the step edge is where the wear and the accidents happen. This flexible PVC nosing covers 55mm of tread and drops a 40mm skirt over the riser lip, so the whole vulnerable corner of the step is wrapped in one piece of moulded profile. The yellow caution edge is moulded into the nose radius itself, so the colour break is part of the extrusion rather than a tape stuck on top. It bonds down with adhesive, cuts with a knife, and goes onto timber, concrete, tile or laminate steps without any track, clip or screw.
Why it works
The grooves do the gripping
Four semicircular grooves run the length of the tread face, set into the thicker front section where feet actually land. The manufacturer describes this as an anti-slip texture, states the profile carries a higher groove count than comparable products, and says the groove design is what keeps it simple to clean. No slip-resistance figure is published for this line, so if your specification calls for a stated pendulum or R value, ask us and we will put the request to the manufacturer before you order.
Flexible, with shape memory
The profile is extruded from what the manufacturer calls a special PVC blend, described as highly adaptable with shape memory. In practice it will take up a step edge that is slightly out of true, a rounded arris or a step front that has chipped, and spring back rather than staying kinked in transit. The manufacturer also states the material is free from substances harmful to humans and pets, and that the profile protects the step edge against mechanical wear and tear.
One piece, no visible fixings
The skirt covers the riser lip and the rear of the tread leg feathers down to a thin edge, so the finished job reads as a clean band on the step rather than a strip bolted to it. There is no channel and no separate insert to specify or replace.
- 55mm tread face with four moulded anti-slip grooves
- 40mm flexible skirt covering the riser lip
- Yellow caution edge moulded into the nose radius
- Bonded with adhesive or tape — no screws, no track
- Feathered rear edge for a low-profile transition onto the tread
- Supplied in 1.1m, 1.5m and 2.0m lengths
Where it is used
Straight step edges on interior stairs and level changes: school and college stairwells, hospital and care-home service stairs, office back-stairs, stockrooms, plant rooms, workshop steps and residential lofts or cellars. The yellow nose earns its place anywhere lighting is poor or a single step catches people out — a stage edge, a raised platform, a threshold into a store.
Specifications
| Specification |
Detail |
| Material |
Flexible PVC |
| Tread size |
55mm |
| Riser / skirt size |
40mm |
| Colour |
Black with a yellow caution edge moulded into the nose |
| Nosing edge shape |
Straight |
| Channel or insert |
None — the tread face is moulded, not inserted |
| Fixing method |
Bonded — assembly adhesive or double-sided tape |
| Lengths |
1.1m, 1.5m, 2.0m |
| Suitable substrates |
Timber, concrete, tile, laminate and other clean, even step surfaces |
| Location |
Interior use — no exterior, UV or weathering rating is published for this line |
| Slip resistance (PTV / R value) |
Not published for this line |
| Fire rating |
Not published for this line |
| Light reflectance value (LRV) |
Not published for this line |
| Dimensional tolerance |
Up to ±5mm, in line with the manufacturer's stated tolerances |
Choosing the right length
Measure the full width of the step and buy the next length up, then trim to fit — the profile cuts cleanly with a sharp knife. A domestic flight of 850–900mm is covered by the 1.1m; commercial stairs of 1.2–1.4m take the 1.5m; and 1.6–1.9m institutional stairs take the 2.0m. Wider than 2.0m, butt two pieces and keep the joint off the walking line. Check the tread depth as well as the width: the profile needs a flat, unobstructed 55mm band behind the nose, and the 40mm skirt should sit clear of any riser moulding already on the step.
Installation, use and care
Work at room temperature; if the profile has been stored somewhere cold, the manufacturer advises warming it with warm air or water first so it lies flat. Check the step surface is clean, dry and even, then trim the profile to the exact width of the step. Apply assembly adhesive suited to the substrate to the top surface of the profile only — the manufacturer is specific that the vertical lip should not be glued, so the skirt stays free to flex. Press down firmly along the full length and let the adhesive cure before the stair goes back into use. After that it is maintenance-free.
Frequently asked questions
Is the yellow strip an insert I can replace?
No. It is moulded into the nose radius as part of the extrusion, so there is no channel, no insert and nothing to clip out or re-order — and the colour cannot peel or lift the way an applied tape can.
Can I screw this profile down instead of gluing it?
The manufacturer specifies a bonded fixing and gives no screw-fixing detail or hole pattern. Screwing through flexible PVC risks dimpling the tread face, so if you need a mechanically fixed nosing, ask us about the aluminium ranges instead.
Will it work on an external step?
We would not specify it outdoors. The manufacturer publishes no exterior, UV or weathering rating for this line and does not list it among external profiles, so for outside steps choose a nosing the maker rates for exterior use.
Will it follow a step edge that is not perfectly straight?
Within reason. The manufacturer describes the blend as highly adaptable with shape memory, so it takes up a rounded arris or a chipped step front. It is intended for straight step endings, though, and will not bend around a curved or splayed tread on plan.
Ordering and delivery
Every length is priced and sold individually, so you can mix 1.1m, 1.5m and 2.0m pieces in one order and cut them to width on site. UK mainland delivery is a single flat rate of £9.99 per order, however many lengths you buy. Dimensions can vary by up to ±5mm in line with the manufacturer's stated tolerances, so cut on site rather than pre-cutting a whole flight to one measurement.
View our complete range of stair nosing profiles — aluminium, rubber and PVC options for every application.
