External GRP Stair Nosing 98x40mm Bullnose Aluminium, 1m & 2m

External steps are where slip claims start. Rain, frost, spilled diesel on a loading bay, mud carried off a yard — the surface that was fine in August is lethal in January, and the front edge of the step is where the foot lands. This 98mm bullnose stair nosing is the external version of a heavy-duty commercial profile: the same 5mm gauge aluminium extrusion capping the tread and the top of the riser in one piece, but fitted with two bands of gritted GRP rather than PVC. The grit is a hard aggregate bonded into a glass-reinforced carrier, so it keeps biting when the step is wet and does not polish smooth the way a ribbed plastic insert does under boots and trolley wheels.

Why it works

Grit where the foot lands. Two 37.25mm GRP bands cover roughly 75mm of the 98mm tread, so grip is not confined to a token strip at the nose. Outdoors people plant the whole foot on the front of the tread, especially descending in the wet, and the second band is what catches them.

Aluminium body, replaceable inserts. The extrusion carries the load and will not rust, rot or swell. The GRP bands are the wearing part and slide out from the end without lifting the nosing — which matters on a stair that has grit blown across it all winter.

The bullnose front. A rounded edge sheds water and dirt from the joint between nosing and riser instead of trapping it, and takes a knock from a pallet truck better than a square arris. The riser leg drops 35mm behind the curve, giving 40mm of cover down the face of the step.

Colour where you need contrast. The two channels can take different colours. A yellow front band with a black rear band gives the high-visibility step edge that inspectors look for on plant and service stairs, without making the whole tread yellow.

Where it's used

Fire escapes and external service stairs, loading bays and yard steps, plant rooms and rooftop access, school walkways, car park and stadium steps, and any flight that stays wet through a British winter. It also suits indoor areas that are washed down — kitchens, wash bays, changing rooms — because the grit keeps working with water on it.

Specifications

Choosing the right option

Pick the colour pair for the job rather than the look. Yellow with black is the high-visibility combination for plant, service and fire-escape stairs, and the one to specify where a risk assessment has flagged the flight. Yellow with yellow is the most conspicuous and suits steps that are genuinely hard to see. Grey with grey is discreet enough for public and education buildings. Black with black is the default for commercial entrances, where the step edge should read as a dark line.

On length, order the bar closest to the step width and cut down rather than joining two pieces mid-tread. Wider than 2m, the extrusion runs to 3.2m and can be cut to size before dispatch. If the going needs more than 98mm of cover, a GRP tread extender clips into the interlocking back edge, and matching gritted sheet is available for the landing.

Installation, use and care

Fix to a clean, sound substrate and make sure the tread falls away from the building so water does not stand behind the profile. Bars are drilled for size 8 countersunk screws: plug and screw into concrete or screw direct into timber, bedding on exterior-grade flexible adhesive where the step is uneven. Cut with a fine-tooth blade and deburr. Sweep regularly — loose sand on top of the infill is what reduces grip in practice — and wash with water and a neutral detergent. Avoid solvent cleaners and a pressure washer close to the GRP bands.

Questions

Can I have different colours in the two channels? Yes. The four combinations listed are the ones held as standard; other pairings can be quoted.

How does GRP compare with a ribbed PVC insert? GRP is coarser and keeps its grip when wet, so it is the external choice. PVC is kinder underfoot and comes in far more colours, which is why it is used inside.

Is this the same profile as the indoor 98x40mm nosing? Yes - identical extrusion and fixing, different infill. If you are matching an internal flight to an external one, the two sit flush with each other.

Ordering and delivery

Choose the colour pair and bar length above. Screws and plugs are not included, as fixings suit the substrate. Orders go on a tracked service, longer bars on a dedicated length service. For a cut-to-size schedule, a GRP tread extender or matching gritted sheet, send the details and we will quote them together.