Aluminium Stair Nosing 85mm Rake Back | Twin Anti-Slip GRP Inserts

Why this profile works

Two channels, 85mm of coverage

A single-channel nosing protects the arris and little else. On an 85mm plate you can run two insert bands separated by a narrow aluminium rib, which roughly doubles the grip area and gives you a second line of defence when the front band starts to polish. It also reads more clearly as a step edge from above, which matters on a wide flight where people are moving fast.

The rake is not optional

This is a rakeback profile. The back leg is cut at an angle to bed against a riser that leans back under the tread, which is how most older concrete flights and steel-stringer stairs are built. On a plumb riser it will not sit flush — you want a square-back profile instead, and we would rather point you at one than take the order.

The numbers that matter on a wet stair

The Exterior Grip insert fitted here 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 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, measured as 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 — a 49-point spread, so whichever way your floor falls on the scale one of them clears the guidance comfortably. Ask us for the LRV sheet if you need it for a submission.

Where it is used

Wide public stair flights in schools, colleges, hospitals and civic buildings. Transport and leisure buildings where footfall is heavy and wet. Office and apartment communal stairs finished in sheet vinyl or lino. External entrance steps and covered walkways. Suitable for vinyl, lino and lightweight carpets; it is not intended for heavy contract carpet.

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 double channel instead — ask us and we will point you at it.

Single or double channel. Take the double where the flight is wide, the traffic is heavy, or the stair is a designated escape route. On a domestic or low-traffic stair a single channel is usually enough and costs less.

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. Choose the insert that fights your floor, not the one that matches it.

Then the length. Measure the widest flight and take the next stock length up; all three cut down on site.

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 both insert channels regularly — trapped grit is what wears an anti-slip surface smooth.

Frequently asked questions

Why choose a double channel over a single?

Two insert bands across an 85mm tread roughly double the grip area and give you a second band still working when the leading one begins to polish. It is the usual specification for wide, heavily used public flights; on a quiet domestic stair a single channel is normally sufficient.

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.

Will it work over carpet?

Over lightweight carpet, yes. It is designed around vinyl, lino and lightweight carpets at a 3.5mm gauge; heavy contract carpet needs a deeper profile, so send us the pile thickness and we will check it.

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.