Ramp Back Aluminium Stair Nosing 70 x 32mm

Why this nosing works

A grit insert, not a plastic strip

The insert is GRP. Fused alumina or quartz grit is set into the resin and sealed under a gel coat, so the grip runs through the insert rather than sitting on top of it. The manufacturer gives TRL pendulum values of above 95 dry and above 85 wet, and anything over 36 is rated low slip potential. That wet figure is the reason to choose it over a PVC insert on any step that sees rain.

A ramped back that feathers onto the step

Behind the insert, the 70mm tread plate tapers down to the step. On bare concrete or stone there is no upstand at the back for a toe, a mop or a trolley wheel to catch, and on a hard floor the covering finishes up to the ramp. At the front, a straight leg, 32mm overall and 29mm inside, caps the square nose of the step and stops it chipping.

Contrast you can put in an access statement

Insert LRVs are published: Coal 5.09, Brimstone 54.24, Everest 58.00. Approved Document M treats a difference of more than 30 points as adequate visual contrast, so one of the three colours will clear that against almost any tread. The profile is classed as Building Regulations compliant.

Built to stay put outside

The GRP is General Purpose (GP) grade for fire. It is rated 193 MPa in flexure and 123 MPa in tension, and it will not bow or warp in heat or frost. The insert is bonded into the channel on a heavy-duty tape made for high and low temperature extremes, and the aluminium does not rust.

Where it is used

External concrete flights to blocks of flats and offices; entrance steps to schools, health centres and shops; fire-escape and service stairs; loading-bay steps; the first internal flight inside a door, where rain is walked in. Concrete, stone or timber steps with a square front edge. For dry internal stairs, the same 70 x 32mm ramp back profile is also sold with a textured High Grip insert.

Specification

Choosing the right option

Check the step first. This profile is for steps with a square front edge. If the riser slopes back under the nose, choose the 70mm rake back profile, which takes the same gritted inserts. For a deeper leg down the riser there is the 70 x 56mm ramp back version; for wide, busy steps, the 93 x 38mm twin-insert profile; and for a shallower tread, the 56 x 32mm square profile.

Insert colour is a safety decision. Use Coal on pale concrete and stone, Brimstone for high visibility on dark and mid-tone steps, and Everest where yellow is too loud.

Then the length. Measure the widest step and take the next stock length up. The bars are cut on site with a fine-tooth non-ferrous blade.

Choose the finish last. Mill Finish is the usual choice outside. Satin Black and the bronzes blend into dark schemes, while Satin Gold and the Mirrorflect finishes suit entrances where the metal is meant to be seen. Bright Polished is not offered with exterior grip inserts.

Installation, use and care

Make good damaged edges, then clean and dry the step. Cut each bar to width and de-burr the ends. Push the nosing hard against the step so the leg sits tight to the riser and the ramp lies flat on the tread. Bed it on adhesive: on sound concrete a two-part epoxy alone will hold it; otherwise also screw through into plugged holes, with corrosion-resistant fixings outside. Lay any floor covering up to the back of the ramp, and keep traffic off until the adhesive has cured. Sweep moss and leaf litter out of the grit, and wash with water and a neutral detergent.

Frequently asked questions

Can this stair nosing go on bare concrete steps outside?

Yes. The rear of the tread is ramped, so the profile feathers down onto a concrete or stone step with no lip to trip on, and the gritted GRP insert is the exterior grade. The manufacturer gives TRL pendulum values above 95 dry and above 85 wet, where 36 or more already counts as low slip potential.

What does ramp back mean, and do I need it?

A ramp back nosing tapers down at the back of the tread instead of ending in a square step. Choose it where the nosing sits on the bare step or on a thin hard floor, so feet, mops and wheels roll over the back edge. The front is a straight square edge with a 32mm leg, so the step itself still needs a square nose.

Is this nosing Building Regs compliant?

The profile is classed as Building Regulations compliant, and the published insert LRVs let you show step-edge contrast in an access statement. Ask us if Building Control needs a copy of the certificate.

How many steps will one length cover?

Allow a few millimetres for each saw cut. A 2.44m bar gives two 1.2m steps and a 2.75m bar gives two 1.35m steps. A 3.22m bar gives three 1.05m steps or two 1.6m steps.

Ordering and delivery

All 63 combinations are priced individually above. Bars ship at full stock length with flat-rate UK delivery at £9.99; order by 2pm on a working day for same-day dispatch. For project quantities, send us the step count and widths.