Here at Optimum Technologies, we receive hundreds of questions per year about which stair nosing profile is right for our customers’ projects. Often, what our customers really want to know is what kinds of problems they can anticipate down the road with the product. After all, the last thing architects and installers want is a callback. For facilities managers, the last thing you want is one more thing to fix or replace.Whether you are considering an inexpensive rubber nosing or a high-end bronze nosing, my goal is to provide you with an honest comparison of problems you might encounter with each. I have worked in the flooring industry for over 30 years, and will share some of the experiences that I’ve had when working with these products.
In addition to its basic appearance, rubber stair nosing is not the best solution for carpeted steps because standard rubber stair nosing is not very thick. Since the first place for carpet to wear is on the edge of the step, you want a nosing that will butt up to the carpet, protecting the edge of the carpet as well as the stair. It would be better to use a metal or thicker rigid PVC stair nosing if you have carpet on the tread portion of the steps.
Now, you can save money by purchasing a bronze plated profile instead. However, the problem with bronze plated nosing is you may incur additional maintenance costs down the line when wear and tear causes the plating to scratch off.
The bottom line is that if you prefer a bronze stair nosing, I recommend going all the way and ordering a solid bronze profile. With the higher quality product, you can eliminate the problem of a scratched surface coating, which often results in longer term maintenance and replacement costs.
For an outdoor installation, however, I recommend steering away from PVC stair nosing profiles. In many cases, the challenge with PVC nosing used outdoors is that the sunlight often causes the color to fade, quickly resulting in an old and worn look.
Chrome profiles are also typically for indoor applications only for the same reason (higher likelihood of scratches), whereas bronze or aluminum profiles can be used for either interior or exterior projects.
Consider the environment where the profile will be used to determine if an aluminum nosing will work. If you need it it to be slip resistant, consider a profile with a slip resistant PVC channel on the tread portion. If the area can get wet either because of the indoor environment or if foot traffic will be coming directly from the outside, you will definitely want to avoid aluminum stair nosing profiles.
In this case, I recommend using PVC strips, which are available specifically for wet or exterior installations.
I hope this article provided you with some insight into the issues you might encounter with each type of nosing, so that you are at least prepared when making the decision about which product to buy.