There are a number of reasons why you should use stair nosing in your home and workplace.
Safety is the number one reason, but there are also other compelling factors.
Make your steps safer
The primary objective of stair nosing is to make staircases safer. If you don’t have stair nosing, you’ll notice the difference as your stairs won’t be as easy to walk on.
The nosing protrudes over the edge of the tread. This valuable extra space makes it easier to manoeuvre up and down the staircase.
As the depth of each stair is increased, you’re able to step more comfortably and evenly on the surface. As a result, you’re less likely to slip, trip or fall on the stairs.
Protect your staircase from damage
Another advantage of stair nosing is that it protects your staircase from damage and general wear and tear.
Most stairs are subject to heavy footfall, and the force of multiple feet can cause the stair edge to break. This continued pressure is relieved by the presence of stair nosing, which evens out the placement of the foot and reduces the risk of damaging the wood.
Improve visibility with stair nosing
Stair nosing increases the visibility of each tread. Therefore, users see a defined space to place their feet.
This visibility significantly reduces accidents caused by incorrect foot placement. A high number of falls occur because of poorly constructed stairs combined with inadequate lighting.
To further increase visibility, you can install stair nosing in a contrasting colour. Ideally, the stair nosing should be a different shade to your flooring.
Contrasting stair nosing gives greater definition to each step. For example, you can fit stair nosing in a bright colour to make it stand out. This is particularly useful if you have a staircase made from dark wood.
Health and safety recommendations require reasonable provisions when it comes to stair nosing. Guidelines suggest that the nosing should be distinct, i.e., a contrasting colour or shade, to make it easily discernible in natural or false light.
Stair nosing with reflective properties is another option that will help your stairs to stand out. How effective this is will depend on the type of light that falls onto the staircase.
Why your commercial building must have stair nosing
To comply with health and safety regulations, stair nosing must be fitted in commercial premises and public places such as schools, hospitals, and leisure centres.
To comply with stair nosing regulations, you should follow these guidelines: it’s recommended that stair nosing tread should measure between 50-65mm, plus the riser 30-55mm – this is to ensure sufficient band on the nose of each step.
These are recommendations as other factors such as step type and size should also be taken into consideration when fitting stair nosing.
Do you need advice on stair nosing solutions?
We understand the needs of our commercial clients and are happy to install your new flooring out of hours if required to cause minimal disruption to your workplace.
All of our work is carried out to the highest standard by experienced, DBS-checked and CSCS-certified flooring fitters.
To discover the perfect flooring solutions for your business, call us on 01902 681 522 or email: info@1stchoiceflooringsolutionsltd.co.uk