Stair Nosing Supplied & Installed: Safer, Compliant Stairs

Someone slipped on the stairs? Certifier flagged the nosings? Old strips lifting, worn smooth or missing? A stair edge you can’t see in poor light?

Fix it this week

• Send photos of the stairs, the number of steps and the width, plus any defect notice.
• We recommend the right profile and quote in writing: aluminium, carborundum insert, luminous, fibreglass or safety tread, to suit the stair and the traffic.
• We install and send completion photos.

Call Qld (07) 3811 5085 | Call Vic (03) 9021 2512 | Send stair photos for a quote

What the rules say (in plain English)

Slip resistance (NCC). For required stairways in commercial and multi-residential buildings, the NCC (2022 Volume One, D3D14 with Table D3D15) requires treads to have either a slip-resistant surface or a slip-resistant nosing strip, tested to AS 4586. For a nosing or landing-edge strip the table lists P3 (dry) and P4 (wet). Houses have similar rules in the NCC Housing Provisions (Part 11.2).

Visibility (AS 1428.1). Where a stair must comply with AS 1428.1 (Design for access and mobility), each tread needs a contrasting strip at the nosing, generally 50–75 mm deep across the full width, with at least 30% luminance contrast to the rest of the tread.

What that means on site: a worn, smooth, low-contrast or missing nosing can be a compliance defect and a slip claim waiting to happen. Your certifier or building surveyor makes the final call on compliance; we’ll show you which products are made and tested for it.

What we supply and install

• Compliance stair nosings (contrast + anti-slip, AS 1428.1-style profiles)
• Aluminium stair nosings with carborundum (non-slip) inserts, in clear, black and gold finishes
• Luminous insert nosings for low-light and egress stairs
• Franklin-range carborundum nosings and step inlays
• Fibreglass stair nosing (outdoor, wet and industrial stairs)
• Safety tread profiles
• Profiles for high-pile carpet and specialty / curved nosing (quoted)
• Anti-slip strips and tapes for quick fixes and ladders

See the Stair Nosings range. Want it installed in SE Qld or Melbourne? Ask for an install quote.

How a job runs

• Photos and measurements (number of treads, width, tread material, indoor/outdoor).
• Written quote with profile, finish and fixing method (screw-fixed, adhesive, or inset).
• Install: remove old strips, prep, fix new nosings.
• Completion photos for your committee or certifier.

Who we do this for

Body corporates and strata (common-area stairs), schools, builders before sign-off, retail and commercial, aged care, FMs, councils.

Frequently asked questions

Is stair nosing a legal requirement?

For required stairways the NCC needs either a slip-resistant tread surface or a slip-resistant nosing strip (P3 dry / P4 wet, tested to AS 4586). Stairs that must meet AS 1428.1 also need a contrasting nosing strip. Your certifier confirms what applies.

What is luminance contrast?

How much lighter or darker the nosing strip is than the tread, so people with low vision can see the edge. AS 1428.1 generally calls for at least 30%.

Can new nosings go over our existing stair nosing or tiles?

Usually the old strip is removed first; the new profile is screw-fixed or bonded to the tread. We’ll confirm after seeing photos.

Which nosing is best outdoors?

Carborundum-insert aluminium or fibreglass nosings are common choices for outdoor and wet stairs. We’ll recommend one for your stair.

Slip on the stairs or a defect notice?

Call Qld (07) 3811 5085 or Vic (03) 9021 2512, or send stair photos for a quote.

Related: Tactile Indicators (top and bottom of the same stair), Anti-Slip Floor Treatment, Property Managers & Strata, Compliance stair nosings, Luminous stair nosings, Fibreglass stair nosing, Anti-slip tapes.

Fill the Gaps Project is a not-for-profit. No GST charged.