Requirement

A distribution centre was being purpose-built for Amazon in Aylesford, Kent on the site of an old paper mill factory. The new building would consist of a warehouse and an attached main office.

Kent Flooring UK Ltd was employed as the flooring contractor for the project. One part of the job was the staircase leading up to the main office hub. Carpet tiles would be used as the floorcovering, so stair nosings would need to be fitted to match the correct gauge.

There would need to be a clear colour contrast between the nose of the steps and the carpet tiles, to create the “ladder effect” which is necessary to comply with best practice guidelines. The staircase was open string, so some kind of finish would also be needed on the sides of the steps, to protect the edges of the floorcovering and make the stairs look neat and tidy.

Solution

Kent Flooring selected Quantum’s heavy-duty HR1 stair nosings for the project. This profile has a rake back riser to fit the steps in the new building, and is designed to be fitted with carpet or carpet tile. Yellow tread material was chosen to clearly mark the nose of each step and create more than 30 points LRV difference from the dark grey carpet tiles, adhering to Building Regulations and British Standards guidelines.

The yellow treads were fitted using the secret-fix method. This involves fitting the stair nosing carrier to the step before adhering the tread, removing the need for unsightly plugs in the tread material.

The staircases were finished with Quantum’s UTA aluminium stair edging side angle trims fitted to the outside edges of the steps to ensure a neat-looking finish on open string stairs, concealing the edges of floorcoverings and stair nosings. Kent Flooring opted for the 83° rake back angled UTAs to fit perfectly on the steps.

Outcome

Quantum’s HR1 stair nosings were ideal for this project, with the yellow inserts making for a large colour contrast with the dark grey carpet tiles. The UTA trims, which are anodised as standard, finish the stairs beautifully, giving a stylish look to the open string steps.

In all, 65 linear metres of HR1 stair nosings were used in the project, along with 72 UTA 83° trims. All of Quantum’s stair nosings have slip-resistant tread material, helping to ensure the safety of those entering the office. This, along with the colour contrast, made sure that the steps comply with Building Regulations and British Standards.