Getting Started with Stair Treads
Fabricated from our in-stock inventory of McNICHOLS® Bar Grating, Plank Grating, or Fiberglass Grating, Stair Treads are resilient stairway solutions built from our Hole Products. In addition to a vast inventory of prefabricated solutions, we are pleased to offer custom fabrication Stair Treads when your project requires extra specifications!
Whether your application requires maximum slip resistance, durability, drainage, or heavy-load capacity, McNICHOLS stocks a wide selection of Stair Treads ready for shipment and provides custom fabrication for more specialized solutions.
At McNICHOLS, we ensure all Stair Treads, custom or in-stock, are fabricated per NAAMM standards for the highest possible performance and quality guarantee. We encourage you to explore our Stair Tread specification guide below to get started.
Stair Tread Components
Understanding Stair Tread construction helps ensure proper specification. Most Stair Treads are comprised of three main elements: your Hole Product of choice, Nosing, and Carrier Plates. Together, they create a strong, stable product with superior drainage and slip resistance.
How to Specify and Order Stair Treads
At McNICHOLS, it's our aim to ensure your product arrives fast and ready for installation to minimize downtime and jobsite labor. This guide is designed with that in mind! You can use it to compare product types, materials, surface profiles, Nosing, Carrier Plates, and more. If you need some help narrowing your selection, our knowledgeable Hole Team is Inspired to Serve® and ready to help you identify the best McNICHOLS® Stair Tread solution for your project.
Application
The first step in choosing the right Stair Tread is understanding the conditions it needs to support, like load requirements, environmental exposure, slip resistance, drainage, and any other project-specific standards.
Stair Treads in industrial facilities and manufacturing plants may require different traction profiles than those on outdoor rooftop access structures. Marine environments emphasize non-corrosive materials, while electrical plants often benefit from the non-conductivity found in Fiberglass Grating.
Compiling a list of the top priorities for your Stair Tread application at the start will help when determining future specifications.
Common End-Use Considerations:
- Traffic volume
- Load requirements
- Corrosion exposure
- Drainage requirements
- Slip resistance requirements
- Aesthetic appearance (explore our RAL color options)
- Code and accessibility requirements (explore ADA-compliant Gratings)
STAIR TREAD TYPE
We encourage customers to explore our in-stock prefabricated Stair Tread selection or ask about custom options when your project requires a product combination not listed below. This guide is designed to help you compare available Stair Tread solutions and identify the best starting point for your application. Whatever you are hoping to achieve, we are here to provide solutions!
Bar Grating Stair Treads
Standard-Duty Welded: Standard-Duty Welded Bar Grating can be fabricated into a versatile Stair Tread that is suitable for most commercial and industrial applications. Standard-Duty Welded Stair Treads are available in GW, SGW, and CMW Series configurations.
Heavy-Duty Welded: Designed for higher load capacities and demanding industrial environments. This is the GHB Series.
Swage-Locked: Provides a clean architectural appearance while maintaining excellent structural performance. Examples include GAL Series, GIA Series, and SAFE-T-GRID® T-Bar Series.
Press-Locked: Offers a flush surface and refined appearance often specified for architectural projects. Examples include GCM Series Close Mesh.
Plank Grating Stair Treads
We are pleased to fabricate Plank Grating Stair Treads from any of our GRIP STRUT®, PERF-O GRIP®, TRACTION TREAD™, GRATE-LOCK®, or DIAMONDBACK® product lines.
GRIP STRUT®: GRIP STRUT® Plank Grating offers exceptional traction when secure footing is paramount. Additionally, the open area of this product supports drainage for areas exposed to frequent wetting.
HEAVY-DUTY GRIP STRUT®: This Stair Tread offering provides the same traction level as standard GRIP STRUT® reinforced with even greater load-bearing capacity when needed.
PERF-O GRIP®: This product line features large drainage openings and perforated traction buttons.
GRATE-LOCK®: GRATE-LOCK® Plank Grating offers mild button-top traction similar to PERF-O GRIP® but with channel-like drainage slots.
TRACTION TREAD™: Traction buttons provide mild drainage and footing security on this product while minimizing open area for a more structured solution.
DIAMONDBACK®: Offered in Extruded Aluminum, this lightweight solution is exceptionally corrosion-resistant and comes with both a diamond opening and a solid surface profile. Both open and closed surface profiles are fabricated with lengthwise serrations for improved traction.
Fiberglass Grating Stair Treads
Pultruded: Pultruded Fiberglass Grating Stair Treads are engineered for higher load capacities and longer spans.
Molded: This one-piece molded construction is ideal for corrosive environments. Our Molded Stair Treads are offered in both square and rectangular grids.
Primary Material Types & Finishes
Selecting the proper material is critical to Stair Tread performance and longevity. We offer Stair Treads in several materials, including:
- Carbon Steel: A strong, economical choice for industrial applications requiring high load capacity.
- Galvanized Steel: Provides enhanced corrosion resistance and a long service life in outdoor environments.
- Stainless Steel: Ideal for corrosive and architectural applications where appearance and corrosion resistance are important.
- Aluminum: Lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and easy to handle.
- Fiberglass: Designed for harsh chemical, moisture-rich, and electrically sensitive environments.
For more information on material offerings, you can browse our Primary Material Types Chart. Each material offers unique benefits related to strength, corrosion resistance, maintenance requirements, and appearance. Finish availability varies by material and product type. To learn more about metal finishings, you can visit our Finishing Services page!
Product Surface
Understanding your project requirements will help when choosing a surface profile for your Stair Tread. Considering traction needs is a great way to narrow down your selection. McNICHOLS offers Stair Treads with varying levels of grip and open area, which can generally be grouped into the following surface profile categories:
Smooth: Found in our Bar Grating and Fiberglass Grating product lines, this surface profile allows for smooth, frictionless access and an even surface.
Serrated: Serrated surfaces on Bar Grating and Plank Grating are ideal for applications where traction is a top priority. This notched product surface is designed specifically to grip shoes and mitigate slippage.
Button-Top: Offered with a range of open areas on our PERF-O GRIP®, TRACTION TREAD™, and GRATE-LOCK® Plank Grating, this profile creates slip resistance through small, raised circles with perforations at their center that allow drainage.
Abrasive: Reserved for Fiberglass products, this surface profile features a coarse grit surface that provides superior traction similar to serrated Steel products.
NOSING OPTIONS
Nosing is attached to the leading edge of a Stair Tread to improve visibility, durability, or slip resistance. Most in-stock Bar Grating Stair Treads include Nosing, and Nosing can be added to Plank Grating Stair Treads when needed. Available options include:
Cast Abrasive: This Fiberglass Nosing acts is noncorrosive and slip resistant. It works great in wet, oily, or hazardous environments.
GRIP TIGHT®: This 90° Nosing is available with aluminum oxide or steel oxide grit coatings for maximum traction.
Corrugated Angle: Corrugated Angles feature a grooved profile that enhances footing and stair-edge visibility.
Checkered Plate Angle: This raised tread pattern improves traction and durability.
Carrier Plates
Carrier Plates, designed to weld to the open ends of Bar or Plank Grating, feature a mounting slot and bolt hole for easy attachment to structural support. Carrier Plates help to transfer loads to stair stringers more evenly and improve stability. In-stock Stair Treads come with Carrier Plates pre-attached, but custom Stair Treads can be made on request without Carrier Plates attached or with optional Flat Bar Banding instead. Fiberglass Grating Stair Treads do not come with Carrier Plates.
Length & Span
Stair Tread widths are predetermined by our Hole Product offerings. However, spans may be cut to your desired length so long as the proper span and load-bearing requirements are accounted for.
For Bar Grating Stair Treads, 3/16" Bearing Bar thicknesses are recommended per industry standards. When customizing a Stair Tread with McNICHOLS, you choose to include Nosing without Carrier Plates when appropriate for the project.
For Plank Grating Stair Treads, widths are predetermined by industry standards. We invite you to connect with a Customer Service Specialist to discuss our width options.
McNICHOLS can fabricate Stair Treads to project-specific dimensions, reducing field modifications and simplifying installation.
Consult load tables and project specifications when determining product requirements.
Accessories
Complete your Stair Tread installation with available accessories and related products. Common options include:
Special Requirements
If your Stair Tread project requires unusual cut lengths, shapes, or other special considerations, we encourage you to discuss them with a Customer Service Specialist. McNICHOLS may have just the solution for you to save you time fabricating or finishing on a jobsite. Our Value-Added Services include Fabrication, Finishing, and Project Services that are designed to help you every step of the way.
Why Work with McNICHOLS?
When you specify Stair Treads from McNICHOLS you’re receiving not just a product but personalized, expert support every step of the way. From first concept through final delivery, our knowledgeable Hole Team coordinates your project needs with our vast inventory and 19-location network to ensure you receive what you need when you need it.
We are ready and Inspired to Serve® you at 813.466.6979, [email protected], or via Live Chat on mcnichols.com.