Staircase and nosing therefor

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns embodiments of a stair nosing that can be installed on a concrete tread. The nosing has an upper surface that is formed with a plurality of openings or apertures that can be any of various shapes such as a diamond, square, rectangular, circle, oval, triangle, or various combinations thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the nosing is formed from a piece of expanded metal defining a pattern of diamond-shaped apertures. The nosing can be formed by bending an anchor portion such as two side portions of the piece of expanded metal downwardly with respect to a central portion of the metal piece. When forming a concrete tread, the two bent side portions are inserted into the uncured or wet concrete, and therefore serve as an anchor for securing the nosing to the tread.

1 . A step for a staircase comprising:
 a concrete tread having an upper surface; and   an elongated nosing secured to the tread, the nosing comprising at least one anchor portion at least partially embedded in the concrete and an upper portion exposed in or situated above the upper surface of the tread, the upper portion defining a plurality of apertures.   
   
   
       2 . The staircase of  claim 1 , wherein the nosing comprises expanded metal. 
   
   
       3 . The staircase of  claim 2 , wherein the nosing comprises a polymeric coating substantially encapsulating the expanded metal. 
   
   
       4 . The staircase of  claim 2 , wherein the anchor portion and the tread portion are of a unitary construction and the-anchor portion comprises a bent portion of the expanded metal that projects downwardly from the tread portion. 
   
   
       5 . The staircase of  claim 4 , wherein the bent portion comprises a first bent portion and the anchor portion further comprises a second bent portion, the first and second bent portions being elongated and extending from opposite sides of the tread portion and projecting perpendicularly downwardly from the tread portion. 
   
   
       6 . A method for making a step for a staircase, comprising:
 introducing concrete into a horizontally disposed pan of the step for forming a tread; and   prior to curing of the concrete, inserting an anchor portion of a nosing into the concrete such that an upper tread portion of the nosing forms part of the upper surface of the step, the tread portion of the nosing comprising a plurality of apertures.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the nosing is formed by bending a piece of expanded metal to form a U-shaped configuration comprising first and second bent portions extending from opposite sides of the tread portion, the first and second bent portions comprising the anchor portion, and the act of inserting the anchor portion into the concrete comprises inserting the first and second bent portions into the concrete. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the nosing comprises a piece of expanded metal and the act of inserting an anchor portion of the nosing into the concrete comprises inserting a portion of the piece of expanded metal into the concrete. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least the upper tread portion of the nosing is coated with polymeric coating. 
   
   
       10 . A method for making a step for a staircase, comprising:
 forming a nosing for the step by bending a piece of expanded metal to form a tread portion and at least one bent portion extending from the tread portion;   introducing concrete into a horizontally disposed pan of the step for forming a tread; and   prior to curing of the concrete, inserting the at least one bent portion into the concrete such that the tread portion is exposed in or above an upper surface of the concrete.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the act of the forming the nosing comprises bending side portions of the piece of expanded metal to form first and second bent portions extending from opposite sides of the tread portion.