Vinyl Stair Tread

Stair tread can be made of any number of substances, and vinyl stair tread is popular as it's durable, flexible, and cost effective.

It's primarily used for indoor applications, and comes in various gauges or thicknesses for different uses. Sometimes it's referred to as a "lower cost alternative" to rubber stair tread.

Vinyl stair tread is commonly used on wood or concrete steps and available in non descript colors such as black, brown, and gray. It's not used to make a fashion statement or to add warmth!

Heavy duty may be up to 1/4 inch thick in the higher wear front, tapering to 1/8 thick in the rear and designed for commercial and industrial use, medium gauge is slightly thinner and designed for residential and apartment use, and light gauge, usually 1/8 inch thick or similar. Both curved and flat nose models are available, for fitting various type of stairs. Some types also have optional matching "front" or "cove risers" available for the stairs which tend to create a finished look.

They are usually attached to the stairs with neoprene based or water based contact cement or (often environmentally friendly) epoxy based caulk, which is typically 2 part and requires mixing.

Vinyl stair treads are usually much cheaper than aluminum, rubber, or other types or stair tread, but perform the same functionality: helping prevents slips and accidents, as well as protecting stairs from both ordinary wear and tear as well as bumps, chips, and gouges.

Be careful to measure each stair individually when installing vinyl stair treads as often some stairs may have slightly different dimensions, something you want to know before gluing them down!

One apartment building I frequented made heavy use of vinyl stair tread, and it is quite popular for commercial and industrial use. It was functional, reasonably attractive or at least not unattractive, inexpensive and durable. And of course it made the stairs less slippery by far as well as protecting them from the relatively heavy traffic.