Bar Grating Specific Considerations - Marco Specialty Steel

30 Jun.,2025

 

Bar Grating Specific Considerations - Marco Specialty Steel

Span

In grating nomenclature, span serves a dual role in defining two significant features. First, unsupported span indicates the clear distance between effective points of support for the grating. Once the specifier has established the design load and acceptable deflection criteria, grating selection will be dictated by determining the maximum unsupported span and consulting the load tables on the pages that follow. Secondly, span indicates the overall finished length of the grating panels (parallel to the bearing bars) as they are supplied to the customer.

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Width

The overall dimension of the grating panel measured perpendicular to the bearing bar span is designated as the panel width. Commonly manufactured and stocked in 24” and 36” nominal widths, grating panels can easily be supplied in a variety of widths to suit the needs of any application. Additionally, custom widths can be shop fabricated to hold any specific tolerance.

Serrated Surface

The excellent drainage and self-cleaning characteristics of plain surface grating make it suitable for the majority of applications. In the presence of materials that could cause the top surface of the bars to become slippery, the optional serrated surface should be considered. When serrated surfaces are specified, the bearing bar depth must be increased 1/4” greater than the sizes shown in the load tables and selection guides to provide the equivalent strength of non-serrated bars.

Banding

To enhance the architectural appearance or to provide additional transverse stiffness, the open ends of the grating panels can be banded. This is achieved by welding a flatbar, similar in size to the bearing bars, to the cut ends of the grating panel. Banding can reduce impact stresses by transferring loads to adjacent bars that are not directly subjected to service loads. Trim banding should always be considered when the grating panels are designed to be removable on even an infrequent basis. Additionally, banding should always be specified when the ends of the bearing bars are unsupported or the grating is designed to service vehicular loads. See examples of banding in our fabrication photo gallery.

Finishes

Steel grating products are usually shipped with one of three standard finishes, bare steel, painted with one coat of the manufacturer’s red or black paint, or hot dip galvanized after fabrication in accordance with ASTM Standard A-123. Aluminum products are commonly supplied as mill finished, but are also available with optional anodized finishes. Stainless steel products produced typically require secondary finishing such as chemical cleaning, abrasive blasting, or electropolishing. All of our grating products can additionally be supplied with specialty custom finishes such as enamel or epoxy coatings. When considering such finishes, careful evaluation of the specified material and consultation with the coating manufacturer are essential.

How to Specify an Order of Plank Grating - LinkedIn

Plank Grating comes in a variety of materials including Aluminum, Carbon Steel, Galvanized Steel, and Stainless Steel. Different construction types consist of Plank, Walkway (both with Heavy-Duty options), Interlocking, Extruded Interlocking, and Heavy-Duty Plank. Additional construction types consist of several Ladder Rung Plank styles, as well as Stair Tread Plank Grating options. An array of heights, widths, surface profiles, thicknesses, and more are all part of our complete line of Plank Grating Hole Products!

At McNICHOLS, our goal is to assist you in selecting the right Hole Products for your design or application. We are pleased to provide you with additional information and resources beyond item level specifications.

Consider Plank Grating uses and physical requirements for your interior or exterior application. Loading, span, and support needs as well as traffic requirements such as pedestrian or hand cart are important considerations. Several Plank Grating products comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when installed to written standards. We invite you to browse Plank Grating applications in our Product and Application Gallery.

Determine the series type and name (GRIP STRUT® Walkway, PERF-O GRIP® Plank, etc.) of the Plank Grating product for your project. If applicable, items that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standard will have this language indicated in the product's description and item specifications.

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Select the primary material type including Aluminum, Carbon Steel, Galvanized Steel, and Stainless Steel. Inventory is typically mill finish. We provide more information on Primary Material Types and Product Finishes in the links provided in the Overview section on the Plank Grating Resources landing page.

Choose a secondary material characteristic that applies to your application. A specific material alloy, grade, or type can be an important consideration in your product selection. Factors like temperature, corrosion-resistance, and environmental surroundings can be important variables to consider prior to placing your order.

Decide the material gauge number or thickness in inches. Extruded products do not have an actual gauge due to the manufacturing process. These items are specified as an extrusion.

Choose the surface profile for your application. A surface profile includes the number of openings to width, type of opening, and the width of the Plank or Walkway measured in inches (e.g. 5-Diamond (11-3/4" Width), 6-Hole (12" Width), etc.).

Select the channel depth or height for your surface profile selection. The channel size for Plank products is referred to as depth. For Walkway products, the channel size is referred to as height because of its upturned profile above the surface of the product. When specifying GRATE-LOCK® Interlocking Plank Grating, it is important to identify channel flange requirements (e.g. Male Channel Flanges, One Female and One Male Channel Flange, Female Channel Flanges).

Choose the direction the openings need to run in your surface profile selection in order to support the application load. Surface profile direction is often referred to as span. Clear span refers to the distance between Plank Grating supports and is an important installation consideration.

Identify the number of Planks or other forms (width and length) needed as well as specific sizes (cut-to-size pieces, areas, treads, etc.) Areas exceeding standard Plank widths are provided in multiple pieces to width.

If you have any questions regarding McNICHOLS® Plank Grating or need assistance along the way, we are available to support you at 877.697., , via Live Chat, or at any of our 19 Metals Service Centers nationwide.

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