Trench Grating Explained 

A trench drain, which is also called a channel drain, is a floor drain containing a trough- or channel-shaped body. It serves various purposes, such as the rapid evacuation of surface water, collection of utility lines, or containment of chemical spills. 

Bar grating products are often installed atop these drains to support pedestrian and vehicular movement without blocking functionality. Their panels of vertically positioned metal bars joined to perpendicular cross bars, creating a stable and safe surface. Gaps between the bars enable liquids and air to flow into the channel or drain below. 

Other uses of trench grating include installation at the entrance or exit point of a drainage system. Often called channel drain grates, the closely spaced bars keep unwanted debris out without impeding fluid flow. As a result, system blockages are minimized. 

Trench grating systems are ideal for applications that must balance the conveyance of liquids with the movement of people and vehicles. Examples include: 

• Streets
• Parks
• Nature Reserves 
• Manufacturing Sites
• Office Parks
• Sidewalks
• Offshore Platforms 
• Strip Centers
• Retail Stores
• Public Works Facilities 
• Stadiums 
• Concourses 
• Hospitals 
• Sewer Systems
• Industrial Sites 
• Water Treatment Facilities

Sure Footing In Wet Conditions 

Indiana Gratings is a leading fabricator of trench grating systems for demanding applications. It’s available in an array of constructions.

Welded Grating

A grating type where bearing bars and cross bars are resistance welded under high heat and pressure, forming a permanent joint. This technology creates a rugged, one-piece structural panel with a smooth and flat surface, which is easy and safe for walking. 

Swage-Locked Grating

This grating type is fabricated by inserting hollow tube cross bars into bearing bars with pre-punched holes. The crossbars are then permanently secured using a swaging reshaping process. With cross bars recessed below the top surface of the bearing bars, duty swage-locked steel grating offers clean lines and a distinct appearance.

Dovetail Grating

A tightly locked and rigidly stable panel grid with clean lines and an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Manufactured by deforming pre-punched bearing bars and cross bars assembled in an egg-crate configuration under intense hydraulic pressure, this dovetail grating permits heat, light, and air to pass. 

Custom Grating Solutions 

Trench grating systems with small openings are ideal for applications that experience diverse types of foot traffic. Panels can be manufactured with exceedingly narrow 1/4” openings, which prevent most high-heeled shoes from falling between cross bars. Tightly spaced grating also better supports canes, walkers, crutches, wheelchairs, motorized scooters, guide dogs, and other mobility aids.

We can fabricate channel drain grates and trench grating from any material by request, but aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel, and fiberglass are used most often. Each one offers distinct advantages.  

Aluminum

Unlike all ferrous metals (steel, stainless steel, and iron), aluminum does not rust. Because aluminum has strong corrosion resistance and white oxidization, they are the ideal metal for wet outdoor areas and spaces. Aluminum can be a fantastic option for Waterparks, spas, and playgrounds.

Carbon Steel

This material offers excellent strength, load-bearing capacity, and affordability. It’s a popular choice for indoor or sheltered trench bar grating applications. Carbon steel doesn’t resist corrosion, so it’s not ideal for moist, wet, rainy, humid environments. The application of a galvanized finish boosts corrosion resistance, however. 

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel trench grating is rugged, long-lasting, and designed to withstand severely corrosive and high-moisture environments. Typical uses include catwalks, platforms, stairways, entranceways, and trench grating. Water treatment, chemical processing, food processing, and outdoor industries can benefit from this grating type.

Molded Fiberglass 

Molded fiberglass reinforced plastic grating, or FRP grating, is manufactured by combining thermosetting resin with continuous fiberglass rovings in precision molds. The subsequent material offers high corrosion resistance, ultraviolet light protection, and structural integrity.

Pultruded Fiberglass

Pultruded fiberglass is manufactured in a pultrusion machine. These bars are resilient and durable due to the high amount of glass they contain. They also come in various colors, resin types, and surface textures. 

Move Fluids And People Safely

Trench drains are effective tools to move water from particular areas. Adding trench grating atop them makes transit easy, fast, and safe. Indiana Gratings would love to provide trench grating products for your application. 

We can deliver trench drain grating in various configurations to meet unique client needs. Skid-resistant finishes that minimize slippage risks are also available. 

Customer satisfaction comes first at Indiana Gratings, a member of the National Association of Metal Manufacturers. From the moment an order is received, we are all accountable for the service and final product. No request is unattainable, and our team will exhaust every resource available to exceed client expectations.

Contact us to learn more about trench grating systems. Our experts are happy to discuss your project in greater detail.