How to Choose fiberglass floor grating?

Strongwell produces more than 100 different FRP grating series to meet a variety of customer needs. Applicable to both DURAGRID® pultruded and DURAGRATE® molded grating, the following advice will help select the most appropriate grating series for an application.

Shengfei Product Page

1. Determine Design Criteria

Find FRP grating design criteria in the project specifications under Section 06 74 13 “Fiberglass Reinforced Gratings”. If unavailable, refer to ASCE 7-16, Table 4.3-1 for minimum live loads. Allowable deflection for FRP grating is usually limited to ¼" (6 mm) for pedestrian comfort. Larger deflections may be permissible for heavy, temporary loads. Deflection greater than ½" (12 mm) is not advisable due to prying action on hold down clips and potential loosening of fasteners. Long panels utilizing multispan conditions reduce panel deflection.Compare design loads to the grating Safe Load and you will find high Factors of Safety. Serviceability (not strength) generally controls FRP design.

2. Identify Constraints

Bearing bar height and/or spacing may determine grating series selection. Issues such as existing supports, ADA compliance, high heels, dropped objects, drainage, sunlight penetration, ventilation, and even vehicular traffic could be a requirement for a particular installation. With all these situations to consider, DURAGRID® I-1", I-1.5" and T-2" remain the most
common pultruded series selected. DURAGRATE® 1.5" thick x 1.5" square mesh is the most common molded grating series.

3. Select Resin

Generally, polyester is suitable for most conditions;vinyl ester for harsh chemical exposure and additional corrosion protection; phenolic where fire / smoke /toxicity are of primary concern.
Most Strongwell load tables are based upon polyester resin (PE) since vinyl ester (VE) resin has only slightly greater mechanical properties. Phenolic grating does have unique properties and separate load tables. As a visual indicator for grating resin, Strongwell cross rods are a light gray color for PE and black for VE. Refer to the Strongwell Corrosion Resistance Guide for specific chemical environments and select the appropriate resin.

4. Maximize Span

With your initial grating selection chosen, review load tables to determine the maximum span to meet load(s) and allowable deflection. Compare this to plan dimensions and determine support configuration. Selecting a taller bar allows longer grating spans and reduces the frequency of beams. This increases the load on each support beam, but fewer slightly larger beams is often more economical than additional smaller beams. If the beam spacing is considerably more/less than the maximum span, review load tables to see if other grating meets the design criteria.

5. Choose Appearance

A variety of bearing bar colors, surface grit and topcoat treatments are available for FRP grating. Yellow and light gray are standard bar colors. Fine grit is suitable for bare feet; standard medium grit for industrial uses; or coarse grit, if lubricants or debris collection are expected. A urethane top coat adds greater UV protection or custom colors.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit fiberglass floor grating.

Interested in learning more? Read our in-depth article comparing the use cases and performance properties of molded vs. pultruded fibgerglass grating.

Conclusion

Fiberglass grating is a versatile material that is used by many across several industries because it provides unmatched corrosion resistant properties, especially when compared to steel. There are countless applications for fiberglass grating, ranging from architectural sun screening and flooring to platforms, standard walkways, and stair treads. As a fiberglass grating supplier, Direct Metals® offers a full line of standard and heavy duty molded, pultruded, and covered fiberglass grating products. In addition, Direct Metals® also supplies fiberglass plates. With so many choices, it can be difficult to decide what type of fiberglass product is right for your application.

Molded fiberglass grating is the ideal choice for a project when a lightweight, corrosion-resistant and high impact-resistant material is needed. This type of fiberglass grating also has bi-directional strength, is non-conductive and easily fabricated. These advantages allow molded fiberglass grating to be used for marine platforms and food processing applications.

Pultruded fiberglass grating is skid resistant, durable, and maintenance free. This type of fiberglass grating is also lightweight and easy to fabricate, which makes it economical to install. Pultruded fiberglass grating also has a durable grit surface that is permanently bonded and baked to the fiberglass grating surface. This creates a safe, slip resistant walkway. Therefore, pultruded fiberglass grating is ideal for commercial and industrial applications, such as work platforms, ramps, and stairs.

Heavy duty fiberglass grating is the ideal solution to cover areas that have heavy traffic in corrosive environments. Molded and pultruded heavy-duty fiberglass grating has been engineered to carry rolling loads from forklifts and up to H20 loads that traditional molded and pultruded FRP grating products are unable to support. Heavy duty fiberglass grating is often used to replace heavy steel gratings which are prone to bending and breaking under heavy loads.

Fiberglass covered grating is both low-maintenance and has a great strength to weight ratio. The long-lasting fiberglass flooring combines a slip-resistant plate and fiberglass grating which makes it a great choice when a covered flooring surface is needed. Fiberglass covered grating is often used in industrial environments where a durable, level surface for foot or cart traffic is needed.

Are you interested in learning more about heavy duty fiberglass grating? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!