Platform gratings (a.k.a. wema gratings) are used in the construction industry and in many industries, such as electrical machinery and chemicals. They are used to build working platforms and safe passageways, fences, protection of openings, etc.
What types of gratings are distinguished?
Platform gratings fall into two basic categories: pressed (pressed) and welded. They differ in the way the lattice elements are connected. In the first case, cross bars are pressed into punched support flat bars, and in the second, support flat bars and cross bars are welded together.
Pressed and welded gratings are divided into the following types:
- notched (serrated) – they are non-slip due to the notched teeth, which prevent slipping in areas with increased humidity and when used outdoors in adverse weather conditions. They also provide security in production halls, where there is a risk of flooding the grating. They are a good choice for building sloping approaches and driveways,
- offshore – like the serrated type, it has serrations to increase grip, but is reinforced by installing additional round bars that thicken the lattice,
- heavy duty (heavy duty grating) – as the name suggests, they endure heavy loads and intensive use. This is made possible by the special design of the grating with taller and thicker flat bars (or possibly a bar with a larger diameter than standard),
- shaped – prepared to order, can have a variety of irregular shapes,
- cardboard – flat bars (or rods) are placed in perpendicularly punched supporting flat bars. As a result, even a significant load is distributed evenly in all directions,
- louvers – similar to cardboard, but differ from them in the way the cross flats are arranged, which are mounted at an angle of 45°,
- security mesh – they have a thickened mesh, but in a different way than in the offshore type: the free spaces between the flat bars are filled with tape with small meshes. A grid thickened with tape will keep smaller items from falling out than a grid thickened by adding a bar,
- corten – distinguished not by the way the carriers are joined together, but by the steel used in their manufacture. It is a weathering steel, distinctive in appearance by the rust-colored tarnish caused by the copper present in the composition. Grilles made of it are resistant to weather conditions,
- profiled – produced in C-profile cross-section, they can have the surface profiled in various ways, used, for example, as steps,
- composite – made of plastic, they are lightweight and, unlike metal gratings, resistant to corrosion.
What to pay attention to when choosing gratings?
Platform gratings are supposed to provide safety and be comfortable to use. The steel from which they are made should meet stringent standards for stainless and acid-resistant steel, which allow it to be used in industry. The different types of grating differ in their load capacity parameters. Therefore, before choosing a particular type, it is necessary to consider the loads that the gratings will be subjected to during operation. Especially if there will also be carts and machinery moving on them. In addition to choosing the right type of grating, the correct method of installation is also extremely important to ensure trouble-free operation for many years. Grilles can serve not only utilitarian but also decorative functions, for example, in large rooms they are sometimes used as an element replacing a partition wall, adding lightness to the interior thanks to their openwork construction. They are also sometimes used to hang flowers or photos and paintings. Mounted on facades, they protect it from being damaged by ivy or other climbing plants.
